Children who require support with understanding and processing may have difficulty responding to spoken language they have heard or read (receptive language). They may also need support to sequence and order their thoughts, find the correct vocabulary for what they want to say, and with recalling or understanding complex or abstract information.
Websites
- Speech and Language UK Speech and Language UK provides guides to expected speech, language and communication progression from birth to the end of childhood via their Child's Progress checker
- Understanding language NHS resources, activities and strategies for families and education settings to support children with understanding and processing differences.
- What is a Social Story? Carol Gray explains what Social Stories are and how they can be used to support understanding and explaining the norms and pragmatic rules within social interactions.
Self-help resources
The SENDCO Helpdesk is a free early advice service that can discuss concerns at an individual or whole school/setting level. It is aimed to help support SENDCOs (or practitioners supporting SEND in early years) to consider the next steps when implementing the Graduated Response so that the needs of children with SEND are met as early as possible.
- Speech and Language UK- Talk to a Speech and Language Advisor
- Early Support Information for Speech, Language and Communication Needs Council for Disabled children
- Using visual timetables
- Using sequencing to support understanding
- Using social stories
- Cause and effect
- Sequencing
- Descriptive Commentary
- Visual schedules
- Understanding concepts
- Signing to Support Children’s Language Development
- WellComm - GL Assessment
Training
Improving early identification in Oxfordshire: an introduction to WellComm This introductory training will help you to increase your confidence to access and navigate the WellComm tool kit. WellComm is a complete speech and language toolkit, including identification and intervention support. This course is available online and can be bought in-house for the whole staff as a traded package.
Childminder WellComm Digital Tool support
This training is designed to support Childminders, regardless of their current familiarity with WellComm. This is an opportunity to address questions and provide hands-on guidance, including demonstrating how to upload children and assisting with connecting multiple devices. We also cover common misconceptions and practical ways to address these.
Improving your use of The Big Book of Ideas: using WellComm as an intervention tool
This training is for practitioners who are familiar with using WellComm and have attended the course ‘Improving early identification in Oxfordshire: an introduction to using WellComm’ The session is beneficial for practitioners who use the WellComm paper toolkit and the WellComm digital tool.
Developing Children’s Phonological Awareness This course aims to increase your knowledge about how to develop children’s phonological awareness. It focuses on the many aspects of early year’s provision that support children’s early language and how these provide the necessary foundations for early reading and writing. The course outlines key areas to focus on in your practice and you will be introduced to a range of interactive games and activities to develop children’s skills. This course is available online and can be bought in-house for the whole staff as a traded package.
Quality interactions in the Early Years This course explores the importance of quality interactions on children’s learning and development and provides strategies for effective interactions. This course is available online and can be bought in-house for the whole staff as a traded package.
Identifying and supporting young children with speech language and communication needs This course looks at the tools we would like practitioners to use to support their identification of children with speech, language and communication needs in Oxfordshire. It supports practitioners to develop their universal provision for all children but also unpicks how to develop a response for children who need targeted support, or who may need a referral for specialist support.
The Oxfordshire Speech and Language Therapy Service has developed two instructional signing videos designed to assist parents, carers, and professionals with introducing and using signing to support communication in the Early Years:
Specialist support in setting
A Single Point of Request for Involvement (SPORFI) is a multiagency form used to request support from various educational and health teams for children under 5 with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For further information see the Single Point of Request for Involvement (SPORFI) Flowchart.
Complete the SPORFI form to make a request. Services that can be requested include:
- Speech and Language Therapy service
- Speech and Language Therapy (feeding)
- Physiotherapy service
- Occupational Therapy service
- Early Years SEND Advisory team
- SENSS Physical Disability Team
Children & Young People (0-19) - Integrated community physical health Oxfordshire including Health Visitors, School Health Nurses, Family Nurses and other members of the team offer support to families at home and in the community from pre-birth until the child turns 19 years old. See information on how Health Visiting and early years settings working together.
Early Help Children’s Services Early help refers to the collaborative approach taken by all services working with children and families to provide support for a family before problems escalate. Accessing early help can address potential issues and improve outcomes for children, young people, and families. More information can be found at Early Help and the Locality Community Support Service.
The Communication and Interaction team is a countywide Special Educational Needs (SEN) teaching and advisory support service for schools supporting children from reception age onwards.