Every child deserves the chance to communicate, be understood, and thrive. Yet across the UK, too many children start school without the speech, language and communication skills they need to succeed. For some, this means struggling to learn to read and write. For others, it can mean difficulty making friends, challenges with behaviour, and reduced opportunities later in life.

York has been taking bold steps to change this. Early Talk for York (ETFY), launched in 2019, is an ambitious programme designed to close the disadvantage gap by supporting communication development from birth to five years. The initiative has already won the prestigious Learning Award at the Children and Young People Now Awards (2023) and is attracting national attention.

At the heart of its success is a crucial element: the specialist training that gives practitioners the confidence and skills to make a difference every single day. That training comes mostly from us at Elklan.

Why early communication support matters

Children’s speech, language and communication skills are the foundation for almost everything else in life. Research consistently shows that good language at age five strongly predicts later reading and writing ability, educational attainment, employment, and even long-term health and wellbeing.

For children growing up in disadvantaged circumstances, the gap can open early. By the time they start school, some children are already months or even years behind their peers in vocabulary and communication. Without targeted support, that gap can persist and widen.

Early Talk for York was created to change this story. By focusing on early identification, high-quality support and whole-setting approaches, the programme ensures that no child is left behind because of communication needs.

The three-step approach of Early Talk for York

One of the strengths of Early Talk for York is its tiered structure. The programme is designed to be manageable for busy early years practitioners, allowing settings to build their confidence step by step.

Step 1: Building awareness and spotting needs early

The first step introduces universal screening and awareness-raising. All children are screened annually using the WellComm Toolkit, a practical tool that helps practitioners identify communication difficulties early.

Practitioners then work in partnership with parents to share results and suggest simple, everyday strategies. Network meetings offer opportunities to learn from others, share challenges, and celebrate progress.

Step 2: Specialist training with Elklan

This is where Elklan comes in. Step 2 requires practitioners to deepen their knowledge by completing accredited training.

Elklan’s Speech and Language Support for 0–3s and Speech and Language Support for 3–5s are nationally recognised Level 3 courses. They are designed to equip staff with practical, evidence-based strategies that can be used straight away in nurseries, preschools and childminding settings.

Through the training, practitioners learn how to:

  • Recognise when a child might be struggling with communication
  • Adapt daily routines, from snack time to story time, to maximise opportunities for language learning
  • Model simple techniques for parents and carers, such as pausing to let children take turns or using short sentences and repetition
  • Support vocabulary growth, attention and listening skills, and social interaction through play-based activities

As one practitioner explained, “The course has completely changed the way I talk with children. I slow down, give them more space, and notice their attempts to communicate. Parents tell me they’re trying the same strategies at home and we can already see the difference.”.

Step 3: Embedding whole-setting change with the Communication Friendly Settings Award

For settings ready to take things further, Step 3 introduces Elklan’s Communication Friendly Settings (CFS) Award.

The CFS Award involves the whole team, including managers, practitioners and support staff, in transforming the environment and daily practice so that communication support is consistent and sustainable.

A communication-friendly setting might include:

  • Staff using visual supports and signing to reinforce understanding
  • Adults giving children extra time to respond to questions
  • Rooms arranged to encourage interaction, with fewer barriers to play and talk
  • All adults trained to see themselves as communication partners, not just teachers

Achieving the award demonstrates a whole-setting commitment to communication as a top priority and ensures strategies remain in place long after individual staff members move on.

Elklan’s impact: building skills and confidence

The feedback from York practitioners has been overwhelmingly positive. Staff describe feeling more confident, more consistent and more empowered in their work with children and families.

One early years manager reflected:

“The Elklan course gave my team the skills they needed to support children’s language every day, not just in planned activities. Parents now tell us they feel included and know how to help at home. It has created a real culture shift.”

Speech and language therapists have also noticed the difference. Children are making progress more quickly, and some are being discharged from specialist caseloads earlier because of the quality of support available in their setting. This frees therapists to focus on children with more complex needs, creating a more efficient and responsive service.

Partnership in action

The success of Early Talk for York lies in collaboration. The programme brings together education, health and community services across the city, from health visitors and public health teams to nurseries, childminders and schools.

Elklan’s training plays a vital role in this partnership. By providing a shared framework and common language, it ensures that everyone involved, including parents, practitioners and professionals, is working towards the same goals.

As one local speech and language therapist put it:

“With Elklan training in place, I know practitioners understand what I’m talking about. We can work together more effectively, and children benefit from consistent support at every stage.”

Evidence and outcomes

The impact of Early Talk for York has been carefully evaluated. A pilot project in West York showed that children who took part made significantly greater progress in their speech, language and communication skills at age five compared to children who did not.

These results were particularly striking given the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected many children’s language development nationwide. Despite these challenges, ETFY children demonstrated resilience and progress, which is testament to the quality of support in their settings.

By embedding Elklan’s accredited training and the CFS Award into Steps 2 and 3, the programme ensures that this impact is sustainable. The skills gained stay with practitioners, benefitting not only the children they support today but also future cohorts.

Why Elklan?

Elklan is the UK’s leading provider of accredited speech and language training for practitioners. For over 20 years, we have worked alongside speech and language therapists to create courses that are practical, evidence-based and tailored to the realities of busy classrooms and early years settings.

Our approach is simple but powerful: equip the adults who spend the most time with children, including parents, carers and practitioners, to support communication in everyday life. This means children get thousands of opportunities to practise and grow their skills, not just during short therapy sessions.

By weaving Elklan training into Early Talk for York, the city has ensured that communication support is consistent, accessible and embedded into daily routines across the early years sector.

Looking ahead

The story of Early Talk for York is still unfolding, but it already offers a powerful model for others to follow. Interest from other local authorities is growing, with many keen to learn how York has achieved such impact at scale.

Elklan is proud to be part of this journey. By providing the accredited training that underpins the programme, we are helping York build a sustainable system where communication is everyone’s business.

As more areas look to replicate this approach, we are ready to share our expertise and support practitioners nationwide. Every child, wherever they live, deserves the chance to be heard, understood and supported to achieve their potential.

Conclusion

Early Talk for York is showing what can happen when vision, partnership and training come together. With Elklan training at its heart, the programme is not only transforming outcomes for children in York today, but also paving the way for long-term, generational change.

Communication is the key to learning, relationships and wellbeing. By investing in the skills of the workforce through Elklan’s accredited training and Communication Friendly Settings Award, York has demonstrated a powerful truth: when we help children find their voice, we give them the foundation for a brighter future.

Find out more about Elklan training

Elklan offers accredited courses that give early years practitioners the knowledge and tools to support every child’s communication.

Together, these courses help create environments where every child can thrive.