If your child is age 0 – 5 years (not in full time school) this section is for you! We recommend you look through the following resources, videos and advice sheets and try some strategies that are relevant to your child’s age and stage to help your child’s speech, language and communication development.
If you would like more specific information on different aspects of speech, language and communication please click on the tabs in the Information for parents or Information for professionals section of our website for strategies to support any areas that apply to your child including: attention and listening, speech, spoken language, understanding of language, social communication and interaction, fluency, vocabulary, selective mutism and more.
FOLLOW — Watch our 'Promoting communication' webinar
- Learn about what our FOLLOW strategies are.
- Learn about your role in supporting speech and language development.
- Key stages of speech and language development.
- Top tips for promoting speech and language and communication in early years.
Watch our 15-minute webinar.
Please note captions are available by clicking on "cc"
Promoting Communication from HCT NHS Trust on Vimeo.
FOLLOW communication strategies postcard: click here
FOLLOW – Top Tips for Promoting Communication
Face to face: Get down to your child’s level
Observe: Observe what your child is playing with and follow their lead
Label: Label what your child is playing with using single words and phrases
Limit questions: Limit the number of questions you ask your child – use comments instead
Opportunities: Create natural communication opportunities within everyday activities
Wait: Wait and pause to give your child the time and chance to communicate
Baby - Top tips to support your baby's communication
- Talk to your baby - Change and chat
- Talk to your baby - Playing with your baby
- Talk to your baby - Say hello to your new baby
- Talk to your baby - Sharing books with your baby
- Talk to your baby - Sharing songs and rhymes
- Advice around dummy use
