This page is an accompaniment to the Speech, Language & Communication Development episode of The Early Learning in Fife Podcast.
It contains information, contact details, and links to training modules and resources discussed during the conversation.
Please click on the relevant headline and a drop-down information panel will appear.
The Advice Line for parents and carers is open 14:00-16:00 on a Tuesday and 10:00-12:00 on a Thursday. Parents and Carers can speak with an experienced Speech & Language Therapist by calling: 01592 226699.
An Enquiry Line for professionals is open 14:00 – 16:00 on both Monday and Thursday. It helps to have some information to hand when you call. For example, answers regarding the 5 GIRFEC questions and a speech sound sample. To speak to an experienced Speech & Language Therapist, call: 01383 674055.
Let’s Talk and Let’s Be Clear are our online parent information sessions. These are currently undergoing an update, but will soon be available to parents and carers in the form of an interactive Sway. More information is available via our Facebook and Instagram pages, or on the NHS Fife website.
Let’s Connect was created during a multi-agency Scottish Government Quality Improvement Practicum, and aims to improve the developmental outcomes of 2-year-old children through enhanced play and daily interactions within both the home and Early Years settings.
This targeted intervention is designed to be implemented by Early Years practitioners who are in close proximity to children and their families. Let’s Connect enables practitioners to model/coach parents and carers in four key strategies and to support them to embed these strategies in daily interactions and play with their child.
We have created a comprehensive manual with training materials and resources to support implementation. Currently, the Scottish Government are providing funding to assist with the spread of the project across Fife, which has enabled us to employ a full-time Early Years Officer.
As of October 2024, Let’s Connect is running in 2-year-old rooms within both Sunflower Family Nurture Centre, Beanstalk Family Nurture Centre, Dunmore, and Clentry. At present, we are in conversation with Denend, Cardenden, St. Brides, Cowdenbeath, and Crossgates to start Let’s Connect in the near future.
Our long-term vision is to offer Let’s Connect in every 2-year-old provision in Fife, as well as within Health Visiting and Third Sector organisations.
In January 2023, the Scottish Government commissioned the National Early Language & Communication Team (NELC).
There are now 7 regional Speech & Language Therapists (SLT’s) in post across Scotland. Their aim is that by 2030, young children in Scotland will experience language and communication through nurturing environments and interactions that will reduce the proportion of speech, language, and communication concerns reported at developmental reviews.
This doesn’t just sit with the Speech & Language service, this is “everybody’s business!” In Fife, we have a strong multi-disciplinary team from both education and health sectors working with the Regional SLT. Together, we have developed a framework with identified priorities for next steps.
Find out more about the work of the NELC across Scotland, here.
Universally Speaking is a fabulous online resource that can help practitioners to understand and share the stages of speech, language and communication development with children’s parents/carers/families. This can be accessed here.
The Communication Trust produced a series of 4 short films entitled ‘Through the Eyes of a Child,’ to help parents understand and support development of their children’s communication. Narrated by comedian Kathy Burke, the films consider communication from the perspective of the child, and are full of useful information surrounding ways that parents can encourage their child to talk and interact with them. These films are equally useful for practitioners.
Developed by Fife Speech & Language Therapy Service, the Communication Handbook brings together information and strategies to help support children’s early speech, language and communication skills. The handbook includes information about typical development and offers strategies to try when difficulties arise. This can be accessed here.
The Communication High 5 is a set of strategies and techniques designed to promote effective communication and support practitioners to engage with children through quality interactions.
For a more in-depth look at Speech & Language development across the early years, practitioners may find the following modules highly useful. These were developed collaboratively between NHS Fife Speech & Language and Fife Council Early Years.
Website: Click Here
Facebook: NHS Fife Speech & Language Therapy Service
Instagram: @banter4bairns
Email: fife.cypsltenquiries@nhs.scot
