Speech, language and communication needs are the most common developmental concern in early years settings, and you are well placed to spot them early. This SLCN course gives your team a clear picture of how communication typically develops, the signs that a child is off track, and the everyday strategies that build language for every child in the room.
It also takes you through the referral journey step by step, from the first conversation with parents to working alongside a speech and language therapist, and shows you how to tell SLCN apart from English as an additional language and selective mutism.
Why SLCN training matters
Almost everything else a child learns is built on communication. A child who cannot make themselves understood may bite, hit or melt down, and that behaviour often melts away once the communication need underneath it is met. Children in your setting may spend more waking hours with you than with anyone else, so the way your team talks, waits and listens has a real effect on how their language grows.
Communication and language is one of the three prime areas of the EYFS. When a concern persists, your SENCO, a statutory requirement in group settings, guides you through the SEND Code of Practice’s graduated approach: assess, plan, do, review. You need parents’ agreement before referring a child or sharing information about them with outside services.
What’s in the course
- How speech, language and communication developThree different skills, the typical journey from birth, attention and listening, and serve and return.
- Spotting the signsBroad signs age band by age band, the red flags that mean act now, and making observations count.
- Creating a communication-friendly settingBackground noise, cosy talking spaces, visual support, routines, dummies and screens.
- Everyday strategies that build languageFollowing the child’s lead, commenting more than questioning, pausing, expanding, recasting and signing.
- Working with speech and language therapyTalking with parents, the graduated approach with your SENCO, referral routes and what to do while you wait.
- EAL, selective mutism or SLCN?Why the home language is the key question, and why pressure to talk makes selective mutism worse.
- Assessment10 questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
What you’ll learn
- The difference between speech, language and communication, and why it changes the support a child needs
- The red flags that always prompt action, including no words at all by 18 to 24 months and any loss of language or social skills
- Why a hearing check should be part of the picture whenever talking is delayed
- How to reduce background noise and use visual timetables, objects of reference and gesture
- The rule of thumb of four comments for every question, and giving a child up to ten seconds to respond
- How to expand what a child says by one word and recast errors without correcting them
- The common routes to speech and language therapy, including parental self-referral where your local service accepts it
- Why you should never advise a family to stop speaking their home language
Who this course is for
- Key persons who know a child well and are often first to notice a concern
- Practitioners in baby, toddler and preschool rooms
- SENCOs and room leaders who guide the team through the graduated approach and referrals
- Managers who want a shared, consistent way of talking with children across the setting
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- 6 short lessonsAbout 45 minutes in total.
- 10-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.
Training your team
Every adult in the room is a language teacher, and signs such as “more”, “finished”, “drink” and “help” only work when everyone uses them. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. To build on what you learn here, see Supporting Children with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Selective Mutism.
Frequently asked questions
What does SLCN stand for?
Speech, language and communication needs. Speech is producing sounds clearly, language is understanding and using words and sentences, and communication is the social use of it all. A child can struggle with one while being strong in the others.
When should we act rather than wait and see?
Talk to parents and your SENCO straight away if a child has no words by 18 to 24 months, no two-word phrases by around two and a half to three, a consistently poor response to their name or simple instructions, or little interest in interacting. If a child loses words or skills they had before, act immediately.
Can our setting refer a child to speech and language therapy?
In many areas settings can refer directly, with parental consent. Other routes include the GP or health visitor, and many NHS services accept referrals straight from parents. Pathways vary, so the course asks you to find out and write down your local one.
Is a child with EAL who says very little likely to have SLCN?
Not on its own. A quiet period is a normal stage of learning an additional language. Ask parents how the child talks in their home language. A genuine communication need shows up in every language a child speaks, and being multilingual must never delay a referral.
Does signing delay talking?
No. Used alongside spoken words, gesture and simple signing typically reduce frustration and help children move into speech.
What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
