Appendix 1:

• Free evidenced based resources to enable parents/carers and staff to understand typical speech, language and communication development
  • Ages and stages (0-17years) (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
  • Universally Speaking (0-18yrs) (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
• Screening and assessment tools
  • Speech and Language Link Screeners
  • Autism progress tracking tool for education professionals | Autism Education Trust
• Implementing a whole school/setting/workplace approach
  • Communication Commitment
  • Balanced System for Schools and Settings
  • Framework Documents | Autism Education Trust
  • Communication Access UK – Inclusive communication for all (communication-access.co.uk)
• Evidenced based audits related to the key skills and knowledge needed to support the speech, language and communication development of all children and young people
  • Speech, Language and Communication framework (aimed at all workforces)
  • IPAACKS competency levels (AAC) (aimed at all workforces working with children/young people who are AAC users)
  • NAPLIC | DLD Friendly audit (aimed at speech and language therapists and specialist teachers)
  • Framework Documents | Autism Education Trust (aimed at school/setting staff)
• Free online universal training
  • Mind Your Words – SLCN and mental health e-learning course | RCSLT
  • Communication Access UK (communication-access.co.uk)
  • Webinar SLCN and DLD: what every teacher needs to know
  • Webinar- introduction to DLD for Primary School​
  • AET autism-training
  • Selective Mutism Training Courses – SMIRA (selectivemutism.org.uk)
  • Speech Sound Development (childrenandfamilyhealthdevon.nhs.uk) Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) – an introduction.
• Supporting early identification and intervention
  Early identification is crucial in order to provide appropriate and timely support. If you think a child might have speech, language and communication needs, you should first talk to the parents/carers and professionals involved with the child/young person. This could be, for example:
  • health visitor
  • GP
  • pre-school staff member
  • school staff member/SENCO
  • speech and language therapist
  • educational psychologist
  • community paediatrician

It is also important to note that many children and young people may have needs across more than one category and certain conditions may not fall neatly into one area of need. When reviewing and managing special educational provision all four broad areas of need must be considered to ensure you can provide holistic support for the child/young person.

With a multidisciplinary approach many children and young people’s needs can be met at universal and targeted support so they can make progress therefore, not all children/young people with SLCN will require a referral to Speech and Language Therapy for a specialist assessment.  To help inform this process a series of factsheets are available to help professionals/parents/carers plan the decision-making process for making referrals, what to consider about the child or young person, and how to build a speech, language and communication profile.

View and/or download the full Speech, Language and Communication Needs Toolkit