Concerned About Your Child's Communication Or Speech Development?

Concerned About Your Child's Communication Or Speech Development?

Some questions and answers to help you decide whether your child needs a referral to the Ministry of Education for their communication, speech or language development.

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Does my child need a referral to the Ministry of Education for their communication, speech or language development?

Here are some questions and answers to help you decide whether your child needs a referral to the Ministry of Education for their communication, speech or language development.

When?

  • have you talked to someone else who knows your child well and tried some of the recommended tips?
  • are you still concerned?

What?

  • think about your child's communication skills including speech, language, and social interactions
  • think about the impact on their daily activities and social interactions at home and in the early childhood education setting
  • are they having significant difficulties understanding or communicating with other children or adults a lot of the time? 
  • are they becoming withdrawn or showing different behaviours to communicate their needs and wants a lot of the time?

How?

  • if you answered 'yes' to the above questions then contact your local Ministry of Education office to discuss your concerns or make a referral

Who should I contact?

To make a referral, you can ring 0800 622 222 or email Special Education on special.education@education.govt.nz 

You might also find some helpful suggestions on the KidsHealth page | Concerned about your child's development?

References

If you would like to look at anything in more detail, this list of references might be a good starting point.

Acknowledgements

The content on this page has been produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and adapted from Much more than words | Manuka takoto, kawea ake (2014).

This page last reviewed 08 December 2023.

Call Healthline on 0800 611 116 any time of the day or night for free health advice when you need it