Early Speech, Language and Communication Development: Which Factors are Associated with Better or Poorer Outcomes?: How can we use GIRFEC to think about SLC as a wellbeing issue?
The highest rate of return in early childhood development comes from investing as early as possible, from birth through age five, in disadvantaged families. Starting at age three or four is too little too late, as it fails to recognize that skills beget skills in a complementary and dynamic way.
James J. Heckman December 7, 2012
Scotland’s national GIRFEC approach provides a shared framework for practitioners working with families. It frames infant and child development in the context of their rights, unique family circumstances and wider world, exploring strengths, resilience, adversity and vulnerabilities.
The National Practice Model (My World Triangle, Resilience Matrix, SHANARRI wellbeing indicators, and the four contexts for learning within the Curriculum for Excellence) provides tools that support a shared perspective for considering early SLC development from birth and the complex interaction between biological, environmental, and social factors. This approach provides a context to identify the protective factors that are already in play in the child's world, and importantly, to highlight what else is needed to support early SLC development and reduce the risk and impact of emerging SLC needs.
Understanding speech language and communication needs (SLCN) at an early stage is a complex process. Early identification of concerns, some of which may resolve naturally over time, requires careful consideration to balance supporting families, without unintentionally increasing parental anxiety or over utilising resources. Conversely, some concerns may go unidentified during routine early professional contacts, only to emerge at later stages of development, potentially leading to missed opportunities for timely intervention and support.
The current child health review points within Scotland’s Universal Health Visiting Pathway provide developmental surveillance, exploration of any parental concern and ongoing monitoring of a child’s development. Increased awareness of the factors associated with better and poorer SLC outcomes will allow for more effective targeting of resources to underserved or under identified populations and at an earlier stage in a child’s development.
Awareness of the social factors associated with SLC development is relevant to all clinicians and social care professionals. The National Practice Model provides an opportunity for everyone involved with infants, children and their families to explore and support risks and strengthen protective factors at an early stage. Using this model, practitioners can identify intersecting influences of relationship, social and community influences on early SLC development, alongside any biomedical and/or neurodevelopmental differences. This could strengthen opportunities to provide universal and targeted support where required at early routine contacts with infants, children and their families.
All practitioners working with parents and families have opportunities to prevent and intervene early to support SLC development. Using an adapted My World Triangle (LINK), alongside an awareness of protective and risk factors, gives practitioners a familiar framework to consider prevention opportunities based on risk for SLC concerns.
- How I Grow and Develop - including impact of any known conditions or significant early history
- What I need from People who Look After Me - including protective parent, caregiver and adult communication behaviours
- My Wider World- the systemic and social determinants of SLC development
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