Hide this page Easy read and translate

Early years Communication Champions

  • Professionals and Clinicians
  • Training and workshops
  • Speech, language and communication

This course is for professionals only

Two toddlers eating fruit sitting at a child's table in a nursery setting. A carer is sitting behind them.

Communication Champions are passionate about speech, language and communication in toddlers and children. They are the main point of contact in their setting for all things speech, language and communication.

Any professional or practitioner who supports children in the toddler and pre-school years (before they start school) can become an early years Communication Champion. This includes but is not limited to, staff working in a pre-school, nursery or Children’s Centre, social care staff, 0 to 19 team staff and childminders.

Please note, this course is only available in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire.

Aim of this course

  • Become an early years Communication Champion!
  • Identify pre-school children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)
  • Learn strategies and develop activities to help pre-school children's speech, language and communication in your place of work
  • Recognise when further support is needed
  • Act as a point of contact for your colleagues
  • Act as a point of contact for speech and language therapists
  • Act as a point of contact for parents by championing speech, language and communication for all pre-school children

About the early years Communication Champion course

The early years Communication Champion course is a free comprehensive evidence-based course. A Specialist Speech and Language Therapist will deliver the training.

The course includes: 

  • up to date information on SLCN for universal and targeted levels of need
  • guidance on how to appropriately refer pre-school children for specialist support
  • tools to help promote speech, language and communication development

Once you have completed the course, you will be recognised as an 'early years Communication Champion'. 

The role of a communication champion

Early years Communication Champions will:

  • be able to identify and support pre-school children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)
  • develop activities and strategies to help pre-school children’s communication and language skills and bring the best practice approach for communication and language
  • promote speech, language and communication development for all children in their workplace
  • sharing and implementing knowledge, skills and tools with other members of staff
  • keep up to date with their knowledge of speech, language and communication

Early years Communication Champion teams

A early years Communication Champion team is a group of trained early years Communication Champions. Early years Communication Champion teams are used in pre-school settings.

Pre-schools and nurseries are required to create an early years Communication Champion team. Early years Communication Champion teams must have a minimum of 2 people in.

To create an early years Communication Champion team in a pre-school setting you must have:

  • a SENCo or senior leader trained as an early years Communication Champion
  • at least 1 other staff members trained as an early years Communication Champions

Training

Become an early years Communication Champion by attending one of our courses. The training you do as an early years Communication Champion will contribute towards your continuing personal development (CPD).

The course will be delivered over 2 training sessions. The training is delivered by a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. You will be provided with course materials.

You must attend both sessions.

Autumn Term 2025/2026

You will need to be able to attend all the sessions in a term. 

These sessions will be 9:15am to 3:30pm. 

Wednesday 24 September 2025
Wednesday 8 October 2025

This course will be held at Queens Park Family Hub, Bedford. 

Spring Term 2025/2026

You will need to be able to attend all the sessions in a term. 

These sessions will be 9:15am to 3:30pm. 

Monday 2 February 2026
Tuesday 24 February 2026

This course will be held at Priory House, Shefford. 

Book onto a course

You must be able to go to both days of training.

This course is fully booked

Thank you for your interest in our Communication Champions course.

More information about future course dates will be available by the end of spring term.

You must send:

  • a SENDCo or member of senior leadership
  • 1 other member of staff
For example, SENDCo, childminder or health visitor
Participant details
For example, SENDCo, childminder or health visitor
Team member 2 details
For example, SENDCo, childminder or health visitor
Team member 3 details
For example, SENDCo, childminder or health visitor
Team member 4 details
For example, SENDCo, childminder or health visitor
Invoicing information

The course is free. We are requesting this information for invoicing if there is non-attendance or a late cancellation.

Name of person who handles invoices
Contact number of the person who handles invoices
Email address of the person who handles invoices
Work address of the person who handles invoices

Communication Champion course terms and conditions

This course is free at the point of delivery.

If you need to cancel, please email ccs.beds.childrens.slt.training@nhs.net at least 48 hours before the start of the course. Late cancellation will be charged a £25 penalty per participant per day.

If you do not attend the course, there will be a £25 penalty per participant per day. 

Bookings for all courses will close 2 working days before the date of the training. It is at the training administrator’s discretion if late bookings are processed.

If you need to swap the person attending the course, please email ccs.beds.childrens.slt.training@nhs.net 48 hours before the start of the course with the name and email address of their replacement. We can then send the relevant information and resources to the new attendee.

In the unlikely event that a course is cancelled, we will endeavour to give as much notice as possible and you will be offered a place on an alternative date.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Last reviewed: 3 July, 2024

Training and workshops

Communication champion training

Children in a class looking at a book held by a teacher.
  • Speech, language and communication

Bedford Borough Communication Champions

Suitable for staff working in mainstream schools in Bedford Borough supporting children from Reception to Year 6.

Read more
Talking Takes Off Logo
  • Speech, language and communication

Talking takes off workshop

For professionals in Luton. Talking takes off is the early years communication champion training in Luton. Find out more about communication champions and how you can help children with the speech, language and communication skill development.

Read more
Two toddlers eating fruit sitting at a child's table in a nursery setting. A carer is sitting behind them.
  • Speech, language and communication

Early years Communication Champions

Suitable for any practitioners in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire who support children in the pre-school years.

Read more

Have your say

Please tell us about your recent experience with any of our services by answering a few simple questions. We want to hear about what you felt went well and what you think we could do differently. 

Your voice makes a difference and helps us improve our services for you and other families.

Looking over the shoulder of a woman writing on her lap in the living room.
Back to top

You must log in to save content

Click below to log in or create a new account

Login

You must log in to save content

Click below to log in or create a new account

Login