A Better Start Southend Speech and Language - Early years and education

If you have any concerns in regards to your child's Speech and Language development, and your child is under the age of 4 and you live in A Better Start Ward, please contact us on the details provided.

Don't forget to look out for your child's 23 Month Speech and Language Development check invite which will be sent via a text message.

If you are unsure if you live in A Better Start Ward, please visit our website and use the simple postcode checker.

Below is a list of the courses we offer:

Talking Walk-In

Talking Walk-In is an online session for parents/carers who want advice about their child's speech and/or language development. You will have the opportunity to discuss your child's development with a Speech and Language Therapist.

Your health visitor, GP or your child's nursery/pre-school may direct you to the Let's Talk team or you may just want some reassurance that your child is progressing well. The sessions are FREE to families living in any of the six A Better Start wards in Southend who have a child aged 0 to 4 years.

23 Month Language Screening

As your toddler approaches their 2nd birthday, you will receive a text inviting you to an online speech and language check. This is a free offer and only takes about 15 minutes. You will have the opportunity to discuss your little one’s speech and language development, and will be provided with some ideas and activities to further support their speech and language.

Chat As We Grow

Come along to our 3 week online workshop for parents and carers of children aged 0-4 years. Here you will be provided with information about children's language development and gain some top tips on how to support their talking at home.

Babbling Babies

Babbling Babies is a workshop for mums, dads, carers and their babies aged over 6 months old. Different aspects of your little one’s communication development will be focused on using fun and interactive activities. You will learn handy hints and activities that you can use at home.

Talking Tiddlers

Talking Tiddlers is an exciting three week course for parents, carers and their very young children. Each week we will focus on different aspects of your little one's language development through a variety of play based learning activities where we will support your child's listening and attention, understanding, vocabulary, play skills and social interaction.

Talking Toddlers

Talking Toddlers is a fun three-week course for mums, dads, carers and their children. There are two different courses, Toddler A and Toddler B depending on your little one's stage of communication development. Each week has a different theme and focuses on different aspects of your child's language development such as learning new words and building your child's attention and listening. You will be given lots of ideas to practice at home.

Chatting Children

Chatting Children is another of our fun-filled 3-week courses for mums, dads and carers for children aged over 3 years. These courses will help you to find ways to support your little one's understanding, listening, turn-taking and talking.

Super Sounds

Super Sounds is a workshop for mums, dads and carers who have concerns about their child's speech sounds. This is offered virtually but you may be able to access this at your little one's early years setting. It is interactive and fun and will give plenty of ideas on how to help sort out all those tricky sounds!

Attention ABS

Attention ABS are courses designed to support your child's attention, play and turn-taking skills. There are two different courses, Attention ABS 1 and Attention ABS 2. Each course takes places over three weeks and lasts around 30 minutes. Attention ABS 1 takes place on a one-to-one basis for younger children and Attention ABS 2 is a group course for 3yrs + children.

epunft.abetterstartadmin@nhs.net

A Better Start Southend Let's Talk webpage

Please also see information about the Children's Speech and Language Therapy service.

Tylers House, Tylers Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 2BB

Various venues and Children Centres in Southend within the six Better Start Wards (Kursaal, Milton, Victoria, Westborough, Shoeburyness & West Shoebury)