Working with Local Authorities

I CAN, the children’s communication charity, uses its expertise from working directly with children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) to develop information packages, training, programmes, conferences, research materials and campaigns designed to develop the communication skills of all children.

Every Child Chatters illustrates how I CAN’s expertise can be harnessed by local authorities to support children with speech, language and communication difficulties through partnership working; early intervention; training and workforce development; and by encouraging and supporting parents. 
Download a PDF here.

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Supporting you to deliver Every Child a Talker

Speech, language and communication are the foundation life-skills - the springboard from which all children learn, achieve and make friends. Recent initiatives including the Better Communication Action Plan and the Every Child a Talker programme have ensured that speech, language and communication are at the core of children’s policy and practice.

Every Child a Talker is designed to strengthen children's early language development by improving the quality of language provision in early years settings. The programme works to give a clear focus in creating language supportive environments, engaging parents, early assessment of needs and workforce development.

I CAN has developed a new product to link specifically with the Every Child a Talker focus on engaging parents.  

Resources and strategies for working with parents
The package is designed to help and support early years practitioners working with parents to increase parents’ understanding of and involvement in their child’s communication development.

The package consists of two elements:

* Working with parents training
This ½ day training enables practitioners to:
• Gain an awareness of the benefits and challenges when working in partnership with parents
• Learn to apply strategies to develop and maintain effective partnerships with parents and maximise the support for the child.

* Working with the ‘Exploring Communication Development’ resource
This ½ day training enables practitioners to deliver Exploring Communication Development – a resource for working with parents. Practitioners will gain:
• Understanding of the importance of working with parents and the resources and strategies through which to explore communication development with them
• Information to raise parents awareness of communication development
• Opportunities for parents and early years settings to explore strategies for communication development together.

The Exploring Communication Development resource enables practitioners to support parents so they:
• Understand the importance of communication development for all children
• Are able to identify key factors in the development of communication
• Can identify their role in supporting children’s communication development
• Gain an understanding of how they can support their children’s communication development
• Are able to identify where to find information and support on children’s communication development.

The cost is £1,700 + VAT for a full day for 25 delegates. This includes 25 copies of Exploring Communication Development – a resource for working with parents. The full day training course can be delivered at a venue of your choice, all costs for the venue and expenses are additional.

For more information contact jhodgkins@ican.org.uk

Find out more about Exploring Communication Development

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Communication Skills Centres

I CAN’s runs two Communication Skills Centres which provide independent assessment of children communication skills and their impact on learning. Through outreach and consultancy, they aim to support Local Authorities, Primary Care Trusts, Local Education Authorities and families to understand the needs of each child to ensure that they get the support they need. 

For more information about assessments, click here

To arrange an assessment contact your nearest Communications Skills Centre below:

Nottinghamshire: 01623 795361 dawnhouse@ican.org.uk

Surrey: 01932 872302 meath@ican.org.uk 

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Targeting Talk

Targeting Talk is a unique online resource developed in partnership with Serco Education Services to provide primary school staff with the confidence, knowledge and tools to accurately assess and develop pupils’ speaking, listening and language skills and development.

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Early Talk

Early Talk is a UK wide programme specifically developed for nurseries and settings that provide day care and/or education to children under five. Its aim is to promote communication-supportive environments for all children and to ensure effective pre-school provision for children with SLCN.  I CAN Early Talk supports the themes in early years policies throughout the UK by offering a programme of advisory support, information and professional development delivered in partnership with children’s services.

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Primary Talk

Primary Talk is a staff development and a school transformation package. It accredits schools for developing communication rich environments in order to support all children including those with speech, language and communication needs.

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For further information about I CAN's services, resources and expertise, call 0845 225 4073 or email info@ican.org.uk 

For regular email updates from I CAN, register here.