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Sign in or register for an accountSpeech, language and communication are the foundations of children’s learning, wellbeing and school readiness. Early vocabulary and communication skills strongly influence later literacy, confidence and long-term outcomes.
Children learn to communicate through the people and environments around them. Everyday interactions - talking, playing, sharing stories and exploring routine experiences - fuel rapid growth in communication and early thinking.
Evidence shows that the quality of these interactions has a greater impact on children’s development than parental income or education. Warm, responsive relationships and back-and-forth conversations help children develop language, confidence, resilience and key self-help skills.
The GM 10 Tips for Talking are ten key messages to support the development of language and communication skills for babies and young children and can be used by everyone.
Each tip is designed to give families and anyone working with children some small suggestions that can make a big difference and help give children the best start.
More about top tips for talking
In Salford, practitioners in Early Years settings, schools, Family Hubs and health services use the WellComm tool to screen children’s speech, language and communication needs. By using this screen, they can identify children’s specific needs and implement interventions to support their development.
Salford Starting Life Well service work in Partnership with Salford Speech and Language Therapy Service to deliver training and a pathway of support for children. More information can be found on their website below:
Training opportunities for Early Years practitioners can be found on the Starting Life Well Training Programme page, which is updated regularly.
Starting Life Well Training Programme
This page was last updated on 18 March 2026