10 September 2020

Ministers from the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice have written to the RCSLT and I CAN in response to the Bercow: Ten Years On – 1st Anniversary Update.

We welcome the Government’s response and are particularly pleased that it has been issued jointly by the three departments, reaffirming their joint commitment to supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

However, as the three ministers themselves acknowledge there is still more to do. We remain deeply concerned that the Government is not doing enough to improve support for children and young people with long-term SLCN.

Kamini Gadhok MBE, CEO of the RCSLT says: “Far too many children and young people with speech, language and communication needs are not getting the input they deserve. This has a profound effect on their ability to access the curriculum, to form relationships, to develop healthy self-esteem and ultimately get on in life.

“The new prime minister needs to create a long-term strategy for these children and make sure that they receive the consistent support they need to thrive. This strategy must be properly funded and support successful joint commissioning locally.”

Read the letter from the Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care, and the Ministry of Justice here.

Read the full response to the cross-departmental letter here.

Read the coverage of the response and the letter in the TES and in Nursery World.