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Speech and language review calls for early intervention

It is vital that children with speech and language difficulties are spotted before they start school, the independent review into speech and language services has found.

Led by Conservative MP John Bercow, the final report, published on Tuesday, highlights the crucial link between early intervention and identification with children's later educational attainment.

It includes 40 recommendations, including a National Year of Speech, Language and Communication to raise awareness.

It also calls for closer working between health and education services organised around the family and prioritised by level of need, and for training to ensure that everyone working with children has a basic understanding of typical communication development so that they can identify any problems.

Children's communication charity I CAN, a member of the expert advisory panel, described the review as 'groundbreaking'.

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