10 September 2020
The Department for Education in England has today launched Hungry Little Minds – a three-year campaign that aims to help parents understand that they have a big impact on their child’s learning and that reading, playing and chatting with them is a simple thing they can do to help them develop.
The campaign includes social media and online adverts, and a website where parents can access tips and activities and search for activities in their area using a new postcode finder service.
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) supports the campaign and its aim to encourage parents and carers to adopt positive activities and behaviours to boost children’s communication, language and literacy development. The Bercow: Ten Years On review found insufficient public awareness about the importance of speech, language and communication, so this is a welcome initiative which we hope will raise awareness that communication is a crucial life skill.
We are pleased that our members who have expertise in early language development have been consulted on the content of the website, and we hope that speech and language therapy services will support the campaign by sharing through their social media channels.
While supporting the campaign, the RCSLT is clear that it should be considered a useful addition, and not replace the need for investment in local services which can provide expert advice and support to children, families and communities.
Visit the Hungry Little Minds website: https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/
