Developing a specialist language support programme for a local authority

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Information about the setting

Flintshire local authority has developed an integrated approach to Language Development, which offers services and support at a universal, targeted and specialist level.  Close collaboration between the local authority’s Language Service (CLASS), the English as an Additional Language Service (EAL) and Speech and Language Therapists (SALT) from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has ensured positive outcomes within mainstream and specialist settings.

Background and Context

Flintshire County Council is located in North Wales and has a total population of 155,155. The local authority maintains 78 schools.  There are 64 primary schools, including five that provide Welsh-medium education.  There are 11 secondary schools including one Welsh-medium school.  In addition, there are two special schools and a portfolio pupil referral unit.  Specialist provision within the county is enhanced through the use of resource bases across a number of primary and secondary mainstream schools.  These offer targeted intervention for learners with specific individual needs including developmental language disorder.

Rationale

Although ethnic minority numbers within Flintshire are below the all-Wales average, the county has seen a significant increase of 182% in its EAL learners since 2011.  Simultaneously, the demand for specialist speech and language intervention has increased with additional pressure being placed upon the specialist resource bases and services.  Within mainstream schools, increasing concerns were emerging regarding the delayed language development of an increasing number of children entering into the foundation phase.  This was particularly prevalent in areas of social deprivation.  These factors prompted a review of the existing services and provision at the time, which led to the development of the current model of delivery.

Research

The local authority considered a range of research papers to determine the best way forward.  There is a significant body of research that demonstrates the importance of successful language development at a universal, targeted and specialist level.  Jean Gross (2014) recognised that language significantly impacts upon all aspects of a child’s education, including behaviour, social and emotional wellbeing and learning.  Vocabulary at age five is a strong predictor of the qualifications achieved at school leaving age and beyond (The Communication Trust 2013).  Bercow (2008) identified that at least 7% of the UK population displayed significant communication difficulties, which equated to approximately two children in every classroom.  On a local level, a study of Flintshire and Wrexham youth offenders found that, on assessment, 68% were deemed to have communication difficulties that had previously been unidentified.

Evidence provided by Ramsden in 2009 suggested that the risks associated with language difficulties can be mitigated by early identification and intervention, with the use of skilled adults to support the speech, language and communication development of young children being an important part of this process.  Jones, M (2014) in his article ‘In the moment’ describes a ‘planted adults’ approach where skilled adults play and work alongside pupils, commenting, modelling and responding to pupils using appropriate child led interactions.  A collaborative approach between education and health is advocated as best practice for children with speech, language and communication difficulties (A Generation Adrift, The Communication Trust, 2013).

Implementation – A universal, targeted and specialist approach

The research undertaken led to the development of the menu of provision currently implemented, as demonstrated by figure 1 below:

Figure 1:  Flintshire 3-tier Intervention Model

Universal: Training, assessment, advice and skill sharing for all primary settings

Having identified the need to target language development at the earliest possible stage, the Learning Adviser for Speech, Language and Communication, and the Learning Adviser for EAL developed a training programme that would educate and empower school staff to facilitate language support for all children and encourage foundation phase settings to make oral language development a priority.

The comprehensive five-day training package offers theoretical and practical advice on developing receptive and expressive language skills.  Sessions include Listening and Attention, Appropriate Adult/Child Interaction, Verbal Reasoning, Processing, Memory, Phonological Awareness, and Vocabulary and Sentence Structure.  A similar course has been developed and delivered to all early years funded settings in the non-maintained sector.  Whilst the training has been targeted at the early years and primary sector, all schools are able to request targeted individualised sessions to be delivered as whole school or departmental training events.

As well as the wider training opportunities, all Flintshire schools have access to individualised pupil consultations and advice from both the Language and EAL Services.

