The importance of touch to increase bonding and attachment and that reciprocal language exchange between parent and child

Provide child development information about what to expect when, lots of ideas about play activities, child led play and how this helps your child to grow and develop, modelling language, tips on parenting, singing, sensory play, tummy time including the use of communication in print

Enjoying books with your child and how this helps them to grow and develop language and communication skills

On specific subjects that parents have said they are struggling with or would like more information and tips about, for example; dump the dummy and lets chat together

Face to face structured support from a worker who will provide activities and strategies suited to the child’s needs to help promote their language and communication skills. They will guide families and help them to access any additional support that they are not already aware of and will look at further referrals, taking specialist support as needed

Visits to local areas including the family hubs, delivering exciting activities around books

Singing and nursery rhymes increasing physical skills and developing language and communication skills

Delivered onsite in partnership between the Local Authority and Speech & Language Therapy service

1 to 3 years – Parenting Programme, Descriptive commentary, Social coaching, Persistence coaching, Academic coaching, Emotional coaching

All families are offered five key contacts as part of Universal Core offer of the service:

• Antenatal contact
• New birth visit (between ten to fourteen days)
• Six to eight week visit
• One year development review (between eight to twelve months)
• Two year development review (between two to two and a half years)

At each of these contacts advice is offered about the child’s Speech, Language and Communication needs.

All correspondence with families encourages them to explore information on our website which provides useful links to promote speech and language development.

https://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/services/health-visiting/facts-about-your-childs-development/

Through a national schemed called ‘Bookstart’, the BookTrust provides free reading packs for children.

The packs are given at two key ages before school to help families read together every day and inspire children to develop a love of books and reading.

These are given to families by 0-19 staff at the early mandated contacts and used to facilitate discussion with parents/ carers about the importance of early language development. Parents / carers are encouraged to register children with the Library at a young age to promote interest in books.

The Community Early Years Practitioners’ key aims are to support children, their families, and professionals in ensuring early identification of need and signpost on to appropriate services and referrals. Community Early Years Practitioners provide support, advice and guidance on key aspects including: –

• Share strategies to promote Early language and communication skills.
• Drop-in sessions on-line providing opportunities to chat with a qualified early years practitioner and ask any question relating your child’s development.
• The delivery of talking toddler groups with our colleagues from speech and language
• Sharing Ideas, and activities to support your child/rens development.
• Promoting healthy lifestyles
• Positive parenting – every interaction can support the development of your child’s language and communication skills

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get the update dates and times of groups:

• StartWell Sheffield Facebook
• StartWell Sheffield Instagram

• https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/#6
• https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/learning-to-talk/0-to-6-months/
• https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/learning-to-talk/2-to-3-years/
• https://literacytrust.org.uk/parents-and-families/
• http://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/media/363847/tct_univspeak_0-5.pdf
• https://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/services/speech-and-language-therapy-new-homepage/