There's a silent epidemic affecting British children and, like most epidemics, it hits children from disadvantaged backgrounds the hardest. In some deprived parts of the UK upwards of 50 per cent of children arrive at school without the speech, language and communication skills they need to learn. Unable to understand a simple instruction, they are on the back foot from Day1.

Speech and language problems are the most common form of developmental delay in young children. I CAN, a children's charity, estimates that 10 per cent of all UK children have some form of persistent speech, language and communication need (SLCN) that requires ongoing support.

The Bercow Review last week highlighted the importance of language skills for every aspect of children's development. This drew a £52 million response from the Government and acceptance of all 40 recommendations. Why? Because the links are finally being made that language is the springboard for all children's learning, attainment and friendships.

Eighteen months ago, I CAN outlined the implications of a lack of government focus on communication skills. Unaddressed, SLCN compromises literacy, numeracy and learning and hinders social relationships and behaviour. Young people so affected are significantly over-represented in the not in education, employment or training population where each individual costs society £97,000. SLCN also represents a significant risk factor for social exclusion and offending and dwarfs the prevalence figures for autism and dyslexia, yet the issue has remained invisible and unheard. This links to entrenched systemic problems.

Healthcare you can bank on

The Department of Health are showing a keen interest in the foundation trusts' £2.3 billion of surpluses

BACKGROUND

• Public Opinion: Virginia Beardshaw

• Chucked in at the deep end

• Steps afoot to keep data safe

• What works for us

Related Internet Links

• Public sector jobs

• Snakes & Ladders

Oral communication skills are neglected at every level of the UK curriculum.

The children's workforce at all levels and in all settings is ill-equipped to support children's communication development.

The structural divide between NHS speech and language therapy services and local authority responsibility for childcare and education serves children and families with SLCN poorly. Speech and language therapies often fall victim to funding disputes between the NHS and the local authority.

Support for children with severe problems is a postcode lottery. Research conducted for the Bercow Review illustrates that there is no systematic approach to the provision of expert help for children with the most severe problems locally, regionally or nationally. As a result, centres of excellence remain vulnerable to cuts and closures and such help as there is tends to be concentrated on younger children.

The Bercow proposals are practical and linked to existing policy initiatives wherever possible. At the launch, Alan Johnson and Ed Balls made it clear that children's communication is an issue for health, education and the voluntary sector. The Government has signalled the importance of the early years, spending £40 million on an early intervention package. However, given the report's emphasis on the large number of SLCN teenagers excluded from school, more investment is needed here.

Given how profoundly poor communication skills impact on children and their life chances, let's hope that both Secretaries of State can look beyond the entrenched disputes between health and education towards an approach that improves outcomes for children and families.

Virginia Beardshaw is chief executive of the children's charity I CAN and a member of the Bercow Advisory Group

Times Recommends

• Lies and cover-up at MG Rover exposed by report
• High oil prices push manufacturing costs up
• Primark founder steps down as chief executive