- News & Comment
-
Online Shop
Online Services
Looseleafs
Law Reports
Books and eBooks
-
CPD & Events
Webinars
- Authors
- About Family Law
- Contact
Children in Wales who spent their early years under COVID-19 restrictions are showing increased speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), according to new research published by Government Social Research on 16 September.
The study, based on surveys and interviews with practitioners and parents of children aged 5 to 8, found that both the complexity and prevalence of SLCN have risen significantly in recent years.
Nine in ten practitioners reported seeing more complex SLCN among children, with two-thirds noting an increase in the number needing support.
Over half said they had observed changes in the types of needs being presented, most commonly difficulties with language, sentence structure, listening and conversational turn-taking.
Parents were less likely to identify serious concerns, though a third reported worries about their child’s communication skills.
Excessive screen time at the expense of face-to-face play and interaction was highlighted by many practitioners as a contributing factor, particularly for listening and turn-taking difficulties.
The report also identified broader challenges linked to communication needs:
Nine in ten practitioners reported children struggling with friendships, social engagement and experiencing tantrums at school.
Three-quarters reported children showing anxiety about speaking, while more than half worked with children who were refusing school.
Parents described similar behaviours at home, with around a quarter reporting frequent tantrums and more than one in ten reporting social withdrawal, anxiety about school or difficulty making friends.
Practitioners widely attributed many of these difficulties to the pandemic, particularly the loss of crucial early social interaction during lockdowns. Increased anxiety about the outside world and reduced parental capacity during home-working were also seen as contributing factors.
One practitioner commented: “Most of the children of this age were isolated during the formative years in regard to their speech and did not have the socialisation that is so important at this age to learn all of this.” Another added: “Children have become scared of the world as being told to stay at home/not interact with people happened suddenly and deemed not safe.”
Parents were more divided on whether the pandemic was directly responsible, though many linked their children’s wellbeing difficulties to communication challenges.
The report found significant challenges in accessing help:
Parents highlighted long waits, difficulties navigating systems, and barriers to support without a formal diagnosis.
Three in five practitioners said they lacked adequate training and resources.
Teachers, classroom assistants and ALNCos were more likely than speech and language therapists (SLTs) to report insufficient training and to flag staff shortages as a barrier.
Half of practitioners cited limited parental engagement as a further obstacle.
The findings underline the pressure on schools, health and social care services in Wales to address SLCN among children who were toddlers during the pandemic, and the importance of early identification and intervention.
