Report warns of ‘early years communication crisis’ in Northern Ireland

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) has warned of rising numbers of pre-school children with communication difficulties in the region.

The RCSLT is calling for Health Minister Robin Swann to fund more speech therapists.

Findings from research carried out by the RCSLT in 2023 include:

- an 85% increase in children waiting for speech and language therapy appointments: from 2,444 children in 2021 to 4,527 in 2023.

- a rise in the number of children coming into pre-school and primary school with more complex speech and language needs, requiring longer and more intensive support from speech therapists.

- a huge workforce shortage, with one in five NHS speech and language therapy posts in Northern Ireland unfilled, and almost a third of posts vacant in some services.

Ruth Sedgewick, head of the RCSLT NI, said: "Speech and language therapy is not a luxury - it's about our fundamental ability to communicate.

"There are more children in Northern Ireland waiting for speech and language therapy per head of the population than in any other region of the UK.

"Families are facing long, frustrating waits for speech therapy at this crucial stage of their children's development.

"They have every right to be concerned."

She added: "Speech and language therapists are doing their level best to support the increasing number of children being referred to them, but they are stretched far beyond capacity."

The RCSLT is calling on Mr Swann to increase the number of speech and language university places and to introduce alternative routes into the profession.

Ms Sedgewick said: "The bottom line is we need more speech and language therapists, and we need them soon.

"The minister has said he will commit to increasing the number of speech and language therapy undergraduate places to 40, but this would only be a start and it will take three years before students complete their degree.

"We urge the Department of Health to work much more closely with the Department of Education to improve access to speech, language and communication support for every single child who needs it now."

She added: "This is an issue with far-reaching impacts for every part of Northern Ireland's economic and community life.

"Without more speech and language therapists and better workforce planning, this situation is not going to get any better.

"In these important early years, little ones can't afford to wait six months for an initial speech and language therapy assessment, only to wait for many more months to begin therapy. It's not good enough and families deserve more."

A Department of Health spokesperson said the minister remains committed to implementing the recommendations of the Speech and Language Therapy Workforce Review 2019 to 2029.

In a statement, the department said: "This will require increasing the number of undergraduate Speech and Language therapy training places commissioned by the Department each year by 12, to reach the recommendation of 40 places.

"Any proposed increases will have to be considered in the context of the very challenging financial situation facing the department and the many competing priorities."