Government to go ahead with expansion of programme to help young children's language

The government is going ahead with expansion of a programme to help under-fives' language development.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the Enrich scheme running in 65 early childhood services would grow to 525.

She said a trial over the past year found children in Enrich had more advanced oral language and better self-regulation.

The government announced $12.4-million for the programme in last year's Budget.

Stanford said research showed improving teacher-toddler interactions was imperative because increasingly high levels of screen time at home were linked to lower-quality parent-child interactions, language delays, and behavioural problems in young children.

"We have seen five-year-old children arriving at school with the language skills of two-year-olds, and we needed to take action," she said.

Stanford said the programme taught early childhood teachers to strengthen children's language through everyday interactions, play and conversation.