Little Learners Day Nursery welcomes full-time Speech and Language Therapist

A leading nursery in Doncaster has made an innovative appointment to its team to ensure every child in its care thrives.
 
Little Learners Day Nursery, based on Leger Way and managed by Doncaster Deaf Trust, has welcomed Martha Taylor (23) as a full-time Speech and Language Therapist (SLT).
 
This groundbreaking move reflects the nursery’s commitment to providing the very best start for every child, ensuring that communication and language development are at the heart of its early years provision.
 
Martha, who is from Sheffield, studied speech therapy at the University of Sheffield and has previous experience of working both at Doncaster Deaf Trust and within the NHS community service in Sheffield. She will be working directly with children, families, and staff at Little Learners providing child-led, play-based therapy and practical communication strategies that can be used both at home and in the nursery.
 
Martha said: “Access to regular and consistent speech therapy in nursery settings is crucial for early intervention, specialised support, and fostering collaboration between staff and families. Working with children under five places us in a unique position of responsibility, where we can directly impact and nurture key aspects of their development like learning, communication, and social-emotional well-being.
 
“I absolutely love working at Little Learners and Doncaster Deaf Trust as it’s such a welcoming and supportive environment, and it’s truly rewarding to be part of an organisation that goes above and beyond to support both the children and their families.”
 
This appointment demonstrates Doncaster Deaf Trust’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in early years education, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.
 
Helen Goddard, nursery manager at Little Learners Day Nursery, said: “Having a full-time SLT that is accessible to all children within nursery is unusual for our sector so we are absolutely delighted to make this pioneering addition and welcome Martha to the team. She will have a profound and lasting impact on our children, particularly in supporting their communication, social, emotional, and cognitive development.
 
“Being able to offer in-house, personalised speech and language therapy for the children in our care is extremely unique and reflects a forward-thinking approach to early years education. While many nurseries rely on external referrals and limited access to NHS services, having a full-time SLT embedded within our setting allows us to provide immediate, tailored support that is fully integrated into the daily life of the nursery. Here at Little Learners, we provide care and education for a number of children who have a variety of recognised needs where Martha’s expertise will be particularly useful, but this decision is also about acknowledging that all children benefit from high-quality communication-rich environments, and that early intervention is key to preventing longer-term challenges.”
 
For more information about Little Learners and Doncaster Deaf Trust, please visit: www.deaf-trust.co.uk