How I CAN Helps Parents and Carers

I CAN recognises that parents/carers and families are the natural educators of their children. We know that it is vital to provide parents/carers and families with the tools they need to help develop their children’s communication skills.

I CAN provides services so that people responsible for the care of children have the information and knowledge they need to support communication development, and the help they need if a child has speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

Click here to download a flyer on how I CAN help parents and carers.

Ready Steady Talk activity book

Moving up to pre-school is a big change for any child, and you play a vital role in helping your child to develop the speech and language skills they need. Ready Steady Talk is a fun-filled activity pack developed by I CAN’s speech and language specialists and comes highly recommended by early years professionals.

Read more about Ready Steady Talk.
Order your free copy of Ready Steady Talk

DVD resource for parents of preschool children

Chatter Matters: Making life easier for you and better for your child is a DVD resource developed by I CAN and Openreach to encourage parents, siblings and grandparents to develop their children’s communication skills by making the most of feeding, bathing and changing times with children before they start school.

Click here to read more about Chatter Matters
Click here to order your copy of Chatter Matters
 

Grandparents and siblings

Visit the section for grandparents and siblings on Talking Point, our online information service.

Online information resources

 Talking Point is I CAN’s online resource for parents/carers and families. It provides knowledge, information and ideas about the development of children’s communication skills and about how to get the best support for children with SLCN.

Go to www.talkingpoint.org.uk

Talking Links is I CAN’s database of essential health and educational organisations that can help children and young people with SLCN.

Go to www.talkingpoint.org.uk/talkinglinks

Assessment Services

As well as supporting children directly, I CAN's Meath School and Dawn House School also support the parents/carers and families of these children, providing outreach to mainstream schools, facilitates academic research and provides and independent assessment service for families, local authorities and other professionals. Find out more

Parent Forums

I CAN knows that many parents value the opportunity to talk directly with experts and with other parents. In 2005, I CAN designed and delivered a series of training workshops known as Parent Forums, aimed at parents of children with speech, language and communication disabilities. The forums offered a mixture of information about disability and communication and more practical sessions on techniques and resources.

Information and Advice

I CAN isn’t able to offer advice directly to parents/carers and families about concerns about their children’s communication development. You may find the help you need on Talking Point but if you have concerns about your child and would like to speak to someone, the charity Afasic has a helpline and can offer support and advice, visit www.afasic.org.uk

Stay in Touch!

Register here for I CAN’s monthly email newsletter, which will keep you up to date with new activities and services.