Early years: speech, language and communication action plan

Ministerial Foreword

The earliest years of life are crucial to a child’s development and have a lasting impact on outcomes and opportunities later in life. That is why, in the Programme for Government published in May 2025, we reiterated our commitment to reducing developmental concerns at the 27-30 month review by a quarter by 2030, with a particular focus on addressing the inequality that we see emerging at this stage of life.

The overall levels of child development concerns being recorded have increased since the pandemic, and concerns about speech, language and communication (SLC) are the most prevalent at the 27-30 month review point. SLC underpins every aspect of a child’s development—their relationships, mental health and wellbeing, learning and future life opportunities. Yet in Scotland today, far too many children, particularly those living in areas of significant socio-economic disadvantage, face avoidable challenges in their early SLC development. These challenges create barriers that can persist throughout life, limiting educational attainment, social integration and mental health outcomes.

Recognising this urgent and critical issue, the Scottish Government has placed children’s SLC development at the heart of our Early Child Development Transformational Change Programme. The National Early Language and Communication (NELC) team has been instrumental in highlighting the scale and nature of the challenges faced, as well as the opportunities for prevention and effective early intervention. We want to build on the considerable progress and achievements made by the NELC team over the past two years to transform outcomes for all children, especially those growing up in the most disadvantaged communities. We are grateful to the NELC team for their dedication, expertise and collaborative approach and the support of the National Speech, Language and Communication Stakeholder Reference Group, who together have laid a strong foundation for this National Action Plan.

Scotland has a strong foundation for promoting and supporting early childhood development through our long-standing getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) framework, which underpins the delivery of joined-up, holistic and preventative support for children and their families across universal and specialist services.

Our transformational early years policies, including the expansion of funded early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours per year, the Family Nurse Partnership, Universal Health Visiting Pathway, Bookbug, PlayTalkRead and Scotland’s Baby Box, give children the best possible start in life and provide the opportunity to support children’s early SLC development.

The Early Years Speech, Language and Communication Action Plan sets out a bold, clear and achievable vision: to ensure that every child in Scotland has the strongest possible foundation in speech, language and communication, starting from the earliest stages of life.

The Plan outlines how this vision will be realised in practice, through concrete actions led by Scottish Government and with partners playing essential roles in delivery. It focuses on prevention, equity and partnership, building on strengths within existing services, from maternity care through to early learning and childcare, while at the same time, addressing gaps and barriers that too often prevent families from receiving the support they need.

Change is only possible through the sustained commitment and leadership of those working closest to children and families, including health visitors, midwives, ELC practitioners, speech and language therapists and community organisations. It is crucial that this professional support is delivered with families at the centre.

Delivering on this Plan requires collaboration across government, local authorities, the NHS, the third sector and communities. The Scottish Government will continue to engage families and practitioners throughout implementation to ensure actions are meaningful, inclusive and responsive to lived experience.

This Plan represents a shared commitment by leaders and decision makers across Scotland. Through this collaborative plan and the collective commitment of all partners, we are confident we can build a Scotland where every child has the speech, language and communication skills they need to thrive, in education, in relationships and in life.

Natalie Don-Innes MSP, Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise

Jenni Minto MSP, Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health

Tom Arthur MSP, Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing

This plan will benefit all babies and children and their families with a focus on prevention and early intervention. This plan will focus on SLC needs associated with inequalities.

Infographic text below:

SLC Aim: Reduce the % of children in Scotland from SIMD quintiles 1 and 2 with SLC concerns at 27-30 months by 25% by 2030

Vision: Together we will create the conditions to develop every child’s speech, language and communication, starting from pre-birth, nurturing them to reach their fullest potential with a focus on reducing the inequalities gap.

Theory of Change for the Early Years Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) Action Plan

Support parents’ and caregivers’ wellbeing & capacity to provide nurturing care for SLC development from the earliest opportunity

Create a skilled and supported workforce that reduces inequality and enhances early SLC development

Integrate policies and services that impact on early SLC, ensuring they are evidence based, data driven and responsive to need

Families and Communities

By strengthening national communication, parents are given the information they need to nurture their child’s SLC development from pre-birth

With appropriate face-to-face relational early SLC support, all parents are empowered to provide nurturing, responsive interactions from pre-birth

SLC content is integrated into collaborative family support offers that respond to inequalities and population need, as part of a preventative approach

Skilled and Supported Workforce

Early learning and childcare settings provide interactions, experiences and spaces that support early SLC development

Through alignment of existing qualifications and training with SLC priorities, the earlyyears workforce has the knowledge and skills required to support early SLC development

Strong workforce development infrastructure ensures access to high quality continuous professional learning for early SLC

Leadership and Accountability

Appointment of a National Early SLC Lead ensures early SLC is integrated into policies and services through co-ordination of delivery that includes a robust evidence base, shared understanding and multi-agency governance

Promotion of the inclusion of early SLC within Children’s Services Planning ensures a strategic multi-agency approach to planning and delivery of services

Data that informs planning and management of national and local resources to support early SLC is more accessible and more widely used

Ministerial responsibility for early SLC ensures an understanding of the importance of early SLC and the need to take a whole system approach