A child's communication begins at home, and early years practitioners need to promote it there and in partnership with the nursery, as Helen Moylett explains.

Babies are communicators from birth and begin to develop their speech and language skills at home with their parents long before they come into contact with early years settings. Over 70 per cent of young children's lives are spent, not in a setting, but with their family and the wider community. This home learning environment operates beyond the child's day at the setting and provides continuity as the child transfers from one setting to another. Successful relationships between parents and educators are, therefore, very important.

All parents can enhance their child's development and learning and they all have the right to play a central role in making decisions about their child's care and education. Supporting parents so they can engage with, and be committed to, their children's speech, language and communication development is an essential part of enriching the whole language learning environment.

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