Our team at Help Kids Talk have many years of experience working with babies, children and young people to promote their speech, language and communication skills. Having read widely, listened to many professionals and parents and observed best practice, we have gathered together the main themes and top tips for promoting these skills. In this section you will find advice sheets and checklists on attention & listening, adult-child interaction, supporting children with unclear speech, creating a communication rich environment and using visual supports. You will also find a resource sheet highlighting the benefits of speaking in your home language within your family setting.
We will be adding to this suite of ‘Top Tips’ sheets going forward so please watch this space!
The importance and impact of speech, language and communication on all aspects of a child’s life are well evidenced and accepted. The RCSLT NI highlighted the increasing numbers of children needing speech and language support in Northern Ireland in their 2024 report and raised concerns regarding the capacity of speech and language therapists to provide the necessary supports. As a result, the Department of Education funded a proposal for RCSLT NI to work with Help Kids Talk (a statutory, voluntary and community partnership) to develop universal approaches to the speech, language and communication development of our babies and young children in their early years. Through this partnership Language Launchpad was born.
Language Launchpad has offered the opportunity to hear from all those in Northern Ireland who parent, care for or work with babies, children and young people in any capacity.
The funding has also enabled Help Kids Talk to create a ‘Bitesize Series’ which is a collection of very short films for parents, carers and practitioners as they support the speech, language and communication development of babies, children and young people. Many of the participants in the bitesize sessions share from their own lived experience and offer us great insights, tips and advice.
Alongside the ‘Bitesize Series’ Language Launchpad has commissioned Help Kids Talk to create a range of ‘Top Tip’ sheets, checklists and downloadable resources which again can be used to support anyone working with babies, children and young people who are interested in supporting speech language and communication skills.
All these resources are available here on our website. Please take time to view these and we hope you find them interesting and of use to you and to the babies, children and young people in your care.
An advice sheet about the development of attention and listening skills.
Download
An advice sheet about using your home language with your baby, child or young person.
Download
An advice sheet about what a communication rich environment is.
Download
Top tips for adult and child interactions that promote speech and language communication.
Download
A checklist to help you reflect on how you help children with unclear speech - either as a practitioner or as a parent.
Download
A checklist to help you reflect on your setting as a team, and consider which of the aspects of a communication rich environment you have already in place and other areas that may need some attention.
Download
A checklist to help you reflect on your own patterns of interaction - as a practitioner, parent or carer.
Download
A checklist to help you reflect on how you help children with attention and listening difficulties - either as a practitioner or as a parent.
Download
Small cards to support daily scheduling in school.
Download
A visual support that contains pictures along with their descriptions.
Download
A checklist to know when a child might be ready for the childminder.
Download
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest updates on resources and news
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest updates on resources and news
