Every family under the care of midwives at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust will now receive a free resource to help families effectively communicate with a baby or young child.
'The abc of talking with me', a book crafted by the 'time to talk™' team, shares how to connect and communicate with a baby or young child, from the perspective of the child.
'time to talk™‘ is Warwickshire’s strategy for nurturing the speech, language, and communication skills of infants and young children. Led by a dedicated team of speech and language therapists from South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT), and funded by Warwickshire County Council’s Early Years strategy, this initiative is transforming the way SWFT supports the communication development of our youngest community members.
In partnership with professionals working in our community, 'time to talk™' is on a mission to:
- Foster Strong Communication Skills: Empowering children and their families with the tools they need for a bright future.
- Prevent Communication Difficulties: Identifying and addressing challenges before they become obstacles.
- Early Intervention: Ensuring that children in need receive high quality, timely support.
'The abc of talking with me' book is a joint project between SWFT and Warwickshire County Council.
Cllr Sue Markham, Portfolio holder for Children and Families said: "It's great to see that our commitment to being a child friendly Warwickshire takes on board medical advice and begins during pregnancy.
“This excellent scheme can really help a child's development and foster great communication within the family. That can only be of benefit to the child, as they grow up.
“By working together as a community, we can spark positive change and build a brighter future for our children making Warwickshire a truly child-friendly county.”
Families will discover many different strategies for building meaningful communication moments, such as 'babble with me' and 'keep it simple’. There’s one for every letter of the alphabet!
Families are also being encouraged to talk to their bump with the help of a new leaflet. Research underscores the importance of early bonding, attachment, and developing communication skills, such as listening to voices, even before birth.
The leaflet will inform parents of ways to build these skills everyday as their unborn child is growing. There’s tips and advice on establishing a connection with the baby through talking, singing, and reading together.
Expectant parents can access a specially designed leaflet via the BadgerNotes App and the 'time to talk™‘ website.
For more information regarding this project, please contact the 'time to talk™' team:
Email: timetotalk@swft.nhs.uk
Website: www.timetotalkwarwickshire.co.uk