Govt calls for Communications Champion

The government has said the UK needs a Communications Champion to help people with communication problems.

Tasked with raising the profile of these issues, the new figurehead will need to lead the National Year of Speech, Language and Communication.

There will be 16 areas that will trial the new plans and £5 million will go to improve facilities for people who need help most.

"Being able to communicate effectively is essential to a child's health and well-being as well as their education," commented care services minister Phil Hope.

The children's secretary Ed Balls said the government is determined to "remove the barriers some children face when trying to communicate".

More money is to be invested to help special needs children that have "augmentative communication needs", says the government.

This year, grants of £500,000 will be shared between 12 organisations and as part of the initiative, the government hopes to develop a national framework to improve children's' services.

Almost one in ten children have a communication disorder of some sort, according to parenthood.com

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