Best Bear news release
New Communication Champion for children with speech, language and communication needs announced
15 October 2009
The Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls today announced the appointment of Jean Gross as England’s first Communication Champion.
The appointment of a Communication Champion was a recommendation in the 2008 Bercow Report on services for children with speech, language and communication needs, and forms part of the government’s Better Communication Action Plan developed in response to the Bercow review.
The Communication Champion, funded jointly by the DCSF and Department of Health, will be responsible for working across Government, delivery partners and other stakeholders to co-ordinate and build on initiatives to improve services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. The champion will also plan, organise and lead a National Year in 2011 focusing on the importance of developing children’s communication skills.
Speaking about the appointment Ed Balls said:
“Speech, language and communication are crucial to every child’s ability to access and get the most out of education and life. The Champion role is very important and I am delighted to announce Jean Gross’ appointment.
“Her background and wide experience makes her uniquely qualified for the role. In her current role as Director of the Every Child a Chance charity, she successfully championed effective literacy and numeracy intervention for our lowest achieving, disadvantaged children through the Every Child a Reader and Every Child Counts programmes; we look forward to seeing the same impact in her new role.
“Jean Gross’s appointment as Communication Champion reflects my determination to improve the lives of children with speech, communication and language needs. Jean will help us to ensure that we continue to give priority to the needs to children with these difficulties.”
Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:
"I am delighted with this appointment. Jean will have a key role to play in helping us to raise awareness of children with Speech, Language and Communication needs and to build on the good practice we have in many services already."
Jean Gross said:
“Good communication skills are vital. Without them children have little chance of getting good GCSEs or getting a decent job. These skills are what employers want, and they are what we need to make good lifelong relationships and resolve conflicts. But one in ten children don’t have these skills, and in disadvantaged areas research has shown that this rises to as much as one in two.
“Speech and language difficulties are now the most common form of special educational need for younger children, sometimes arising from specific impairments, sometimes from social disadvantage and sometimes from both. Without help, a third of children with speech, language and communication difficulties could go on to have mental health problems. In one study, two thirds of young offenders had language problems.
“My role will be to make information like this available to parents and all those who work with children or commission services for them, so that we all give a greater priority to this area. I’m delighted to have the chance to build on the great work done by all those involved in the Bercow Review and I hope that together we can make a big difference to the future of every child who is currently denied the fundamental human right of skilled communication.”
Anita Kerwin-Nye, Director of The Communication Trust, said:
“As the third sector representative on the Communication Council, we welcome the appointment of Jean Gross as the Communication Champion. The role of Champion, and the associated National Year of Speech, Language and Communication, were key campaign asks for the voluntary sector.
“This is the final piece of the Better Communication Action Plan programme. The Communication Trust looks forward to working with Jean, and other members of The Communication Council, to truly capitalise on opportunities presented by the Action Plan. Members of the Trust have already mobilised their resources to support the 2011/12 National Year of Speech, Language and Communication. Together, we will make a real and sustainable change for children and their families.” |