Professionals

We admire the role you play in encouraging and supporting babies and young children as they learn and grow. We understand that your priority is to keep them safe and happy. Using baby signs will improve and develop early communication, ensuring adult and child interaction is effective.

All TalkFirst signs have been taken from British Sign Language (BSL). Up to 70,000 Deaf people in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use BSL as a first language. Hearing children who learn BSL signs as babies and toddlers have an early introduction to a 2nd language and when they no longer need baby signs to communicate themselves, they are left with firm foundations which can be developed at a later date.

Some child care professionals also use Makaton or Signalong. Both these signing systems have been developed for children with communication and learning difficulties; they take signs from BSL and simplify them.

We have put together some further information which has been tailored for your own role. Please click on one of the following headings to download a 3 or 4 page information pack. The files are in pdf format, to open pdf files you need Adobe Acrobat. Click here to download a free version.

If you would like more information or if you are a child care professional and we not have got an information pack for your profession, please contact us.