CHILDREN WITH COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS AND THE COMMUNICATION TRUST

That this House welcomes the creation of the Communication Trust, supported by Afasic, the Council for Disabled Children, I CAN and the BT Better World Campaign; notes that one in 10 children in the UK has communication problems that require specialist help, representing approximately three children in every classroom, with many more having inadequate speech and language skills; recognises that all children will benefit from a skilled workforce who can support speech and language, as communication skills are linked to attainment; further notes that many teachers and other members of the children's workforce feel ill equipped to support children's speech and language development; congratulates the Trust on its work in improving provision for children who struggle with communication by devising, promoting and delivering training resources, programmes and services to augment and support the work of local speech and language therapy services that will help the children's workforce to develop appropriate skills; and urges the Government and its delivery partners, including the Training and Development Agency, the Children's Workforce Development Council and the Children's Workforce Network, to give all possible support to the Communication Trust to help enable the children's workforce to ensure that the current generation of children is able to communicate effectively.