Communication Trust

(asked on 8th February 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2018, to Question 125414, on Communication Trust, for how many consecutive years his Department has had contracts with The Communications Trust related to speech, language and communication needs.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 20th February 2018

The Department for Education has funded The Communication Trust (TCT) to provide support to those working with children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) since 2007. Between 2007 and 2013 this was via direct grants to TCT; since 2013, it moved to a contractual arrangement, with funding secured via an open competition.

In March 2017, the Department for Education agreed a one year contract with I CAN, on behalf of TCT, to develop sustainable programmes and resources to help the workforce to develop their skills in supporting children and young people with SLCN. That contract is due to end, as planned, at the end of March 2018. The purpose of the contract was not to provide specialist roles, such as Speech and Language Therapists. Speech and Language Therapists working with children are employed by local authorities, the health service or directly by schools. Therefore, no roles involving the delivery of these services directly to children should be at risk as a consequence of this one year contract ending.

We remain committed to supporting those with SLCN and want to do more to embed knowledge and ensure good practice is disseminated and understood widely. That is why our new Social Mobility Action Plan (SMAP), ‘Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/667690/Social_Mobility_Action_Plan_-_for_printing.pdf), prioritises work in the early years to close the word gap and improve early language acquisition for disadvantaged children. The SMAP includes proposals for continuing professional development training; and an early language assessment tool for health visitors and early years practitioners, to ensure that any language delays can be picked up and the right support put in place quickly. We expect to invite tenders for this work and would welcome bids from all suitably qualified organisations or consortia.

The department is in the process of procuring a new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) strategic workforce contractor, to help schools to develop improved knowledge and skills among their staff, in relation to specific impairments. In addition, we are encouraging bids for the Strategic School Improvement Fund and the Teaching Leadership Innovation Fund which focus on improving provision for pupils with SEND. The Education Training Foundation is also being funded to increase the capability and capacity of the workforce to respond to the needs of students in Further Education.

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