Funding awarded to launch speech and language project for disadvantaged children in West Berkshire

Director of Home-Start West Berkshire, Grace Green with the Lottery funding cheque. Image: Home-Start West Berkshire

Submitted by Grace Green

A family support charity has received funding for nearly £135,416 to support children living in the most deprived areas of West Berkshire with developing their speech and language skills.

Hello! is an early years communications project developed by Home-Start West Berkshire based in Newbury, in West Berkshire that aims to support children whose development has been impacted as a result of the pandemic.

Big Lottery will fund the three-year project, which will train Home-Start West Berkshire’s staff and volunteers to support families with developing the right learning environment to expose their babies and young children to language and sound at a time when their brain is optimised to receive it.

Through its network the charity identified 15 vulnerable children, aged between two and three, who are eligible for two-year funding have been missing their opportunity to access a nursery place.

Grace Green, director of Home-Start West Berkshire said: “There are a number of reasons for this. Whilst some parents are anxious about their child attending a setting due to the spread of Covid-19 the reality is that many nurseries have had to reduce their numbers to meet social distancing requirements.

“In addition to this, many parents are not even aware of the services available to them as they have had little to no contact with health professionals.”

Last summer, the Babies in Lockdown Report found that just one in ten parents with children aged under two had seen a health visitor since February.

This shortage of contact over the last year has left many families feeling isolated, as well as lacking the confidence and know-how to support their child’s development.

Grace added: “Children are missing out on the social and emotional development that improves in learning with their peers.

“Our concern now is that speech and language difficulties will now fall into a range of developmental concerns for the children who have been ‘left behind' by Covid-19.

“Through this project, we want to support as many children as possible across West Berkshire to thrive and ensure they meet their full potential.”

Home-Start's family support model delivers a unique opportunity to work with families in their own surroundings.

Grace continued: “The relationship our volunteers build with families will be key to the success of this project. By understanding and working with the family, our volunteers can tailor advice and help coach families by setting small goals to improve each child's communication environment.”

Hello! is expected to launch April 1 2021 and through its 30 volunteers plans to support over 95 children in its first year.