New campaign starts conversation about interaction with young children

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

‘Communication Week’, taking place on 23 March to 27 March, will play host to various events across the county to promote the value of ‘making every conversation count’ with young children and babies.

The Early Years Service will be visiting libraries, family centres and other venues across the county to engage with families and practitioners, kicking off the week at Chesham Library and Friars Square shopping centre on 23 March. They will be 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 Bucks and I look forward to seeing them continue to help young children reach key milestones and have the best start in life.”