The Link Live Speech & Language Day brings Link Community members together from across the globe

Average Read Time: ~ 3 minutes

1 May 2026

Speech and Language Link

Link Community members from across the UK and around the world came together for this year’s Link Live Speech & Language Day, with 898 tickets allocated for the event. Professionals joined from schools and settings worldwide, including South Africa, Australia, Thailand and Brunei, reflecting the growing global reach of the Link Community.

Delivered exclusively for members, The Link Live 2026 was held on Thursday 30^th April 2026 and was a vibrant and engaging day of professional learning. Across seven high‑impact sessions, expert speakers brought speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) firmly into focus, weaving together research, policy and lived experience. Together, the programme explored the place of SLCN within the SEND White Paper and the current curriculum and assessment review, making clear links between national policy and everyday classroom practice.

The Link Live 2026 Speakers

Ali Neal Consultant Occupational Therapist
Session Title : Regulation through the senses for children with SLCN using ‘The BREAD Approach’

Kate Freeman Consultant – Speech and Language in Education
Session Title: Speech, language and communication: the building blocks for oracy

Abigail Hawkins SEN Consultant
Session Title : What we see isn’t always what it seems

Alison Fowle Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at Speech & Language Link
Session Title: Language and school readiness

Juliet Leonard Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at Speech & Language Link
Session Title: Language and school readiness

Ann Marie Christian International Safeguarding Consultant and Trainer
Session Title: Safeguarding challenges for children with SLCN

Louise Emerson Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at Speech & Language Link
Session Title: Neuro-affirming considerations

Shelbi Annison Ambassador for RADLD and AFASIC
Session Title: You can’t see DLD (Developmental Language Disorder)

The programme kept energy high from start to finish, moving from practical strategies for supporting emotional regulation into a strong focus on oracy and the vital role speech, language and communication skills play in learning. Delegates were challenged to sharpen their observations, deepening awareness of the hidden speech and language needs that can so easily be missed.

Throughout the day, the live delegate chat buzzed with conversation and questions, creating a lively shared space for reflection, discussion and the exchange of ideas. The afternoon brought variety and choice, with engaging sessions exploring Early Years school readiness and safeguarding children with SLCN, both prompting thoughtful discussion and strong feedback. The programme also shone a spotlight on neuro‑affirming language, delivering a powerful, child‑centred message about how the words adults use can shape identity, confidence and long‑term outcomes. The conference closed with an inspiring and reflective session on living with developmental language disorder (DLD), powerfully underlining the importance of early identification and support.

The learning doesn’t stop there. Over the coming months, our Link Community members will be able to access the conference presentations on-demand via The Link Live page, making it easy to revisit key insights or catch up on sessions at a time that suits them – just one of the many benefits of The Link Community membership.

Find out more about The Link Community and on‑demand access to The Link Live.