Early Talk for York is an approach to improve speech, language and communication of children aged 0 to 5 years.
Good communication skills at 5 years of age are strongly linked with a range of positive outcomes in later life, including: reading and writing skills; employment and mental and physical health and wellbeing.
See information about Early Talk for York development and evaluation, including previous updates.
Current Early Talk for York progress
- at least 4,000 children are benefitting each year from ETFY in some way
- at least 2,200 children are benefitting each year from the full approach
- 93% of York’s group based settings and schools are working at Step 1 or higher!
- 45 group-based settings and schools are working at Step 3!
- Step 3 schools have an average of 22.1% disadvantaged children, compared to 14.1% in non-Step 3 schools
Early Talk for York updates
Evaluation completed
The University of York has completed an independent evaluation of Step 1 of ETFY with positive conclusions.
New resources
Resources are available for parents and carers on the Raise York Website.
- Speech, Language and Communication (Raise York)
Healthy Child Service
The Healthy Child Service screening and intervention programme has been fully implemented.
- Healthy Child Service (Raise York)
Look, Say, Sing, Play
Stay and Play Sessions are taking place across 6 locations, serving 230 families each week.
Student volunteers
101 volunteers from the University of York have supported ETFY.
- Celebrating York Students in Schools (University of York)
Early Talk for York impact
Outcomes for disadvantaged children are better than pre-pandemic!
- there is evidence of better referrals to specialist services
- there is better collaboration between services
- practice and provision improvements are repeatedly noted by Ofsted
- families are reporting that they feel better supported!
Also see
Early Talk for York
Children's Services