
During this COVID-19 pandemic there may be changes in the way some of our services work. Contact the service directly to check how services are being delivered and follow their advice.
Some of our services now offer video consultations. You should speak to your clinician if this is something you would like them to consider. You can find out more about video consultation here.
Contact the ward you wish to visit in advance for guidance and instructions for a safe visit.
You can read some general NHS guidance on visiting healthcare inpatient settings.pdf [pdf] 89KB
If you need help in a mental health crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic outside office hours please contact our crisis team: Help in a crisis
For other medical advice and support contact your GP or visit NHS 111
Only visit your local Emergency Department for serious life-threatening conditions that need immediate medical attention including persistent severe chest pain, loss of consciousness, acute confused state, severe breathlessness, severe blood loss, serious burns or suspected stroke.
Speech and language develops gradually as children grow. Click on one of the age groups in the menu on the left to find out what children can achieve at that developmental stage.
No matter how old I am – one of the best ways to help my speech and language development is to have some quiet time with me so we can talk, sing songs or look at books. It is always best to make sure that the TV is switched off and there is hardly any noise in the background.
A selection of the leaflets below can be found here in Arabic, Polish, Romanian and Urdu.
It is never too soon to talk to your baby. You can start as soon as they are born. Babies love faces. Hold them close so they can see your face as you talk to them.
At 3 months old your baby is likely to be starting to...
At 6 months, your baby will be starting to ...
At 12 months your baby will be starting to...
At 18 months your child is likely to be starting to...
At 2 years your child will be starting to...
At 2 and a half your child will be starting to
At 3 years your child will be starting to...
At 4 years old, your child is likely to...
This poster describes the stages of a typical language development, with examples of what you might see and hear in a classroom or school environment. Language development in the primary years steadily builds on the solid foundations that are established during the early years. Children’s attention, listening, understanding, vocabulary, speech, grammar, storytelling and conversations all develop further in terms of skills, knowledge and complexity.
Children develop at different rates and this poster tells you what to expect at different ages. Although it is not an assessment, the information could help you identify children who are not developing language skills as expected.
Children with English as an additional language are at the same risk of speech, language and communication needs as any other child, however, this can be more difficult to identify.
This poster gives information to teachers about language and communication development in secondary pupils. It may help teachers identify those pupils who have an underlying speech, language and communication need.