An awardwinning social enterprise specialising in speech and language therapy is offering a one-off free training session to local nurseries on 24 April at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Twinkleboost is a multi-award winning community interest company (CIC) created in 2015. They use stories, sensory play, language games, music and drama to boost the communication skills of babies and young children. Since being founded, Twinkleboost has supported over 1,000 children and their families each year.
Hannah Broughton, from Bury in Manchester, created the CIC in June 2015. Hannah said: “Language skills are a hugely important part of children’s development. I created Twinkleboost to make sure all children have a chance to reach their full potential.”
In response to a Communication Trust workforce survey, where early years staff reported a lack of initial training in supporting Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), and as part of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ ‘Giving Voice’ week, the social enterprise is now offering a free training event for up to 150 nursery staff across Greater Manchester.
The training will be held at Manchester Metropolitan University and delivered by Caspian Jamie, a leading speech and language therapist. Titled ‘Strategies to support children with Speech, Language and Communication needs at Nursery’, the training will provide staff with a toolkit of practical strategies and games to support children with SLCN.
Hannah added: “Speech, language and communication needs are not unusual in young children, but often the staff working with them have received a limited amount of specialist training to help to support problems when they arise. Many nurseries cite a lack of funding as a reason behind this.”
“By offering free training to nursery staff from the Manchester area, we hope to overcome this hurdle, giving staff new skills and improving the children’s support, too.”
The one-off free training session on 24 April 24 at 7.30pm will be one hour long and will cover some simple strategies and games nursery staff can use straight away to support the children they care for. All nurseries in the Greater Manchester area are invited, with up to 4 staff from each nursery welcome. Places are to be awarded on a first come, first served basis.
