Parents-to-be don’t realise they should talk to their babies

 
Parents-to-be are not being made aware of the importance to talk to their newborn baby the National Literacy Trust (NLT) warns.

One in five parents-to-be do not realise the benefits of talking to their baby before the age of three months and one in 20 believe it’s better to wait until the child is six months or older.

One in eight parents have absolved themselves of any responsibility in developing their child’s speech and language skills, believing them to be the sole responsibility of nurseries.

With schools reporting that an increasing number of children are starting their primary education without basic communication skills, the NLT is aiming to raise awareness amongst parents of the positive role they can play helping their baby and growing child develop them.

Director of the National Literacy Trust, Jonathan Douglas says: “The first three years are pivotal to the development of communication skills.  By the age of three a staggering 80% of a child’s brain will be formed.  A child’s brain will never grow faster than at this point in their lives so we’re urging every parent in the UK to use this window of opportunity to talk, talk, talk!” 

To help parents, the NLT has launched the Talk To Your Baby Campaign.

For more information, visit: www.talktoyourbaby.org.uk