ATTENTION AND LISTENING

• Responds to their own name by stopping and looking.
• Focuses on different sounds and locates sounds accurately
• Pays attention for short periods eg looking at picture books together

PLAY AND INTERACTION

• Starts to communicate and send purposeful messages to others through eye-contact, facial expression, sounds and gestures.
• Enjoys action rhymes and songs and will show recognition of familiar rhymes and songs.
• Can take simple turns in interactions if given time
• May try to copy adult’s speech, lip movements and facial expressions.
• Takes turns in conversations using babble.
• Takes turns in games with an adult such as peek a boo or building a tower.

RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE

• Understands if you point to something and can follow the direction of your pointing accurately.
• Begins to understand frequently used words such as ‘bye bye’ ‘no’ ‘all gone’.

EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE

• By twelve months may begin to develop one or two early words.
• May say their first word eg ‘mama’ or ‘dada’ from around 12 months.
• Uses a wide range of non-verbal communication such as gestures, facial expressions and whole body movements.
• May use simple words to name items, ask for things, ask for more.

SPEECH SOUNDS

• Babbles using different consonant sounds eg ‘n’, ‘d’ ‘b’ ‘n’.
• Attempts to copy sounds made by another person.
• Using more varied babble and combination of sounds and syllable strings.
• Developing adult like intonation patterns.

LOOK OUT FOR

• Little eye contact or turn taking
• Baby not turning accurately towards sounds
• Baby does not babble
• Baby does not try to communicate by using noises or body movement
• Parental concern

Promoting Language:

• Recognising and responding positively to a child’s very early attempts to communicate is vital.
• Copying a child’s sounds shows that you are paying attention and may encourage baby to babble again.
• Name things baby is showing an interest in. Put into simple words what you think baby is trying to say.
• Using actions and gestures can build shared attention and understanding and help baby to understand the words they are hearing.
• Point to things that baby shows an interest and repeating the word will focus their attention and develop their vocabulary.
• Talk to your baby as often as you can. Watch carefully to see what baby is really interested in and link language to what baby sees and what baby is doing.

Promoting Interaction:

• Encourage turn taking through play and simple back and forward interactions e.g. peek a boo.
• Babies will interact more when they are face to face to with you.
• Allowing a short time to pause and wait after talking to baby gives them time and encouragement to respond e.g. pause and wait for up to 10 seconds or more to allow them time to communicate back.

Opportunities:

• Sing songs and share rhymes, especially those with actions and movements. Baby will start to have favourite songs they want repeated over and over again.
• Reading is a great opportunity to encourage language skills. Look at simple books together and talk about what you can see.
• Talk as often as you can with baby about what you are doing and what baby can see around them.

Environment:

• Avoid background noise and distractions to allow baby to listen to adult’s voices.
• Have a quiet time each day to play and interact with no distractions eg mobile phones.

There are differences in how infants and children develop their language skills with a gap existing in language abilities in most-least deprived areas in Scotland. Children in more deprived areas are more likely to have concerns noted in relation to their early language development.

Which factors are associated with better and poorer SLC outcomes? | Early Speech, Language and Communication Development: Which Factors are Associated with Better or Poorer Outcomes? | Resources | Education Scotland

Public Health Scotland (2023) developed a briefing paper below describing how the COVID-19 pandemic  has impacted children’s development and actions all agencies can take:

Speech, language and communication development among children in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic (publichealthscotland.scot)

Health visitors and family nurses play a key role in promoting early language development and in the prevention and early identification of speech, language and communication needs. Below are some suggested ways of supporting families:

• Promote positive interaction skills by role modelling talking, listening, playing and reading with baby.
• Consider other family members who might be able to help – grandparents, older siblings – and give them key messages around talking, singing, reading and interacting.
• Parents with mental health issues, including postnatal depression and postnatal post-traumatic stress, may need more support and encouragement to talk with their babies and use a tuneful voice – but encouragement to try this even a little can be a great help.
• Parents with communication support needs may require additional support in communicating and interacting with baby. Ensure you are aware of individuals communication preferences.
• Signposting: Attending local Bookbug sessions, infant massage or other community resources can support the attachment and communication process and can be a great source of support for families. Bookbug Sessions in libraries and community venues are a great way for families to spend quality time together and meet other families. They also help to build children’s social skills and support their speech and language development.
• Parents have access to developmental guidelines relating to early communication skills through the Red book, Ready Steady Baby, Ready Steady Toddler and Parent Club.

For professionals

• Parent Club website is the host for the Chatting Together messages for bumps to babies, and toddlers to young children and has accompanying videos to share with families.
• Chatting Together Messages | National Early Language and Communication (NELC) Project.
• Bookbug for the Home training: Fully funded training available for midwives and health visitors who are working closely with families and would like to use stories songs and rhymes on a one-to-one basis to support families. 
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: If children are Looked After when they are born or are care-experienced at any point between birth and 5 years, they will be eligible for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Professionals can make families/carers aware or ensure that children are signed up through their local social work department. 
• The Scottish model of infant participation: Key Messages for Best Practice: 2 - Voice of the Infant: best practice guidelines and infant pledge - gov.scot.

For parents

• Parent Club website is the host for the Chatting Together messages for bumps to babies, and toddlers to young children and has accompanying videos to share with families.
• Chatting Together Messages | National Early Language and Communication (NELC) Project
• CBeebies Parenting  Activities for babies, toddlers and children.
• You can also find books and resources in the baby bookbug bag and many recordings of popular songs and rhymes on the free Bookbug app.
• Ready Steady Baby has lots of information and resources to support early development.
• Solihull free resources for parents (using code TARTAN) inourplace | Solihull Approach – Scotland | inourplace.
• Understanding your baby
• Understanding your child: from toddler to teenager
• Understanding your child with additional needs
• Understanding your child's feelings
• Understanding your child's mental health and wellbeing
• Understanding the impact of the pandemic on your child