Engage with Chat: Explore with Play: Encourage to Read

Buckinghamshire Council’s Early Years Service is once again launching a weeklong campaign to highlight the importance of speech, language and communication on the development of children in their youngest years.

Recent Ofsted research into the effects of the Covid pandemic highlighted the importance of parents when it comes to early childhood development. Inspectors found children’s experiences were not necessarily determined by privilege or deprivation. Rather, parents who were able to spend more time talking to and reading with their children were shown to have had a positive impact on children’s communication and language skills; and these children had benefited from quality time spent with families and carers over the various lockdown periods.

Communication Week is taking place from 28 February to 4 March and will host various events across the county to promote the values of  ‘Engage with Chat: Explore with Play: Encourage to Read’ with young children and babies.

The Early Years Service will be engaging with families and practitioners by sharing ideas, tips and resources on how to support a child’s development through day-to-day interactions and communication.

Events also include a celebration day, to praise the hard work and success of early years providers in supporting children to reach a good level of development at the end of their reception year. Schools and early years’ settings will showcase the creative ideas and initiatives being used in their provision. Guest speakers will also share their knowledge and expertise.

Cabinet Member for Education and Skills Anita Cranmer said of the campaign:

“Speech and language are crucial to a child’s development in their early stages and this project is a celebration of how small conversations can make a big difference.

“Our Early Years team do a fantastic job of supporting families in Buckinghamshire and I look forward to seeing them continue to help young children reach key milestones and have the best start in life.”

More information on Communication Week – including the activities taking place – can be found at: https://familyinfo.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/ChatPlayRead