Talking Together
June 2015 to November 2024
Talking Together, originally developed by Bradford-based BHT Early Education and Training, was designed to improve the home learning environment for children aged 2 at risk of language development delay.
The project had three main elements:
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A Talking Together screening; a universal language assessment for all 2-year-olds, completed as a home visit.
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The Talking Together programme; a targeted 6-week home-based intervention to those identified as at risk for weak or delayed language development.
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The Talking Together + programme; additional support identified after the 6-week intervention, tailored to individual family need.
This was complemented by Owlets, a friendly group for families with children 18 months to 3 years with focused support for children’s language through play.
It was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2015 to 2024 by BHT Education and Training.
Why this project was developed
Children from more deprived backgrounds have consistently been found to demonstrate poorer language skills, and this can be seen even before the children’s 2nd birthday.
Children growing up in poverty are likely to be spoken to less often and to have a less stimulating home learning environment. These determinants of children’s language skills are important targets for intervention, as changing these aspects of children’s early experience could help to reduce the impacts of deprivation.
Background, impact and findings
Further reading
Download this snapshot of Talking Together, with headline stats, background, impact and learning (PDF).
This report provides an overview of project performance and findings from an implementation and before-and-after outcome evaluation by the Better Start Bradford Innovation Hub.
In this webinar, the Better Start Bradford Innovation Hub, along with Better Start Bradford, explore evaluation findings relating to the I CAN, Better Start Imagine, and Talking Together projects
The oTTer project was a feasibility study designed to establish the feasibility of running a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of the Talking Together programme.
Talking Bradford is a step-by-step guide to help parents and carers support their young children with speech, language and communication development.
Download our Top Talking Tips resource and explore some of our favourite speech, language and communication resources for the early years
A series of animated videos featuring everyday Big Little Moments you can share with your babies and toddlers to build their brains. The little moments you share every day make a big difference.
24-year-old Sherish was concerned about her two-year-old daughter's speech and language, but quickly grew in confidence after the first few Talking Together sessions
Mum of five, Sara, thought everything was okay with her youngest son's language development until she completed a routine questionnaire as part of the Talking Together assessment for two-year olds.