First Words Together resources

Our First Words Together programme aims to support children who may need help with communication before the age of two. The First Words Together programme builds knowledge and confidence in early years practitioners and professionals. It also develops the skills and confidence of parents and carers, enabling them to consistently support their child’s early speech, language and communication.

First Words Together programme participants: if you have received training for First Words Together, you will be able to find everything you may need to support delivery of family sessions on this page.

If your setting is not participating, but you would like to learn more, visit our First Words Together programme page.

Resources

First Words Together toolkit

A toolkit with practical guidance on communication and language strategies to use with parents and carers, helping support children under the age of two. It also includes five detailed session plans to use when delivering the programme. Practitioners receive a printed copy at the First Words Together training and it’s also available in a digital format.

Takeaway and try handouts

At the end of each session, practitioners give parents a takeaway and try handout with key messages to support their child’s communication development, plus simple activities to try at home. These handouts can be downloaded from the resources section or photocopied from your First Words Together toolkit. Each one includes a QR code linking to our family-facing Words for Life webpage, where voiceovers are available in a range of community languages.

Certificate for families

The First Words Together certificate can be printed off and handed out to parents in the final session to celebrate families' achievements.

First Words Together communications assets

A collection of promotional materials you can use in your setting or share online. It includes social media graphics, printable posters, and a communications toolkit to guide you in using these assets. We encourage you to share them on social media to help promote your sessions.

Photo permission form

As part of the programme, you may want to share photos of families taking part in the sessions. Please help parents to complete the photo permissions form if you would like to send us photos of staff, parents and children in your setting.

Queries

If you have any questions about First Words Together please contact us fwt@literacytrust.org.uk

Quick tips for parents: multi-language resources

Quick tips for parents in 19 languages

The quick tips provide parents with ideas for helping their child develop good listening and talking skills. Here you can access the quick tips in different languages!