The group is chaired by John Bercow MP, who said it would work to push the Government on provision of specialist services for people with speech, language or communication difficulties.
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists has worked with MPs to campaign for greater awareness of these issues.
Chief executive of the RCSLT, Kamini Gadhok, said that more than 5 per cent of children start school with speech and language difficulties. Later in life, nearly two-thirds of young offenders are found have speech and language impairment or communication needs.
Speaking after the launch, Ms Gadhok told Nursery World the all-party parliamentary group was an opportunity to raise the profile of communication difficulties and focus on early intervention. She said that 6 per cent of children aged under 11 have speech language and communication support needs, and require a specialist speech and language therapist to help assess, diagnose and plan appropriate support and therapy.
Ms Gadhok said that early intervention was 'crucial for these children, as it minimises risks and ongoing costs to the taxpayer, society, families and, most importantly, the individual'.
Despite this need, she said, there is a shortage of speech and language therapist jobs because of a widespread problem with lack of funding.
The RCSLT wants the Government to set a public service target to ensure that children with communication difficulties are prioritised across health and education.
Ms Gadhok added, 'Currently, such children are just not on the radar in health and, without a target which is performance-managed, resources are not going into the provision of specialist speech and language therapy services.
'Some of these children will have ongoing needs. Early intervention is absolutely crucial to give them the best possible start in their young lives.'