Targeted: Language Development Project

This tier includes targeted direct intervention for schools and pupils via the Language Development Project (LDP).  The LDP uses the principle of ‘planted adults’ to develop children’s communication skills and comprises of a team of six Language Development Assistants (LDAs) who have been trained to model and extend appropriate language interactions within the foundation phase.  The team are able to offer support for up to 18 schools per year; each participating school will have a designated LDA for daily morning or afternoon sessions for two terms.  Schools have to apply to be part of the project; requests are considered and cross referenced against the local authority / Health Board’s data around learner need in each particular school to ensure maximum impact of the project.  The success of the project rests on collaborative working between schools and the local authority, with the local authority ensuring that LDAs are suitably trained and school staff taking on responsibility for directing and overseeing their work in the school setting.

The role of the LDAs is to offer regular targeted support to individual pupils and also to model appropriate strategies to other professionals in the setting.  This targeted intervention is available for either monolingual children who are struggling to communicate at an age appropriate level or children learning EAL.  The service is provided in both English and Welsh medium settings.  It is important to note that, whilst this is a targeted intervention, the LDP allows schools to identify a need and access support for learners who may not meet criteria for other specific avenues of support and is consequently, an important element of the early intervention offered via the local authority.

Specialist:  Language outreach and small group provision

This is a joint service provided by Flintshire’s Communication Language Advice and Support Service (CLASS) and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) Service.  The provision is targeted at learners who display significant Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and have been identified via a Specialist SALT assessment as potentially benefiting from the CLASS intensive service.  It initially offers a time-limited, two term school-based intervention (two sessions per week) from Specialist SALT and Specialist Language Outreach Co-ordinators working in collaboration.  This is closely monitored and assessed approximately every four to six weeks.  An individual service level agreement (SLA) is put in place between the local authority and the school to ensure that roles and responsibilities are clear from the start of the intervention.

The termly multi-agency CLASS Panel considers the requests for intervention and also makes decisions regarding those currently on the caseload.   Outcomes from the Panel include discharge due to good progress, ongoing outreach support, transition to other services or a request for Statutory Assessment (possibly leading to a place at one of Flintshire’s Specialist Language Resource Bases).

Small group resource base provision

A small number of statemented pupils with significant SLCN benefit from the more intensive support delivered in one of the county’s three resource bases (foundation phase, key stage 2 and secondary).  These pupils have access to small group specialist support (local authority delegated funding) and speech therapy (Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board) within the mainstream school environment.

Impact

The delivery of services at universal, targeted and specialist levels has developed a shared awareness of language needs.  To date, 116 staff from 54 different foundation phase settings and 98 delegates from funded early years settings have accessed the in-depth training programme; many of these now have some responsibility for language development within their setting.  Through course evaluations, 98% of delegates have said that the course was very useful, and 96% felt that strategies would have a significant impact on pupils.

The training and support offered though the LDAs has provided the opportunity for school staff to observe effective practice in context and to develop their practice as a result.  Class teachers and teaching assistants who have engaged have a greater knowledge of language acquisition and have been found to work more effectively with pupils, parents and outside agencies including SALT, CLASS and EAL.  This has resulted in an increase in referrals to CLASS as more learners with difficulties are identified, resulting in a more informed dialogue between services and an earlier intervention for the learner.

The work of the Language Outreach Service has ensured that, whilst increasing numbers of pupils with SLCN are identified, they are being supported to stay within their mainstream schools, reducing the need for statutory assessment and placement in specialist resource provision.  The ongoing monitoring of learners within the resource bases by local authority and health professionals, and access to targeted outreach support, has enabled some learners to transfer from the resource bases back to their local school and community.

Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data was has also highlighted the positive benefits of the ‘planted adult’ approach on individual learners.  Prior to project implementation, there were concerns regarding the outcomes of the younger EAL learners.  In 2012 only 41% of EAL learners achieved the foundation phase outcome indicator at the end of Year 2.  This had increased to 86% by 2018.  Impact was also noted in terms of language learning, pupil integration, inclusion, the following of routines and the development of friendships, confidence and self-esteem.

A clear focus for the revised delivery model has been to support language acquisition and development for our youngest learners, to enable them to engage effectively with their education.  The foundation phase outcomes are a clear indicator of the contribution this menu of intervention has made and provide a strong platform for these learners to progress successfully along their education journey into key stage 2 and beyond.

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