June 4, 2026For dozens of young children struggling to communicate, help is now on the way. A new national initiative launched yesterday aims to provide specialised support to children identified as having speech and language difficulties before they begin formal education.
Around 35 young children identified with speech and language difficulties through the Early Learning Readiness Assessment (ELRA) will benefit from a new national intervention programme launched by the Institute of Early Childhood Development (IECD) on Monday.
The initiative, launched at the Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (SITE) auditorium on International Children’s Day, is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, the Ministry of Health, speech-language specialists and partners in Early Childhood Care and Education.
The programme targets children aged three to five years who demonstrated low performance in the 2024 and 2025 ELRA assessments, which are conducted annually by IECD to determine children’s readiness before entering nursery.
According to IECD data, approximately 10 percent of children assessed through the ELRA are not considered ready for school, and analysis shows that many who perform below expectations experience speech and language difficulties.
Officially launching the initiative, Dr. Xavier Rose, chairman of IECD, described the programme as a direct response to a growing need among children and families awaiting specialist support.
“This programme is a direct response to a need indeed a very real need,” said Dr. Rose.
“Based on the results of the ELRA – an informal interview and playbased assessment spearheaded and administered by IECD annually we have found out that many children with speech and language difficulties and their parents are waiting for speech therapy services, and some of them for quite a long time.”
Dr. Rose noted that around 35 children from the 2024 and 2025 cohorts have been identified for the special programme.
He explained that over the coming months, speech-language pathologists will conduct specialised workshops for parents before delivering a structured 12-week intervention programme using play-based tools, specialised materials and home phonology activities.
“Early intervention is not just beneficial, but it is transformative. It is critical in optimising the child’s developmental trajectory and eliminating further short-term or longterm communication, learning and behavioural difficulties,” he said.
Dr. Rose stressed that the initiative is intended to complement existing services provided by the education and health sectors by offering targeted and immediate support.
“IECD’s objective with this new initiative is to extend a helping hand, to collaborate and act as a supportive bridge, strengthening our collective reach and offering targeted, immediate, intensive resources at the point and time where and when it is most needed,” he said.
He also called on the private sector to support early childhood development efforts, describing investment in young children as one of the most important investments the country can make.
Addressing parents and caregivers, Dr. Rose said they play a vital role in their children’s development and encouraged them to remain actively involved beyond the duration of the programme.
“This programme will empower you with the skills to turn mealtimes, bath times and playtime into rich, language-learning opportunities,” he said.
The launch forms part of IECD’s Special Needs Initiative and coincided with the United Nations’ 2026 International Children’s Day theme, “Listen to the Future”.
In her welcoming remarks, IECD chief executive Mrs. Shirley Choppy said the programme reflects the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with special needs, receive the support required to reach their full potential.
“On this auspicious occasion where we are celebrating our chil- dren, we are excited to launch a new initiative aimed at supporting children with speech and language difficulties, with many more other initiatives to follow during this year,” she said.
Mrs. Choppy described the project as another step in the organisation’s efforts to strengthen early childhood care and education through evidence-based interventions.
“We believe in the holistic development of children and rely on evidence to guide our decisions and actions. Investing in early childhood is fundamental to building a brighter, healthier and more equitable future,” she said.
The event also featured presen- tations by speech pathologists Mrs. Melina Amedee, Mrs. Caelia Naiken-Benoiton and Ms. Laetitia Adrienne, the unveiling of the initiative’s logo and performances by children in celebration of International Children’s Day. A donation of forty first aid kits was also made by H Savy Insurance during the event.
Courtesy Today.sc
