Useful Links

Help Kids Talk Links & BBC Resources

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for regular tips and advice to support children’s speech, language and communication skills.

• Help Kids Talk Facebook
• Help Kids Talk Instagram
• Help Kids Talk X
• BBC Tiny Happy People – Lots of fun, simple activities and videos, tips and advice to develop your child’s language and communication skills from 0-5 years old.
• BBC iPlayer – CBeebies

Regional Services

• ADDNI – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Adhd, Charity – ADDNI offers support and empowers young people, adults and families affected by AD/HD throughout Northern Ireland.
• Rhythm and Rhyme, from Libraries NI – Rhythm and Rhyme introduces children aged 0-4 years old to nursery rhymes, actions and music interaction all in a library environment surrounded by colourful, stimulating books for children of all ages.
• RISE NI (Regional Integrated Support for Education NI) – RISE NI supports children in schools by working closely with parents and school staff to help children develop the foundation skills for Learning. They provide tips and advice on their website which are accessible to all.
• RNID in Northern Ireland – RNID – Royal National Institute for the Deaf Northern Ireland provides information and support services to people with hearing loss or tinnitus.
• Developmental Language Disorder | Southern Health & Social Care Trust – Speech and Language Therapists in SHSC Trust have developed the following webpage for parents wanting to learn more about Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).
• Speech Sound Disorder (Unclear Speech) | Southern Health & Social Care Trust – Speech and Language Therapists in SHSC Trust have developed this webpage for parents wanting to learn more about Speech Sound Disorder (SSD).
• CYPSLT on Pinterest – A guide developed by paediatric speech and language therapists giving hints and tips for parents, school staff, SLT staff, students and other professionals.
• Family Support Services – An online directory of services for Northern Ireland which is used by young people, families and practitioners to find details of local support services.
• Regional RISE NI Pagetiger for Parents – Parent training, advice & resources.

Training

• Speech and Language UK – A children’s communication charity who want to ensure no child is left behind.
• KCA Training – KCA developed the ‘five to thrive’ model which is a way of understanding how connected relationships are fundamental to brain development and infant mental health.
• Speech and Language Therapy | Stoke Speaks Out | United Kingdom – offers advice and training for parents and practitioners.
• Makaton.org – Makaton symbols and signs can be used either as a main method of communication or as a way to support speech.
• WellComm – This toolkit can be used to identify pre-school and primary school children  experiencing barriers to speech and language development so that you can support them early in their education journey.
• The Hanen Centre – The Hanen Centre – Supports all the important adults in a young child’s life to turn everyday interactions into motivating, powerful opportunities to build children’s communication skills.
• Elklan Training Limited – Elklan provides training to ensure everyone in a child’s network can support the development of children’s speech, language and communication.

Health Services

Please click on the relevant link below to access Speech and Language Therapy service for each Trust.

Northern Health and Social Care Trust – Speech and Language Therapy (hscni.net)

South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust – Speech and Language Therapy (hscni.net)

Southern Health & Social Care Trust – Speech and Language Therapy (hscni.net)

Belfast Health & Social Care Trust website – Speech and Language Therapy (hscni.net)

Western Health & Social Care Trust – Children’s Speech and Language Therapy (hscni.net)

National Services

• RCSLT – The professional body for people working in or studying speech and language therapy in the UK.
• Shaping Us (centreforearlychildhood.org) – Campaign to raise awareness of early childhood starts now.

The Michael Palin Centre, Stamma and Action for Stammering Children all offer tips and advice re stammering:

• www.michaelpalincentreforstammering.org
• www.stamma.org
• www.actionforstammeringchildren.org

UNICEF UK offer advice, support and a toolkit regarding infant and childhood mental health and, along with the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Research on play in education, offer support regarding play for neurodivergent children:

• Understanding and supporting mental health in infancy and early childhood – a toolkit to support local action in the UK. – UNICEF UK
• Supporting play for neurodivergent children – PEDAL