Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
Speech, language and communication needs is a term that describes difficulties a lot of young people have in listening, understanding and communicating with others.
SLCN covers impoverished language, language delay and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).
How does it affect my child?
- Children with speech, language and communication needs often have difficulties in the following areas:
- understanding instructions, questions and information
- listening and concentration
- being able to say what they are thinking or their opinions
- organising
- literacy
Where can I get help for my child?
- I Can is a charity set up to help and support parents of children with SLCN
- The Communication Trust has great resources for helping children with SLCN
- Afasic have help for parents and good resources
- The Ace Centre offer help and support to parents, carers and therapists of children with complex physical and communication difficulties focussing on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
- Create a SLC pathway
What support is there for schools?
Learning, Communication and Interaction (LCI) support pupils with speech, language and communication needs in school. They also provide training to Leicester City schools for interventions that help children with SLCN for e.g. Lets Talk and Talk Boost.