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.
Language Lead Programme The aim of a ‘Language Lead’ approach is to improve universal early language provision within every early years setting in Oxfordshire by establishing a named practitioner with a responsibility for communication and language. Language Leads will be provided with research-based tools and new resources to help them support colleagues. They will be encouraged to recognise changes that will benefit the whole setting. Please register your language lead by emailing early.years@oxfordshire.gov.uk
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.
What to Expect When: Advice and Support from a Speech and Language Therapist. This course will be available as a recording for staff to watch from October 2025.
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
The Early Years SEND Advisory team work with individual children under 5 years of age who have complex learning, communication and/or social interaction differences. Individual children can be referred using an Early Support SPORFI form (docx format, 585Kb). Support is given to the family and/or the child’s early years setting or nursery class in collaboration with other agencies from education, health and social care.
The Early Years SEND Advisory team also provide universal and targeted support to Oxfordshire early years settings and schools in order to promote effective inclusion of children with SEND. Settings and schools can use the SENDCO Helpdesk to ask for ‘no names’ advice and targeted setting support.
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 (docx format, 600KB) to make a request. Services that can be requested include:
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Speech and Language Therapy (feeding)
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Early Years SEND team
- SENSS – Physical Disability
The Speech and Language Therapy service support children and young people who have speech, language and communication difficulties to develop the best possible communication skills that they can. For some, this might be spoken communication, and for others it might be learning to use a communication aid, or an approach based on signs, symbols or gestures. Speech and Language Therapists also assess, treat and advise on eating, drinking and swallowing problems.
Health Visiting Services offer support to families at home and in the community from pre-birth until the child turns 8 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.