Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day~14th October 2022

Posted on October 10, 2022October 7, 2022 by Karen Humfress

Developmental Language Disorder is a hidden but common disability that affects 1 in 14 people causing difficulties understanding and using language for no known reason.

Developmental Language Disorder Day #DLDday, now in its sixth year, is celebrated annually around the world with more than 40 countries involved. The Children’s Speech and Language Therapy team at Homerton has joined the campaign to raise awareness of DLD. They will be holding information stalls for parents and staff in schools and colleges, and keep your eyes peeled for purple conkers hidden all around Hackney!

“As many as two children in every classroom are affected by DLD, but this condition is still under-recognised. We want all of Hackney to know about DLD so those affected can get the right support, and so we can work towards making Hackney a more communication-inclusive place,” said Anna Sowerbutts, Speech and Language Therapist.

There are lots of brilliant videos to learn more about DLD and what it is like to experience the world with DLD. Have a look at some of them here: https://youtu.be/MU1inVSISFo

or watch this video below, featuring a racing driver with DLD!

Speech and Language Stall at Ann Tayler’s Art Exhibition and Fun Day- 25th July 2022

Posted on July 14, 2022July 14, 2022 by Karen Humfress

Our very own Specialist Speech and Language Therapist in DLD (Developmental Language Disorder) Nathalie Said, held a wonderful stall to represent our service at Ann Tayler Children’s Centre’s recent Art Exhibition and Fun Day!

Click here for links to all of our Early Years leaflets.

Change that Gets Hackney Talking

Posted on February 12, 2016May 3, 2016 by Annabelle Burns

On my way to work the other day I passed two men wearing skirts. Hackney is changing. It’s hard to ignore the coffee shops, vintage clothes stalls and pop-up hairdressers. Hackney is changing yet behind the rows of sourdough bakeries and boutique shoe shops, ordinary people are still stumbling through their daily lives.

Hackney is one of the most deprived boroughs in London and deprivation is not only about having enough food to eat or clothes to wear. Adequate speech, language and communication skills are a key indicator for success at school, in the workplace and in life. Children from deprived homes are still growing up with around a quarter of the vocabulary of a child from a more affluent home. Young offenders are three times more likely to have a communication difficulty than other young people.

The world we live in is changing and the ability to communicate is vital. Whether your aim in life is to run a retro clothes stall on Broadway Market or an IT business in Shoreditch, communication is key.

We’re hoping that our new website, GetHackneyTalking.org will go some way to improving the communication of Hackney’s children and young people. We want to see change in Hackney but change that reaches the Kingsmead Estate and Homerton Grove Adventure Playground, change that reaches from Homerton Maternity Ward to Hackney College. Change that Gets Hackney Talking.