BIRMINGHAM, 5 August 2026. Play Moments, a Birmingham-based early-years venture, is preparing to launch a new app that aims to help parents and carers turn the waiting period for speech and language therapy into a time of structured, daily developmental support at home.
Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) remain the largest category of special educational need in England. There are now 1.9 million children in the UK with speech and language challenges, up from 1.5 million just two years ago, while one in four children starting Reception struggles with basic language skills.
For families of young children with speech delays and emerging additional needs, the gap between referral and specialist support represents lost developmental time. Nurseries raise concerns, referrals are made and then families wait, navigating their child's needs through guesswork, online searches and conflicting advice, with no structured guidance and no clear sense of what helps. Some are asked to wait six to 18 months for an assessment, while others may wait years because access varies by postcode. In the meantime, parents are often given generic advice, referred between fragmented services or left to piece together support themselves. Private therapy may offer another route, but the cost can place it beyond the reach of many families. During this time, children continue to grow, communicate and prepare for school, while parents and carers are left trying to work out how best to help at home.
Play Moments is developing an adaptive early-years app that provides parents with short, guided daily activities and exercises, designed by early-years and speech and language experts, and embedded directly into existing family routines, such as mealtimes, play and bedtime. It offers families personalised, structured support that grows with their child, without asking parents to replace specialist professionals.
"Speech, language and communication are the foundations for learning, relationships and essential life skills. Parents should not be expected to replace speech and language therapists, nor should they be left alone to navigate an increasingly complex system," said Ioana Axinte, Founder & CEO of Play Moments. "Families want to help, but they need simple, trusted guidance that is practical and relevant to their child. Play Moments is about giving parents something meaningful they can do today, while ensuring specialist support remains central to their child's longer-term journey."
Ioana Axinte, Founder & CEO of Play Moments
Parents first complete a short profile about how their child currently communicates, including their strengths, needs and interests. Play Moments then recommends short, expert-designed activities at the right level and adapts the guidance for each child. As the child develops their communication skills, the activities and level of support adapt too.
"Every child deserves the opportunity to develop strong communication skills, and every parent deserves the confidence to support that journey," said Layla Guddam, Speech and Language Therapy Consultant. "Play Moments brings evidence-informed speech and language strategies into everyday family life, helping parents turn simple interactions into meaningful opportunities for learning, connection and communication."
Layla Guddam, Speech and Language Therapy Consultant
The work is backed by the recognition of founder Ioana Axinte with an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award 2026, which supports her mission to close one of the most persistent gaps in early childhood: the months, and often years, that families spend waiting for specialist help during a critical period of their child's development.
Parents and early-years organisations can register their interest at playmoments.app.
