House of Commons - Education Committee

Behaviour and Discipline in Schools - Education Committee Contents

Memorandum submitted by I CAN

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 I CAN, the children's communication charity, welcomes the opportunity to feed into the Committee's inquiry into Behaviour and Discipline. Our evidence demonstrates the strong link between emotional and behavioural difficulties and poor communication skills. From our experience however, Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) often go undetected in children and young people with behavioural difficulties, resulting in further social exclusion. I CAN believes that more needs to be done to ensure early identification of SLCN as well as positive intervention for these vulnerable children. In this submission we have used our experience to highlight the following areas:

— The strong correlation between children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties and children who have SLCN.

— The need to ensure that SLCN does not go undetected in children with behavioural difficulties.

— The key role that identifying and addressing communication needs can play in supporting positive behaviour.

— The need for tools to aid in the identification of SLCN in both mainstream and specialist settings.

— To ensure the provision of specialist help including clear methods for referral to a specialist provider.

2. ABOUT I CAN

2.1 I CAN is the children's communication charity. We work to develop speech, language and communication skills for all children, with a particular focus on children who have Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). I CAN works to ensure all people who have a responsibility to children, from parents and teachers to policy makers, understand the importance of good communication skills. We do this through:

— Direct service provision through two schools for children with severe and complex speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), and a network of early years centres.

— Consultancy and outreach services through I CAN's Early Talk and Primary Talk programmes, and our Communication Skills Centres.

— Information, training, support and online resources for children, families and professionals.

— Raising awareness through campaigns such as Make Chatter Matter.

2.2 I CAN uses its expertise from working directly with children with SLCN to develop information packages, training and programmes to develop the communication skills of all children and young people. I CAN is delighted that the issue of children's speech, language and communication has risen up the political agenda significantly over the last few years. Our Make Chatter Matter campaign has engaged support from a range of Parliamentarians from all sides of the political divide and has spearheaded a shift in Government priority for the issue. Make Chatter Matter has been underpinned by I CAN's "Cost to the Nation"[37] report which set out the evidence base for the scale of the issue.

3. BACKGROUND TO SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION NEEDS (SLCN)

3.1 I CAN believes that the best way to support positive behaviour is to identify and address the underlying communication difficulties that very many pupils with special educational needs have.

3.2 Speech language and communication skills are the basis for other key life skills: learning, literacy, positive relationships and regulation of behaviour and emotions.[38] Speaking and listening skills underpin pupil outcomes; young people with good communication skills have a wider range of life chances.[39]

3.3 In some parts of the UK—particularly areas of social disadvantage, upwards of 50% of children are starting school with SLCN.[40] Many have poor language skills which are inadequate for the start of formal learning, but with the right support may catch up with their peers. However, some of these children have more complex or persistent SLCN. Based on information from prevalence studies[41], [42] and from schools census data,[43] we can estimate that all together this may be around 10%[44] of all children and young people.

3.4 Those with unaddressed, speech language and communication needs are at risk of problems with literacy, numeracy and learning.[45] They are less likely to leave school with qualifications[46] or job prospects and are in danger of becoming NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training at 16-18), as are young people who have spent time in alternative provision.[47] SLCN can also lead to difficulties with social relationships and behaviour. Speech, language and communication needs are strongly associated with mental health problems as well as other social emotional and behavioural difficulties.[48] We also know that children excluded from school are likely to have special educational needs, including a high incidence of communication difficulties.[49] People with speech and language needs are significantly over-represented in the young offender and prison populations.[50] In addition to this, limited language skills make it difficult for young people to access support or understand interventions.[51]

4. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION NEEDS AND BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES

4.1 I CAN is concerned by the evidence that young people with social emotional and behavioural difficulties [52] are at risk of undetected communication problems.[53]

4.2 There is evidence of a high incidence of communication difficulty (often unidentified) in those who are young offenders[54], [55] looked after children[56] and those who have conduct disorder[57] as well as other social emotional and behavioural difficulties.[58] It is estimated that between 60%-90% of these vulnerable young people have undetected communication difficulties. We also know that children excluded from school are likely to have special educational needs, including a high incidence of communication difficulties.[59] Again, poor language skills make it difficult for young people to access support or understand interventions.

4.3 I CAN believes there is a clear link between poor behaviour and poor communication skills. A recent study from the University of Sheffield concluded that "for a high proportion of secondary age pupils at risk of permanent school exclusion, language difficulties are a factor in their behaviour problems and school exclusion."[60]

4.4 We believe that the key is to identify accurately the underlying difficulties that give rise to poor behaviour so that positive and developmental strategies can be put in place in advance.

4.5 We also know that these underlying language difficulties often go undiagnosed.

5. NEXT STEPS

5.1 In our view there are a number of actions that should be taken to address this which I CAN is able to help deliver:

— Tools to help staff identify and assess speech language and communication needs (SLCN) in both special and mainstream settings to help identify areas for development.

— Clear triggers for referral for specialist help with SLCN.

— The provision of that specialist help.

— Advice on how speech and language therapists forming part of the multi disciplinary team that works effectively with children and young people.

— Workforce development with particular focus on the links between behaviour, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) and SLCN, stressing the connection between language and social exclusion.

5.2 In both of our own special schools for children and young people with complex SLCN (Dawn House School in Nottinghamshire age range 6-19 and Meath School in Surrey for primary age children), there is exemplary practice in how to support positive behaviour. This includes:

— In the classroom, helping the learners identify and express their barriers to learning so that their needs are met rather than them "behaving badly". This is done through thorough assessment, skilled teaching and a multi disciplinary approach of teachers and speech and language therapists working together.

— In the school more widely through a language enriching environment, active student councils and outstanding care and guidance in time outside lessons.

— Working with parents so that strategies used to manage behaviour at school are understood and consistently applied at home.

September 2010

37 Available on our website at http://www.ican.org.uk/upload2/chatter%20matter%20update/mcm%20report%20final.pdf Back

38 Silva P, Williams S & McGee R, (1987): A Longitudinal Study of Children with Developmental Delay at age three years; later intellectual, reading and behaviour problems. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 29, 630-640. Back

39 Improving Achievement in English Language in Primary and Secondary Schools (2003) HMIE. Back

40 Locke, A. Ginsborg, J and Peers, I (2002) Development and Disadvantage: Implications for Early Years IJLCD Vol 27 No 1. Back

41 Tomblin J B et al (1997) Prevalence of Specific Language Impairment in Kindergarten children Journal of speech, Language and Hearing Research 40 in Lindsay G and Dockrell J with Mackie C and Becky Letchford (2002) Educational Provision for Children with Specific Speech and Language Difficulties in Engand and Wales CEDAR. Back

42 Law J. Boyle J. Harris F. Harkness A. and Nye C. (2000) Prevalence and Natural History of Primary Speech and Language Delay: findings from a systematic review of the literature IJLCD Vol 35 no 2. Back

43 DfES (2006) National Statistics First Release. Back

44 see I CAN prevalence calculations and Law et al (2000) Provision for children's speech and language needs in England and Wales: facilitating communication between education and health services DfES research report 239. Back

45 Stothard et al 1998 and Communication Disability and Literacy Difficulties I CAN Talk (2006). Back

46 Snowling M J, Adams J, Bishop DVM, and Stothard SE (2001) Educational Attainments of School Leaver with a Pre-school History of Speech-Language Impairments IJLCD Vol 36. Back