University involved in significant research for Department of Education

Monday, 04 February 2013

Dr Jessie Ricketts

Dr Jessie Ricketts, Reader in the Psychology of Reading and Language at the University of Reading's Institute of Education, has been involved in a significant piece of research investigating the speech, language and communication needs of children.

The research, funded by the government's Department for Education, looked into what works in identifying the needs of children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.

Edward Timpson, Children and Families Minister, said that; "Communication is fundamental to all learning. It is vital that children with speech, language and communication needs get the support they deserve as soon as possible."

The Better Communications Research Programme (BCRP) was a response to the July 2008 Bercow Review of provision for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.

The Bercow Review declared that the communication needs of many children and young people are still not being met. The three year BCRP involved 10 research projects and the analysis of data from around 6,400 children, 560 parents, 600 speech and language therapists and 750 teachers and special educational needs coordinators.

The BCRP was led by Professor Geoff Lindsay at University of Warwick and there were 5 strands to the programme which were led by Professor Lindsay, Professor Julie Dockrell (Institute of Education, University of London), Professor James Law (Newcastle University) and Professor Susan Roulstone (University of the West of England). Dr Ricketts worked with Professors Lindsay and Dockrell (and Professor Tony Charman, King's College London) on one strand of the research, which was a prospective longitudinal study investigating profiles of need and provision for pupils with primary language impairments and autism spectrum disorders. Her role was to co-ordinate the study with another post-doctoral researcher, and she also co-wrote two of the reports that are now published on the Department for Education website.

The programme had significant outcomes with the final report making recommendations such as:

• A review on the use of the term ‘speech, language and communication needs' (SCLN)

• Adjustments to the conceptualisation of support for developing children's speech, language and communication

• Ensuring that the most appropriate model of support is available for every child with SLCN

• The implementation of a programme of initial and post qualification training in order to meet the varied needs of children and young people with SLCN.

A full copy of the report can be found at http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/research/better