Early Talk for York is an approach to improve speech, language and communication of children aged 0 to 5 years.
Find out more about the partner organisations who help to deliver Early Talk for York.
- York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Family Learning
- Healthy Child Service
- University of York - York Students in Schools
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The Children's Speech and Language Therapy service at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (YSTHNFT) supports children and young people who present with speech, language, communication and / or eating, drinking and swallowing differences, which impact on their ability to interact with others and access everyday activities.
Their Speech and Language Therapists and Assistants work collaboratively with families and those closest to the child or young person to:
- understand their concerns and the impact their needs have on their everyday life
- offer advice, support and training to parents / carers, health staff, and education staff on how best to support a child or young person’s needs
- identify what is already working well and signpost to the most appropriate support available in your local area
The service works closely with Early Talk For York and fully supports the approach. Specialist Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) and Assistants (SLTAs) from the local NHS service work in collaboration with Early Talk For York. The aim of this specialist involvement is to promote sustainability by building early years practitioners’ knowledge, skills and confidence, to empower them to respond to concerns about children’s speech, language and communication skills, with reduced reliance on specialist services (e.g. NHS) over time.
In addition, the joint working across the Local Authority and NHS service has provided feedback and evidence which has contributed to ongoing service transformation projects within the NHS, such as responding to training needs.
Find out more information about the YSTHNFT Children's Speech and Language Therapy service, including advice and how to refer to the service online.
Family Learning
The Family Learning team at York Learning has been involved throughout the Early Talk for York project, and their flexible and responsive model of delivery reflects a strong emphasis on speech, language and communication through shared reading, play and practical, fun activities for families to do both at home and in the outdoor world.
York Learning's Family Learning tutors will work with a school or setting to engage with and develop parent / carer skills to support their children’s learning at home.
As primary school teachers with experience in adult education, the tutors work with parents, grandparents and carers to identify gaps and build their own skills and confidence, developing them as role models for their children and raising aspirations for the whole family.
See more information about Family Learning on the York Learning website, link up with the team or make a referral.
Healthy Child Service
The service has a range of staff who use their visits to a child and their parents or carers to promote good speech, language and communication. The Healthy Child Service staff who support with speech, language and communication are Health Visitors, Healthy Child Nurses and Child Development Workers and all have training and experience in early years development.
We know that Healthy Child Service staff hold a unique relationship with families, and play a hugely important role supporting children in their first few months and years of life by:
- supporting families to give every baby the best start in life
- providing extra support when families need it most
- building on families' strengths
- spotting early problems
- connecting families to the right support
- finding solutions together
The Healthy Child Service can play a significant part in responding to developmental concerns. If they or the parent or carer have concerns it's important that families are guided with things they can do in the home to support the child, with referral on to appropriate specialist services if needed.
In line with the principles of Early Talk for York, the Healthy Child Service in York are using an early language assessment tool, 'Early Language Identification Measure and Intervention' (ELIM), to universally screen all children who attend for their 2 to 2 and a half year contact. The ELIM tool will support professional judgement in spotting concerns about children’s speech, language and communication skills.
Concerns about children older than 2 and a half that are shared with the service by parents, carers or early years providers will be addressed using the WellComm assessment, in line with common practice across most early years settings in York.
The service is very keen to work collaboratively with early years settings and Child Minders, especially where additional needs are identified, to ensure the best outcomes for every child. There is a dedicated email address that Early Years providers can use to contact the service and be linked with a named practitioner who can provide advice and guidance and further support for families if needed.
If there are concerns about a child’s development in speech, language and communication that would benefit from support for the family at home, Early Years providers can contact the Healthy Child Service on email: EarlyYearsEnquiriestoHCS@york.gov.uk, or use our general service email: hcs-secure@york.gov.uk, or telephone: 01904 555475.
University of York - York Students in Schools
The York Students in Schools (YSIS) programme connects students from the University of York with local schools and colleges to help make a difference to the lives of young people in York. This scheme includes early years settings.
YSIS supports Early Talk for York by providing enthusiastic volunteers to complete Speech and Language placements.
The students spend half a day per week across 10 weeks volunteering in an early years foundation stage setting, supporting with WellComm Assessment-related activity, such as providing additional support and intervention for those children who have been identified as having additional needs. This has proved to be highly successful in those settings that have worked with YSIS so far.
We are also able to offer student volunteers who speak a wide range of different languages. These students will be able to translate and carry out WellComm screening assessments so that children who are new to speaking English can be tested in their preferred language.
All students completing YSIS placements via the partnership with Early Talk for York receive specialist training from the Early Talk for York Specialist Speech and Language Team prior to their placement, and obtain Enhanced DBS checks and safeguarding training through YSIS. The 10-week placements run twice per year, in September and February.
To find out more, or to request volunteers for your setting, contact YSIS on email: ysis@york.ac.uk.
Also see
Early Talk for York
Children's Services