'What Works': interventions for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs

The Better Communication Research Programme (BCRP) was commissioned as part of the Better Communication Action Plan1, the government’s response to the Bercow review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs2. This recommended a programme of research ‘to enhance the evidence base and inform delivery of better outcomes for children and young people’ (p.50). This is one of 10 publications reporting the results from individual BCRP projects. These contribute to a series of four thematic reports and the main report on the BCRP overall in which we integrate findings and present implications for practice, research and policy from the BCRP as a whole (see Appendix 1 for full details3).
The “What Works?” Interventions for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs project was one part of the BCRP.
Parents and professionals want the best for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). For this reason it is important that we find out what are the most useful ways of helping the children reach their communication potential. This report from the Better Communication Research Programme draws together the relevant evidence about the effectiveness of such interventions. We asked experienced practitioners what they most commonly use for children with SLCN4, examined the research literature and drew both strands together to summarise the best evidence. To help commissioners, practitioners and parents make their own judgements about the strength of the evidence for a given programme in their own contexts we also provide a framework for those wishing to assess new interventions as they are developed.