Early years Communication Champions

This course is for professionals only

Two toddlers eating fruit sitting at a child's table in a nursery setting. A carer is sitting behind them.

Communication Champions are passionate about speech, language and communication in children and young people. A Communication Champion is the main point of contact in their setting for all things speech, language and communication.

Any professional or practitioner who supports children in the toddler and pre-school years (before they start school) can become an early years Communication Champion. This includes but is not limited to, staff working in a pre-school, nursery or Children’s Centre, social care staff, 0 to 19 team staff and childminders.

Please note, this course is only available in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire.

Aim of this course

Become an early years Communication Champion!
Identify pre-school children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)
Learn strategies and develop activities to help pre-school children's speech, language and communication in your place of work
Recognise when further support is needed
Act as a point of contact for your colleagues
Act as a point of contact for speech and language therapists
Act as a point of contact for parents by championing speech, language and communication for all pre-school children

About the early years Communication Champion course

The early years Communication Champion course is a free comprehensive evidence-based course. A Specialist Speech and Language Therapist will deliver the training.

The course includes:

up to date information on SLCN for universal and targeted levels of need
guidance on how to appropriately refer pre-school children for specialist support
tools to help promote speech, language and communication development

Once you have completed the course, you will be recognised as an 'early years Communication Champion'.

The role of a communication champion

Early years Communication Champions will:

be able to identify and support pre-school children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)
develop activities and strategies to help pre-school children’s communication and language skills and bring the best practice approach for communication and language
promote speech, language and communication development for all children in their workplace
sharing and implementing knowledge, skills and tools with other members of staff
keep up to date with their knowledge of speech, language and communication

Early years Communication Champion teams

A early years Communication Champion team is the group of trained early years Communication Champions. Early years Communication Champion teams are used in pre-school settings.

Pre-schools and nurseries are required to create an early years Communication Champion team. Early years Communication Champion teams must have a minimum of 2 people in.

To create an early years Communication Champion team in a pre-school setting you must have:

a SENCo trained as an early years Communication Champion
at least 1 other staff members trained as an early years Communication Champions

Training

Become an early years Communication Champion by attending one of our early years Communication Champion training courses. The training you do as an early years Communication Champion will contribute towards your continuing personal development (CPD).

The course will be delivered over 2 training sessions. The training is delivered by a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. You will be provided with course materials.

You must attend both sessions.

Dates and booking information for 2025 to 2026 coming soon

Last reviewed: 1 November, 2024