Literacy news
Speech, language and communication needs - a definition
10 Aug 2007
What are speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)?
- Problems forming sounds and words
- Problems formulating sentences and expressing ideas
- Problems understanding speech and language
- Problems using language socially
- Delays and disorders in the development of speech and language skills
Who has SLCN?
- 7% of five-year-olds entering school in England - nearly 40,000 children in 2007 - have significant difficulties with speech and/or language
- 1% of five-year-olds entering school in England - more than 5,500 children in 2007 - have the most severe and complex SLCN
- 50% of children and young people in some socio-economically disadvantaged populations have speech and language skills that are significantly lower than their peers
When are SLCN apparent in children and young people?
- The majority of SLCN are identifiable from the second year of life
- Some children have problems that are specifically about speech and language
- Some children have problems related to other conditions that affect speech and language
This article was written by Kamini Gadhok, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
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