A perfect storm of poverty, the legacy of Covid lockdowns, and real-world activities being displaced by screens is driving an unprecedented crisis in children's speech and language development across the UK, a leading charity has warned.
A System 'Absolutely Failing' Children
Jane Harris, chief executive of the charity Speech and Language UK, issued a stark warning to ministers as they prepare to publish a long-awaited strategy for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). She stated the current system is "absolutely failing a huge number of children", with a record one in five now struggling with talking or understanding words.
Of these children, nearly half face speech challenges related to SEND, such as neurodivergence or a disability. "We know that if they don't get the right support, they can't learn subjects in school like English and maths, but they also can't make friends," Harris told The Mirror. She emphasised the profound emotional impact, leaving children isolated and unable to articulate their own feelings.
Poverty and Screens: A Toxic Mix for Development
Harris pinpointed a combination of factors behind the spike in preventable issues. Record poverty levels, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, have deprived children of vital life experiences with peers, from trips to the park to learning how to share.
While increased screen time is not a sole cause, she argued that replacing real-world interactions with device use is a significant contributing factor. "Screens are stopping children going to the park, having a chat with their friends, talking to their parents," she said. Harris framed screens as a symptom of deeper problems, citing stressed parents working long hours who lack the resources for simple developmental activities like visiting a farm.
Call for Training and Overhaul Ahead of White Paper
The charity head stressed that speech issues are not confined to early years, with teenagers also severely affected, impacting friendship-building and mental health. To ease the crisis, she called for drastically improved training for all teachers, who currently receive only about two hours on speech and language during initial training. Her proposals include annual SEND-focused training days and properly staffed specialist hubs in schools.
These changes are hoped to be included in the Government's SEND white paper, due early next year. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is planning a major overhaul of the crisis-hit system. Schools Standards Minister Georgia Gould, who has been consulting nationwide, indicated speech and language support would be a central pillar of the new strategy, blaming the scrapping of Sure Start centres for part of the current need.
A Department for Education spokesman said: "This government inherited a SEND system on its knees... we’re listening to parents and putting families at the heart of plans to deliver a reformed system."
