13 December 2007

Early intervention is key to improving the lives of children

For immediate release, page one of one

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) today welcomed the Government's emphasis on early intervention in the 10-year Children's Plan, announced on 10 December.

The RCSLT says the Children's Plan acknowledges its key message: that early intervention in children's health, education and social circumstances is vital to support young people with communication difficulties.

The RCSLT is particularly pleased to see the package of measures to target those young people most at risk of offending, as this supports research findings that two-thirds of young offenders have speech and language impairment or communication needs.

The RCSLT also welcomes the priority placed on raising expectations for children with special educational needs (SEN) and the £18m package of measures to improve teacher training, enhance the role for school special educational needs coordinators and better establish data to identify whether SEN pupils are progressing.

RCSLT Chief Executive Kamini Gadhok says, "The 10-year Children's Plan offers a great opportunity to put children at the centre of the picture. Along with this plan it is also very encouraging to see that in Spring 2008, a child health strategy will be produced jointly between the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Department of Health.

"The challenge will be in the delivery of the plan. The RCSLT would like to see a strengthening of the role of children's trusts as a means of streamlining the delivery of services to solve funding problems where local health and education authorities argue about whether services are provided in respect of children's health or education needs.

"The Every Child Matters approach of children's trusts fostering a shared responsibility for improving outcomes, for example through joint needs analysis and commissioning, and pooled budgets, will greatly alleviate service delivery issues at a local level."

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Notes for editors:

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists is the professional body for speech and language therapists in the UK and has over 13,000 members. It is responsible for setting, promoting and maintaining high standards in education, clinical practice and ethical conduct. Visit: www.rcslt.org

ENDS

For more information contact Steven Harulow, email: steven.harulow@rcslt.org tel: 020 7378 3004