Insert logos

Press Release

For immediate release (Insert date, month 2011)

X (Insert name) SAYS HELLO TO THE NATIONAL YEAR OF COMMUNICATION

HELLO (Insert area) – X (insert name) PUTS CHILDREN’S COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN THE SPOTLIGHT (Choose one heading or insert your own)

X (insert name), a (explain who you are), has today X / X/ 2011 (insert explanation of

what you are doing – i.e. built a giant wall of words / held a sponsored silence / brought together 30 people from across the area) to mark / launch (amend as appropriate) its support for the Hello campaign – 2011 national year of communication.

If possible, insert 2 – 4 more lines about what you have done.

The Hello campaign (www.hello.org.uk) is a year-long campaign to make children and young people’s communication development a priority in homes, nurseries and schools across the country. Hello is run by The Communication Trust, a coalition of 40 voluntary and community organisations with expertise in speech, language and communication in partnership with Jean Gross, the Government’s Communication Champion. Hello is sponsored by BT and Pearson Assessment and backed by government.

Insert your quote Name, job title, said; ”You can use this quote to position why you are supporting the Hello campaign and what it means for your setting / school / service as well as why you believe speech, language and communication skills are vital.”

Wendy Lee, Professional Director for The Communication Trust, said; “We are delighted to hear about (insert your school / setting / nursery / service name) work to make Hello a success in (insert area). Communication is the core skill for life; it underpins everything else. In (insert area) it is estimated that two to three children in every classroom have some form of long term communication difficulty. This can affect them early, severely and for life. (Insert your name) work to raise awareness of this vital issue is applauded and we thank them for going the extra mile for Hello.”

The Hello campaign will improve understanding and disseminate information on typical communication development, how to spot if children are struggling and where to go for help and support.

It will also prompt tangible improvements for the 1.2 million children and young people in the UK, with some form of long-term speech, language and communication needs. This will include more support for parents and carers and earlier identification of difficulties.

A recent Hello survey in January 2011 showed that nearly one in three parents said they were or had been concerned about their children’s communication skills. Nearly 10% of parents said they had been or were concerned that their children’s communication difficulties were significant. Through the campaign parents and professionals can access a host of resources including ‘ages and stages’ booklets, milestone posters and top tips. In addition to this, an interactive ‘progress checker’ is now available on Talking Point for anyone who is concerned about a child www.talkingpoint.org.uk.

Communication is a skill that anyone can learn and improve. It underpins everything we do in life. However, for some children, their daily struggle to communicate means they are shut out of life.

1.2 million children and young people have some form of long term communication difficulty. This can affect them severely and for life. In some areas of social disadvantage, upwards of 50% of children are arriving at school with delayed communication skills. They are on the back foot from day one and struggle to learn and make friends.

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For further information, please contact (Insert contact details - name, email and phone number). For the Hello press office contact Laura Smith, Media and Campaigns Manager on 020 7843 2519 or email .

About X

Insert key bullet points about your setting, school, service etc (optional if you wish to include)

Hello

·  Hello is the national year of communication – a campaign to increase understanding of how important it is for children and young people to develop good communication skills.

·  The campaign is run by The Communication Trust, a coalition of 40 leading voluntary sector organisations; in partnership with Jean Gross, the Government’s Communication Champion. Together we aim to make 2011 the year when children’s communication skills become a priority in schools and homes across the country.

·  The campaign is backed by the Department for Education and sponsored by BT and Pearson Assessment.

·  Please visit www.hello.org.uk to sign up for further information on how you can help improve the communication skills of children and young people – so that they can live their life to the full.

·  The national year was originally proposed by John Bercow MP – now Speaker of the House of The National Year was originally proposed by John Bercow MP – now Speaker of the House of Commons - in his July 2008 Review of Services for Children and Young People (0-19) with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN).