Plan to help children with speech and language skills announced

An action plan aimed at helping children and young adults who have speech, language or communication difficulties has been announced.

The £12 million initiative was launched by health secretary Alan Johnson and children’s secretary Ed Balls, and outlines various proposals in the run-up to 2011-12, which is the National Year of Speech, Language and Communication.

Various groups and organisations will receive grants, with up to £1.5 million has been earmarked for a research programme that will be undertaken throughout the next three years.

Early next year, it is planned for a Communication Council and Communication Champion to be appointed, which will advise the government on the development of services for children will speech and language needs.

Mr Balls described this kind of work as “essential”, while Mr Johnson said he was determined to help children reach their “full potential”.

The latter added: “Over the last ten years, we have increased the number of therapists and improved access to professional programmes to help children overcome early speech problems. This action plan sets out how we can do more.”

Related NHS news this week included the launch of a public consultation into the use of 084 phone numbers within the service.