The important and complex link between children and young people with SEMH difficulties and those with SLC needs is fully considered in this manual. It provides a comprehensive assessment framework, followed by a wide range of realistic interactive interventions aimed at addressing specific communication needs, and illustrated scenarios that young people can explore to develop the necessary skills for potentially problematic social interactions. LFBE is written by experienced practitioners and provides practical interventions for those professionals who support vulnerable children. Dr Rob Long, Chartered Educational Psychologist, UK I commend this resource to you – it’s informative, compelling, straightforward to understand, makes a strong effort to engage the children/young people in setting their own goals, attractive to look at and enjoyable to use. Kate Bruton, Specialist Teacher for Inclusive Practice, reviewing for NAPLIC Matters, Autumn 2021

Anna Branagan is a speech and language therapist within a youth support team in Gloucestershire, working to enable vulnerable young people with speech, language and communication difficulties to access support more effectively. She also works within mainstream schools supporting inclusive practice in Worcestershire. Anna trained at Leeds Metropolitan University 25 years ago. She is co-author of bestselling Speechmark resources Language for Thinking (2nd edition, 2017), Word Aware (2013) and Word Aware 2 (2017). Melanie Cross is a speech and language therapist who has worked with looked after children for many years. Her work has focussed on developing speech and language therapy services for children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH). This work has resulted in publications including Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties and Communication Problems (2nd edition, 2011), and she was lead author of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Clinical Guidelines on Social Emotional and Mental Health. She is also a trainer, video interaction guider and supervisor. Stephen Parsons is a speech and language therapist, trainer and author of practical language development resources for teachers and speech and language therapists. From 1996–2017, Stephen worked as a speech and language therapy service manager in Hackney and the City of London. With 30 years’ experience in the field, he is co-author of bestselling Speechmark resources Language for Thinking (2nd edition, 2017), Word Aware (2013) and Word Aware 2 (2017). Stephen graduated in speech pathology from Flinders University, before attaining an MSc in speech and language therapy from City University in 2000. He currently serves as Chair of NAPLIC, the association for professionals working with children and young people with Developmental Language Disorder.