This digital pathway has been developed to support every child and young person in Dudley to be the best communicator that they can be.
Our pathway provides guidance and information to support children and young people on their language journey. Our aim is that Dudley supports and values ALL communication and that every child in Dudley to be given the best start in life so that they are happy, healthy and able to reach their full communication potential.
What happens in the first few years of a child’s life can shape their whole life. Singing, talking, reading, and playing together with your child as soon as they’re born helps their brain to grow and develop.
Learning to talk and communicate well when they’re young helps children to make friends, feel good about themselves, and do better in school.
To help your child learn you can sing together, talk to them, ask questions, and listen to what they have to say. You can also read stories together, play games that involve talking, and encourage them to express themselves in their own way.
Speech and Language UK offer more advice and information about speech, language and communication.
Use Speech and Language UK’s progress checker to see what typical development looks like in children and when you should be concerned.
Additional resources
Ages and stages
A guide to the typical stages of speech and language development in babies, children and young people.
BBC Tiny Happy People
Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's language skills. Explore simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers' amazing early development, including:
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Early communication - A collection of articles and films centred around babies' early communication skills, their attempts to communicate and building them up to their first words.
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Child development and milestones - Find out about your child's brain development and how they come to understand the world.
Little Moments Together
The more we chat, play and read with our kids, the more we help build their brains.
Anytime, anywhere, whether at home or out and about, it all adds up. There’s no need to buy lots of toys or have big days out. Wherever you are, simply chatting back and forth, answering your child’s questions and sharing special moments together all help their brain to grow and develop secure and strong connections. Just what they need to get off to the right start at school.
The NHS Start for Life website is packed with simple ideas from other parents on how to build these little moments into each day. It includes lots of examples of tips and activities for you to do together with your child at different ages; for example 0-6 months or 1 to 2 years, as well as links to find further support in your local area.
A new film has also been released to explain how children’s brains develop during the early years, and the crucial role parents play through all the little moments they spend together with their child. Watch Help us building Brains.
The National Literary Trust
A child’s earliest years are crucial to their development and life chances. Early Words Matter provides information, practical programmes, resources and training for the early years sector.