Talking and Communication
Talking and communicating uses skills that continue to develop and refine over our whole lifetime.
For most children, communication skills develop rapidly over the first five years of their life, and the adults around them can do a lot to help support their development. For some children these skills don’t always develop as expected and they may need some extra support to help them communicate.
Although most children use talking as a means of communication, some children communicate through signing, gestures/action, symbols, or books/apps.
The Children’s Speech and Language Therapy service has put together lots of helpful advice and suggestions on how you can support your child’s communication skills at home. Please visit the Children’s Speech and Language Therapy page to guide you through to advice relevant for you and your child.
Children's Speech and Language Therapy
Useful Ideas and Strategies to help my child
If your child is currently known to the Children’s Speech and Language Therapy service, please follow the advice recommended for you and your child; please contact us if you would like to talk through this again.
As with all of us, how effectively children communicate can be dependent on how they are feeling. Using strategies to support your child’s emotional wellbeing can also have a positive impact on their communication skills.
Useful links
Here are links to useful advice from the teams in Children’s Services which may help with your child’s talking and communicating.
Children's Speech and Language Therapy advice and resources
Support your child's emotional wellbeing
Reducing Frustration leaflet
Children's Speech and Language Therapy
Reading the cues of your baby and child
Occupational Therapy Service for Children and Young People
Sensory calming techniques for children and young people
Occupational Therapy Service for Children and Young People
Managing screen time
Turn screen time into 'you and me' time
Learn how to turn screen time into ‘you and me’ time with advice from the Children’s Speech and Language Therapy service.
Managing screen time for your child
Get help on how to manage your child’s screen time from the Occupational Therapy Service for Children and Young People.
Supporting attention, listening and concentration
Attention and listening
Children's Speech and Language Therapy leaflet on stages of attention and listening.
Supporting my child to concentrate on tasks at home
Occupational Therapy Service for Children and Young People
My child is having difficulty with interaction and play
Children's Speech and Language Therapy
Supporting my child with sensory play
The Occupational Therapy Service for Children and Young People have put together some information to help you support your child to enjoy the benefits of sensory play.
