Early years support research
Reports on pre-school family support groups, how families experience informed choice, the sound environment of babies and toddlers, and more.
Pre-school family support groups for deaf children (2025)
This research highlights the benefits of pre-school family groups for families with deaf babies and children, as part of the wider package of support to families in the early years.
Read the pre-school family support groups research.
Informed choice (Scotland) (2024)
This research by Gwen Carr looks at how families experience informed choice and how this impacts the decisions that they make on language and communication.
The research was based in Scotland but the findings will be of interest to professionals across the UK.
See the informed choice research.
Baby soundscapes (2023)
This UCL Ear Institute project sought to develop our understanding of sound environments of babies and toddlers. The report comments on if and how radio aids might be useful with younger deaf children.
- Read the report’s executive summary on the UCL website
- Read a related research article (Taylor & Francis website)
Using radio aids with pre-school deaf children (2017)
Research conducted by the Ear Foundation shows that the use of radio aids in the early years can have major benefits for deaf children and their families.
Early years language and communication - a best evidence scoping review (2017)
This paper, produced by Dr Sarah Collinson, summarises key findings from a scoping review of evidence into early years language and communication.
The paper is also available to download from the NatSIP website, along with a list of references.