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Research at Newcastle on speech language and communication needs (SLCN) has significantly extended the range and quality of evidence in this field. The research is significantly informing high level policy makers, and has been used to set up an accessible database which is having impact on the practice of a range of different professionals. It has contributed to a new programme of work which has produced positive outcomes for schools, children and young people and has been used as an evidence base to secure charity funding for a third sector organisation.
Language and communication disorders affect about 7% of children in countries where assessments are undertaken such as the UK and USA. Difficulties with language and communication severely limit children's social participation, school attainment and life chances, with repercussions for their families and wider society. Research at City University London has had major impacts on clinical and educational policy and practice and the support available to children of all ages with language and communication needs. For example:
It has led to a validated tool for school-based professionals working with deaf children to identify, monitor and evaluate the needs of those with poor language skills.
Literacy and language work reciprocally to support children's learning and attainment. Professors Morag Stuart and Julie Dockrell, in complementary and sometimes co-authored work, have had a substantial influence on the way children of all abilities and with a range of needs are taught to read and develop their broader oral language and literacy skills. Their work influenced national programmes in England on early reading, dyslexia and spoken language (National Literacy Strategy and National Curriculum) and speech, language and communication needs (the Better Communication Research Programme). Their findings provided educational professionals and speech and language therapists with the conceptual understanding that underpins good practice, and helped equip teachers to identify difficulties and intervene.
Research has produced an Interim impact on Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) and Specialist Teachers who work with Children with Language difficulties. I-CAN, a major children's communication charity, embraced the research findings and associated resources to support their involvement in a nationwide study on pupils at risk of fixed-term or permanent exclusion.
Key findings from the study revealed that 90% of SLTs would change the way they would work; over 80% of pupils improved their confidence, behaviour and communication skills; 95% of parents reported an improvement in attendance; and fixed-term exclusions decreased by 21%.
Language impairment is common in children and, without effective early intervention, presents a risk for educational, social and emotional disturbance. The team used their considerable experience in child language research to produce a novel assessment of child language development — The Reynell Developmental Language Scales 3 (RDLS3) — the first test of child language development to be standardised in the U.K. to assess both understanding and production of language in young children. Use of the test has improved language assessment and diagnosis for children with language impairments and, as such, has enabled health and education professionals to target therapy and monitor the effectiveness of interventions to improve child language development. The test has been widely used in the U.K. and is now also being used widely internationally. Recent research by the team has informed a revised version of the test — The New Reynell Developmental Language Scales (NRDLS). Sales figures of the RDLS3 and the commissioning of the NRDLS are testament to its outstanding reputation and enduring legacy worldwide.
Children from areas of socio-economic disadvantage are at risk of underachievement at school because of impoverished language and literacy development. Teaching staff do not feel equipped to deal with the needs of these children, who may also have English as an additional language.
Our research findings have heightened awareness of the relationship between social disadvantage, language and literacy. They have led directly to the development and delivery of programmes which can train teaching staff to enhance the spoken and written language skills of their pupils. These programmes also enable teaching staff to identify pupils who are in need of additional support thus increasing access to the curriculum and subsequent life choices.
This case study demonstrates how research into children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) has had impact by influencing government policy and legislation, improving provision for children and their parents, providing resources and support for voluntary organisations, and assisting local authorities and trusts in the management of SLCN services. The research informed the 2008 Bercow Review of Provision for Children with SLCN, which in turn led to the Department for Education (DfE) Better Communication Action Plan for improving educational provision. Further research by the team, carried out as part of this Action Plan, underpinned the All Party Parliamentary Group on Speech and Language Difficulties 2013 report and the development of the Children and Families Bill 2013. In addition, the team have collaborated extensively with practitioners and voluntary organisations including a comprehensive two-year DfE funded programme with the Communication Trust (2013-15) to educate and raise awareness of SLCN among its 50 constituent organisations and develop practitioners' knowledge and skills.
Research led by Professor Roger Mackett of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at UCL on children's physical activity has been used by central and local government, other public bodies and various advocacy groups to encourage children to be more active. It has been used to support policy documents and proposals aimed at improving children's health and wellbeing. It has led to improvements in the health, welfare and quality of life of many UK communities through, for example, their greater use of walking buses, which also contributes to reduced CO2 emissions.
We have carried out research into children's perception and behaviour around dogs, which has led to the development of an effective safety training programme, as well as improving public understanding of child-dog interactions and risk contexts for dog bite injury in children. The `Blue Dog' (BD — www.thebluedog.org) project has led to changed educational and veterinary practice, public policy change and animal welfare benefits internationally. A key part of the project was the development and validation of an interactive DVD, with training tools that teach children how to be safe around dogs. The results of the research were integrated into the injury prevention messages disseminated by the BD project. The research programme has received publicity worldwide, and over 80,000 copies of the BD DVD have been distributed to 21 different countries, with the accompanying BD booklet translated into 17 different languages. The research was carried out from 2005 onwards, with the impact of the research accruing from 2008 to date.
Young Lives is identifying major influences on children's development, from infancy to adulthood, by carrying out a pioneering longitudinal study across four developing countries over 15 years. Young Lives gathers and analyses data on how childhood is changing in diverse communities, especially through the impact of economic, cultural and policy shifts, by studying two age cohorts in each country. UNICEF, the World Bank, Plan International, and Save the Children International, among others, are using Young Lives research to design childhood poverty-reduction policies in the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The research also underpins the re-visioning of global child protection work by UNICEF, Save the Children Canada, and World Vision UK.