The project brought together children and adults with DLD, parents, speech and language therapists and education staff. Together, they agreed a list of the most urgent questions that future research and funding should address.

The top priorities, which tied for first place, were:

• How can we make it easy for people with DLD to get a diagnosis? How can we best support them before, during and after a diagnosis?
• What training do education staff need so they can help people with DLD learn and have a better time in schools, colleges and universities?

Elsewhere in the Top 10, priorities included developing effective interventions, supporting emotional wellbeing and helping young people with DLD transition into adulthood and employment.

The work was part of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ (RCSLT) Priority Setting Partnership, launched in 2019 to improve outcomes for those living with DLD. Key collaborators included University College London and Afasic, a charity supporting children with communication needs.

Phase II of the project was led by Dr Lucy Hughes, Research Speech and Language Therapist at Moor House.

“It was a privilege to work with such a passionate group, many with lived experience of DLD,” said Dr Hughes. “We hope these priorities will guide research and funding to improve understanding and support for those with DLD.”

You can access the full Phase II report or learn more about the Priority Setting Partnership via the RCSLT website