Speech, Language & Communication Needs

(SLCN)

SLCN “encompass a wide range of difficulties related to all aspects of communication in children and young people. These can include difficulties with fluency, forming sounds and words, formulating sentences, understanding what others say and using language socially.” (Bercow Report)

The term SLCN is informed by the social model of disability which looks at both the needs of the individual and at what society can do to support their inclusion.

What are speech, language and communication?

Speech refers to:

• Saying sounds accurately and in the right places in words
• The sounds people use to communicate words
• Speaking fluently, without hesitating, or prolonging or repeating words or sounds
• Speaking with expression with a clear voice, using pitch, volume and intonation to support meaning

Language refers to speaking and understanding language:

• Using words to build up sentences, sentences to build up conversations and longer stretches of spoken language
• Understanding and making sense of what people say

Communication refers to how we interact with others:

• Using language in different ways; to question, clarify, describe, etc.
• Non-verbal rules of communication; good listening, looking at people when in a conversations, knowing how to talk to others and take turns, how to change language use to suit the situation or the person being spoken to
• The ability to take into account other peoples’ perspectives, intentions and the wider context
• Many children and young people communicate successfully using non-verbal means such as signing, gestures, communication books or electronic communication equipment.

Prevalence

Many children and young people experience some kind of difficulty with speech, language and communication resulting in a range of SLCN.

In some parts of the UK, particularly areas of social disadvantage, upwards of 50% of children are starting school with SLCN.¹

I CAN estimates that 10% of all children have complex or persistent SLCN.

This 10% is a mixture of:

• Children who have SLCN as their main or primary difficulty also referred to as specific language impairment (SLI) – studies show this is 7% of children²
• Children who have SLCN as a result of another condition such as autism, hearing impairment, general learning difficulties, etc.

1% of all children have the most severe and complex SLCN.