Speech and Language Pathway for Early Years Practitioners

Early Years practitioners are crucial to supporting children and identifying when they might be having difficulty.

Without effective speech, language and communication skills children will not reach their full potential. As many as 1 in 10 children may have speech, language and communication needs. This is why it is vital all early years settings and practitioners need to understand how to identify and support children effectively.

If you have concerns about a child’s speech, language or communication, as a setting your responsibilities are to identify need, share information and support interventions.

Here is a step by step guide to help early years practitioners navigate the SLCN pathway.

1. Sharing is caring!

2. A whole setting approach

3.Screen and Assess

4.Partnership with parents

5.Implement communication support strategies

6.Seeking Specialist Support

7.Review impact

8.Continue to monitor

1. Sharing is caring!

1. Sharing is caring!

Sharing communication information at the earliest opportunity with parents and carers is essential.

Sharing is caring!
2. A whole setting approach

2. A whole setting approach

Implementing a whole setting approach to accessing high quality communication training and implementing effective strategies. This ensures all practitioners have knowledge and use techniques on a daily basis with the children and know the best strategies to support and develop their communication skills.

A whole setting approach to communication
3. Screen & Assess

3. Screen & Assess

Screening all children’s language development using a quality assessment tool. If you are not currently using a tool. Speech and Language Uk Child’s Progress Checker is a good place to start.

Screen and assess
4. Partnership with parents

4. Partnership with parents

Involving parents from the very start is key to the child’s success. In partnership discuss the identification of language support needed both in the setting and at home. Provide information on support services, websites and groups available.

These can all be found on the Bradford FYI site.

Working in Partnership with parents
5. Implement communication support strategies

5. Implement communication support strategies

Once you have assessed and recognised when a child’s language is not developing typically. Implementing a programme of support working in partnership with parent/carers is vital for a child to close the language gaps and make progress. Make observations and follow recommended activities to help inform assessment. Share targeted communication support strategies with parents and key practitioners to ensure the child is receiving full support in the setting and at home.

Implement communication support strategies and share
6. Seeking Specialist Support

6. Seeking Specialist Support

Thinking about when and how to make a referral for specific specialist support. Click below for specialist services and the referral process.

Seeking Specialist Support
7. Review impact

7. Review impact

Repeat language assessment to monitor progress and identify any further needs and support. Review, adjust and change intervention activities to continue to effectively close any gaps.

Refer back to step 5 - Implement communication support strategies
8. Continue to monitor

8. Continue to monitor

Monitor progress and continue to implement effective language support strategies for the children who have identified speech and language concerns. Continue to monitor any child who has had a speech and language concern during their time at the setting, until they leave for Reception class in school. Transition to school – with parental consent, share language support assessment and intervention information with the child’s new school and teacher.

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