PHASE two of the Harlow Futures programme will support young children with speech and language development.

A project to inspire young people in Harlow to be ambitious and give them the support and tools to succeed is entering phase two.

Working in partnership with Harlow Council, local education leaders and Harlow College, Essex County Council launched its Harlow Futures project in January 2022.

The first phase focused on mental health and wellbeing.

Primary settings choose interventions or programmes based on their needs, while secondary schools and Harlow College ran programmes to support emotional and mental wellbeing.

Students were given access to resources, curriculum enrichment and expert advice and guidance. Development and learning opportunities were also available for teaching staff and support staff.

Phase two will focus on early speech, language, and communications skills. This will help to close the word gap, to support children in Early Years as they prepare to start school.

Targeted interventions like Talk Boost and Elklan can help children to progress in their reading and writing.

Talk Boost uses short story time sessions to support children with talking and understanding words. They also provide support to parents to help them practise these skills with their child at home.

The Elklan programme provides training to early years practitioners and childminders. This will allow them to support children with speaking and listening.

Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Communities and Business Engagement said: “I’m really pleased to see the second phase of the Harlow Futures project get underway.

”Strong speech and language development is an essential part of preparing young children for school, and play a crucial part in their progress. The second stage of the programme will ensure they have the fundamental skills they need to reach their full education potential.”

Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, Councillor Tony Ball said: “This project will make a real difference to young people in Harlow.

“By reaching children at a young age we can help make sure they have the tools to succeed in whatever path they choose in life, supporting their overall educational outcomes and future aspirations.”

Councillor Danielle Brown, Harlow Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing, said: “We are delighted to be one of the partners in the Harlow Futures programme. This is going to change the lives of local families by supporting young children at an important time in their development.

“My son received speech and language therapy from an early age, and I cannot stress how important this was for his development.

“By working with Essex County Council and other partners we want to ensure that our children and young people get access to all the support they need to help them now and into the future.”

Early Years settings, pre-schools and childminders will be offered certain programmes to best suit the sector they work in.

For further information or to sign up to receive training, please contact the Early Years team: [email protected].