Health visitors across England are to be trained to use a toolkit which can identify very young children with speech, language and communication problems. They will use a simple word list and child observation – known as the Early Language Identification Measure (ELIM) – during routine home visits when children are aged between two and two-and-a-half years.

Research shows the ELIM can identify 94% of toddlers with early language needs. Numerous research studies have shown that children with delayed language development do worse at school and have poorer outcomes later in life. It can also signal other developmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Early Language Identification Measure (ELIM) and intervention was successfully piloted in five areas – Derbyshire, Middlesbrough, Newham, Wakefield and Wiltshire – and will help make sure that families who need more help are identified and supported appropriately and in a timely way.

The research, led by Newcastle University and including Aberdeen University, the Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Unit and the Institute of Health Visiting, was published in a new Public Health England report – Identifying and supporting children’s early language needs Summary report.

Vicky Gilroy, Projects and Evaluation Lead at Institute of Health Visiting, commented:

“The Institute of Health Visiting is delighted to have contributed to this exciting research and the development of the Early Language Identification Measure and Intervention. This work builds on the health visitor Speech Language and Communication training that the iHV was commissioned to deliver by PHE last year, where we designed and delivered training to over 1000 health visitors to cascade to their local teams.

“With a more robust tool to support health visitors in their practice, early intervention and support can be offered to families to promote speech language and communication, alongside offering tailored interventions to support those with needs.”

Public Health England will roll out training to support health visitors in using the new Early Language Identification Measure (ELIM) and intervention tool alongside their wider guidance on Best Start in Speech, Language and Communication.

  • Guidance to help improve SLC in the early years, including an Early Language Identification Measure and Intervention tool for use with children aged 2 to 2 and a half.

PHE SLC Health Visitor Sessional Trainer Band 7 Secondment Opportunity – closing date midnight on 11 Nov 2020

The National Nursing, Midwifery and Early Years directorate in Public Health England (PHE) is looking to recruit Health Visitor Sessional Trainers, on a band 7 secondment opportunity, as part of the PHE Best Start in Speech Language and Communication (SLC) Programme.

They are seeking applications from motivated and enthusiastic individuals who will focus on the coordination and delivery of virtual training to frontline health visitors and early years practitioners across England, focusing on the use of a new early language identification measure and intervention and provide feedback to national leads.

The roles will support the dissemination of a package of new guidance and materials aimed at supporting speech, language and communication development locally.

Please see attached Job Description.

The role: To deliver national training sessions to health visiting teams and early years practitioners on the use of a new SLC early language identification measure and intervention for the 2-2.5 year review.

Essential to apply: Has previously completed the PHE/DfE speech, language and communication 1 day train-the-trainer programme from the Institute of Health Visiting (between 2018 and 2019), and was involved in cascading the speech, language and communication training.

Working days: 1-3 a month

Agenda for Change: Band 7

Dates: 7 December 2020 – 31 March 2021

Induction and Training: To take place early December 2020

Funding: Back fill will be provided to your organisation for your secondment days.

To apply: Please send your CV and supporting statement of no more than 500 words by midnight on 11 Nov 2020  to [email protected].

The supporting statement should include:

    • How your experience matches the requirements of the person specification
    • The personal development you expect to gain if successful in the role

Interview Date:  Week of 16 November 2020

For further information or an informal discussion about the post, please contact Pauline Bigwood at [email protected]

As part of the government’s commitment to reducing the word gap, the Department for Education (DfE) and Public Health England (PHE) are leading a joint programme of work as part of the Social Mobility Action Plan (SMAP). One element of this is that the Institute of Health Visiting has been commissioned by PHE to develop training for health visitors to:

  • promote a strengths-based approach to supporting parents and carers of pre-school children with their child’s speech, language and communication development;
  • to support early identification and appropriate signposting to speech language and communication services.

We need to establish a baseline in relation to health visitors’ current knowledge of speech, language and communication. This will help us to shape the planned training and the development of resources which we will be rolling out in 2019.

Your participation in this survey is entirely voluntary and this short survey will take no more than 10 minutes of your time.

We are seeking two ambitious health visitor trainers to be part of a North and a South of England training team. You will be an experienced practice educator and able to confidently deliver formal training to groups of professionals, primarily health visitors.

The iHV has been commissioned by Public Health England to deliver train the trainer training on Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) to health visitors across England. To support this, we are establishing two training teams each made up of a health visitor and a speech and language therapist to deliver the training in training sites spread across England.   The post holder(s) will ensure training is delivered to the highest standard, supporting our evaluation and a consistent professional approach to delivery.

This post(s) will offer the successful candidate(s) an opportunity to work nationally and to benefit from a superb development opportunity with this high profile national professional body focused on strengthening health visiting.

You will be home based, but able to travel across England with the likelihood of many overnight stays.

You must be dynamic, proactive, flexible and have engagement in your teaching approach.  You will report to the iHV Training Programme Manager, to support the delivery of high-quality training.

The post will suit candidates who want to experience working nationally with the Institute and will provide excellent experience for a growing CV.

Applications close: 9.00 am, Monday 3 December 2018

Interviews: By Skype on Monday 10 December 2018  

For further information or an informal conversation about this post please contact Philippa Bishop [email protected]