Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to improve (a) training provisions and (b) support for speech and language development professionals.

The department is continuing to improve access to speech and language therapy by funding the Early Language and Support for Every Child pathfinder project, in partnership with NHS England. This programme aims to improve capacity and knowledge in the workforce who support children in early years and school settings with mild to moderate speech, language and communication needs, by utilising therapy support assistants.

The department is also funding evidence based early-language interventions in primary schools. The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) is a programme for children needing extra support with their speech and language development. In July 2024, we announced that funded support for the 11,100 schools registered would continue for 2024/25 academic year. Since September 2020, over 35,000 individual practitioners from NELI schools have registered for one or more training course, of which more than 28,000 have completed one or more courses.

Finally, the department is continuing to build the pipeline of speech and language therapists. The speech and language degree apprenticeship is now in its third year and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a speech and language therapist.