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and trained early years providers, health visitors, and speech and language therapists. 3. Place-based initiatives that bring together cross-sector organisations to address the underlying causes of complex social problems in a more holistic and joined-up way. 4. Greater access to and awareness of entitlements to high-quality early education and care. Early Words Matter will build on this learning to create an integrated system that works for all children and families by strengthening and coordinating activity at a local level. We want to create a systemic shift in early years support, working closely with public sector bodies and local community groups to embed changes that create a more effective, targeted and joined-up early years system. We will also work with businesses to develop a clear understanding of the importance of early years education and how, as employers, their products, services and social responsibility programmes can impact parenting and early childhood outcomes. Testing this approach in these areas will enable us to develop a framework that can be tailored and replicated at a national level, leveraging our established network of cross-sector partnerships and policy influence. 20 teams on the ground in the communities with the biggest literacy and poverty challenges. Influence leadership and policy to create lasting change by campaigning for a commitment to early language and literacy as a priority for the new government. Our Early Words Matter campaign (literacytrust.org.uk/early-words- matter) will be a key driver for this success. Launched last year, the campaign aims to combat the impact of child poverty on early language skills development. Over five years, the campaign will support the early language and literacy of 250,000 children in 20 communities. Over the past decade, we have been exploring how place-based solutions can help raise literacy levels in communities most affected by poverty and the cost-of-living crisis. Needs analysis in each of the communities where we work has identified four key elements that are needed to improve early communication, language, and literacy outcomes: 1. Better information and support for parents to build their confidence and give them the skills to make their home learning environment language rich. 2. Evidence-based speech and language interventions delivered by well-funded KEY TIP: PLAY! As the Real Play Coalition asserts, “Play is the ‘rocket fuel’ of child development” (bit.ly/4dudNb7) , but common myths continue to mistakenly separate play from education. Play is the very foundation for all children’s learning and development, and each of us has an important role in creating a playful, literacy- rich environment by: giving children the freedom and time to play in an appropriately stimulating and resourced environment modelling effective language and communication actively extending children’s vocabulary listening carefully to what children are saying and observing what they are doing Trust your experience and knowledge. By ensuring that children develop the solid foundations for literacy through child-centred play, every child can have the words they need to find their voice, develop a love of reading and tell their stories confidently. GET INVOLVED If you want to find out more about how you can support early language development and boost parental engagement, we have a wide range of inspiring tools and activities available. From our free resources to our evidence-based programmes and annual conference, there’s something for every practitioner. Visit literacytrust.org.uk/early-years Teachearlyyears.com 39