Charedi youth suffer ‘learning delay’

A leading consultant speech and language therapist has expressed concern that Charedi children are at risk of developing delayed language skills.

Salford-based Michelle Morris, a professional adviser to the Department of Health, said that due to the large numbers of children in Charedi families, they might not be getting the attention needed for adequate language development.

She said: "In the Charedi community, it is very difficult to spend time with individual children but language skills are a fundamental basis of all education. They are of the utmost importance. I don't think people realise the link between early language and continued education, whether in Torah studies or secular studies.

"Children are expected to have very effective speech and language skills when they start school and often, due to environmental factors, they don't have the standards required."