SP in Schools project 2017 Low Res V2

Prevalence of speech, language and communication needs 1

The following evidence will be valuable to speech pathologists when performing an advocacy role in schools to highlight the need for speech pathology in the education sector. • Australian estimates (from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children) indicate that between 22.3 and 24.5 per cent of children have a speech, language or communication disorder at school entry McLeod & Harrison, 2009). • One large study based on NSW students estimated that 11 per cent of students in secondary school have a communication disorder (McLeod & McKinnon, 2010). There is no evidence to indicate that the prevalence of communication disorders in secondary • Forty six percent of young offenders have a language impairment (Snow, 2014). • There is very good evidence to indicate a negative trajectory for these young people with increased incidence of disengagement from school, poor educational outcomes, mental ill-health, problematic behaviour, anti-social problems and interaction with the juvenile justice system (Conti- Ramsden,Durking, Simkin, & Knox, 2009). with scores of “developmentally at risk” or “vulnerable” in the language and cognitive domain (which includes pre-literacy skills), and over 25 per cent are at risk or vulnerable in relation to their communication skills and • Over 17 per cent of children start school school students would be significantly different from this in other states and territories.

general knowledge as measured by the Australian Early Development Census at school entry.

• Children living in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged locations were four times as likely to be developmentally vulnerable (falling below the 10th percentile) than those from the least disadvantaged areas in the language and cognitive skills domain (AEDC, 2015). • Children living in very remote Australia were nearly five times more likely to be developmentally vulnerable in the language and cognitive skills domain than children living in major cities (AEDC, 2015). • Speech, language and communication difficulties are closely linked to behaviour (Lindsay & Dockrell, 2012), social skills, self- esteem, health and well-being, family and social relationships. • Adolescents with speech, language and communication difficulties have been shown to be at a greater risk of developing emotional, social and behavioural difficulties, mental health issues (anxiety and depression), emotional difficulties 2, early school leaving and poor school engagement. • There is strong evidence that many students with language and learning difficulties struggle enormously with the transition to secondary school and may develop mental health problems. 3 • Boys were 1.7 times more likely to be developmentally vulnerable than girls in the language and cognitive skills domain (AEDC, 2015).

1 Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) is the umbrella term most commonly used to describe these difficulties. 2 There is now substantial research evidence that children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are more likely to develop behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) than typically developing young people (Beitchman et al., 1996 Fujiki, Brinton, & Clarke, 2003; Tomblin et al., 2000. Studies have shown prevalence rates as high as 35–50 per cent. 3 Communication disorders frequently co-occur with mental health issues. Bryan and Roach (2001) reported the incidence of speech and language problems in individuals receiving mental health services to be higher than that in the general population. Longitudinal studies have indicated an increased likelihood of mental health problems in those who initially presented with significant speech/language impairments as a child. Developmental Language Disorders have been found to contribute to the development pf personality disorders in adulthood.

9

Speech Pathology Australia: Speech Pathology in Schools Project