What is the significance of the strands in each stage?

There is a wide range of skills and knowledge that can support speech, language and communication skills in children and young people. The eight strands of the Speech, Language and Communication Framework are a way of organising and categorising the knowledge and skills outlined in the competences across the framework. They help practitioners and managers to identify a particular area where further development may be required or where some targeted training may need to be arranged. There is no hierarchy between the eight strands of the framework although each stage builds on the range of skills, knowledge and competences from the stage before.