NDCS celebrates Government's communication action plan

Following the publication of an action plan on better communication in England, NDCS has achieved a success on one of the recommendations in the Must do better! campaign report that will result in more information being provided to parents of deaf children.

In an action plan on services to children with speech, language and communication needs - published on 17 December 2008 - the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department of Health (DH) have announced plans to improve collection of information about children with special educational needs and diabilities.

Currently, only data on attainment of deaf children who receive a higher level support (school action plus or those who have statements) is available.

The action plan confirms that DCSF will look to go further by collecting data on on children with special educational needs or who have a disability. This will be done through the school census from 2011.

If DCSF goes ahead, this will result in the publication, for the first time, of data on the educational attainment of all deaf children.

This is a key recommendation of our Must do better! campaign report on the educational under achievement of deaf children. In this report, NDCS argues that parents or local authorities cannot raise deaf children's achievements if it is not measured in the first place.  

Better communication 
The action plan, Better Communication - An Action Plan to Improve Services for Children and Young People with Speech, Language and Communication Needs, also sets out a number of actions relating to information about support for families.

In addition, DCSF Ministers will be writing to all local authorities in England to remind them about their responsibilities to children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

The action plan follows the ground-breaking independent review into services for children and young people with SLCN by John Bercow MP, published in July 2008. The review was informed by an earlier call for evidence which NDCS responded to, highlighting the needs of deaf children. 

More information: 

• DSCF/DH action plan - Better Communication 
• NDCS response to call for evidence  
• NDCS Must do better! campaign report (1285 kb)