A recent survey estimates that 1.7 million children - almost one in five school-age children struggle to talk and understand words. When you consider how much time schools waste on handwriting - a skill most children will not use once they leave school - it seems incredible that policy makers are blind to this crisis. Children need access to trained therapists and not just TA support in a busy classroom. 

In the last month's Education Today, Dave Smith of BESA urged primary schools in England to join Speech and Language Link's research project for Y1 pupils (see https://speechandlanguage.info/study). This is a great initiative, but we need support across all sectors. Research shows that 60% of young male offenders have a communication deficit as opposed to 3-10% of the general population. 

Secondary and social interactions

Louisa Reeves, Director of Policy and Evidence, at Speech and Language UK (formerly I CAN) says: 'The more complex demands of the secondary school environment and adolescence often mean that young people who have previously coped now start to fail. For some young people masking their difficulties becomes impossible and they struggle with making and maintaining friends as well as accessing the curriculum, this can impact on their well-being and mental health.' 

However, CAMHS waiting lists get longer, so more children need help while Mental Health First Aid courses are being rolled out so slowly that some children in Y7 will have left school before the staff are trained. 

Ellen has had an EHCP since Y1 yet wasn't diagnosed with Developmental Language Disorder until Y10. Her mother, Roisin points out: 'For 15 years, we have continually battled the system to get Ellen's needs met - monitoring, chasing, recording, meeting and following up provision and support. When we were seen, mental health professionals had little understanding of DLD and its impacts, and so we have used clinic time trying to explain to clinicians what adjustments Ellen needs to access interventions.' 

Classroom staff did not have the time to implement the strategies and exercises suggested by the Speech and Language Therapy team and Ellen started to feel invisible. The alternatives were limited: if she was out of class working solely with a TA, she did not interact with classmates and was more isolated. 

Strategies that help

• Use multiple choice questions to test knowledge not speech and language 
• Do not pressurise the child to speak
• Use personalised whiteboards so everyone can take part without speaking
• Break content into chunks
• Provide regular brain breaks 
• Give time to process information
• Repeat key information
• Do not put vulnerable students in the spotlight

Ellen is now at a specialist college with speech and language therapy three times a week with a qualified therapist, plus music therapy. 'Ellen is walking taller, eating better and sleeping better' says Roisin. 'It's like the sticky tape of selective mutism is starting to peel off. We are getting our daughter back.' 

Support for parents and professionals is available at www.speechandlanguage.org.uk.

Comment piece reproduced by kind permission of Education Today.