The Bercow Review
This is the first major review in seven years for people with speech, language and communication needs and it provides an excellent opportunity to bolster support for vulnerable children and young people.
The remit of the Review is broad and challenging,
Since the Review was launched in September 2007, evidence from a wide range of sources has been gathered:
- in October 2007, a consultation questionnaire was issued and over 2,000 responses were received - including almost 1,000 from families - by the January 2008 deadline;
- a series of consultation groups was staged to hear views about, for example, young offenders’ communication difficulties and the plight of those who need Alternative and Augmentative Communication aids to express themselves. In addition, there were further consultation groups which enabled the voices of parents, children and young people to be heard in locations across the country; and
- Children’s Centres, nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools were visited, from London to Sussex, from Buckinghamshire to Kent, from Leicester to Manchester, from Oxford to Nottingham, from Essex to Salford and from Newcastle to Norwich to Plymouth. In the process, many children, young people and their parents, teachers, special needs coordinators, classroom assistants, speech and language therapists gave their views, together with other Primary Care Trust and local authority staff.
The Review’s interim report is now published setting out the initial findings and areas for further consideration (download the interim report).
Between now and July, when the Review’s final report will be published, the Review team will consider the key issues raised in the report (see “next steps” at the end of each chapter), how best they can be addressed and the form of the recommendations we will make to Government.