DLD Awareness Day 2026: Together for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
A child may find it difficult to follow instructions, learn new words or explain what they are thinking. They might appear distracted, quiet or reluctant to join in. Sometimes, these difficulties can be mistaken for poor attention, challenging behaviour, lack of effort or lower ability.
But there may be more happening beneath the surface.
Friday, 16th October marks DLD Awareness Day, a global awareness day led by Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (RADLD), bringing together parents, teachers, caregivers and professionals to raise awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).
This year’s theme, “Together for DLD“, carries a simple but hopeful message: by working together, families, educators, professionals and communities can help create a world where children and adults with DLD feel supported, included and confident in reaching their full potential.
Awareness is an important first step. The more we understand DLD, the easier it becomes to recognise when someone may need support, advocate for their needs, and create environments where they can succeed.
Whether you’re a parent trying to understand your child’s language development or a SENCO supporting pupils at school, this article explores what DLD is, why awareness matters and practical ways we can support people with DLD.
What is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)?
Imagine knowing what you want to say but struggling to find the words. Or hearing an instruction but needing more time to understand what it means. For people with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), experiences like these can be part of everyday life.
DLD is a lifelong condition that affects how a person understands and uses language. It is not caused by poor parenting, a lack of effort or learning more than one language.
DLD is more common than many people realise – it is estimated to affect around one in 14 people [1]. That is roughly two children in every classroom of 30 [2].
Every person with DLD is different, but they may find it difficult to:
- Understand questions or instructions
- Learn and remember new words
- Put words together into sentences
- Explain their ideas or retell something that happened
- Follow and join in conversations
- Understand jokes, hints or unfamiliar phrases
- Develop reading and writing skills
- Find the right words, even when they know what they want to say
Because DLD is not always easy to see, a child may appear distracted, quiet or unwilling to take part. They might also be seen as not listening or not trying. Understanding what is behind their difficulties can help adults respond with patience and the right support.
DLD does not go away, but a person’s strengths and needs can change over time. Clear instructions, visual prompts, extra time and support from a speech and language therapist can all make everyday communication and learning easier.
Who diagnoses DLD and how can speech and language therapy help?
A speech and language therapist (SLT) can assess your child’s communication and, where appropriate, diagnose DLD. During assessment, they will explore your child’s communication strengths, the areas they find difficult and the impact on everyday life. They may also gather information from you to understand how your child communicates across home and school.
DLD may be diagnosed when language difficulties are expected to continue, affect everyday life and occur as the child’s main area of need. The therapist will consider the child’s overall development and bring together information from several sources [3,4]. When language difficulties are linked to autism, significant hearing loss or a learning disability, professionals may use a different description.
A SENCO, teacher, health visitor or GP can help you contact your local NHS speech and language therapy service. It is recommended seeking an assessment and advice when your child or pupil experiences difficulties understanding or using language [5].
At Better Days, our speech and language therapists take time to understand each child’s individual communication needs. We work alongside children, families, teachers and SENCOs to provide personalised support and practical strategies for everyday routines at home and throughout the school day.
Why DLD awareness matters
DLD is sometimes described as a hidden disability because its signs can be difficult to see. A child or adult may know exactly what they want to communicate while finding it hard to understand spoken words, organise their thoughts or express themselves clearly. This may mean struggling to follow instructions, learn new words or explain what they are thinking. They might appear distracted, quiet or reluctant to join in.
These signs can be mistaken for poor attention, challenging behaviour, lack of effort or lower ability. As a result, many people with DLD remain unidentified or wait longer for a diagnosis. Researchers at University College London report that schools may confuse language difficulties with learning, literacy, behavioural, or social and emotional needs [6].
Greater awareness of DLD can make a meaningful difference. It helps families and professionals understand what a person may be experiencing and opens the way to appropriate assessment and practical support at home, in education and throughout adult life.
Together for DLD: everyone has a role
Children and young people make the strongest progress when the adults around them share information and use supportive approaches consistently.
Speech and language therapists can identify a person’s strengths and needs, make a diagnosis where appropriate and recommend practical strategies. Parents and carers bring essential knowledge about communication at home and in the community. Teachers and SENCOs can make learning more accessible, while councils and local services can promote consistent training, inclusive communication and clear referral pathways.
This does not mean expecting everyone to become a language specialist. It means listening, sharing what works, and making small changes together.
Helpful adjustments may include using shorter sentences, giving one instruction at a time, supporting spoken information with pictures or demonstrations, and allowing extra time to respond. Checking understanding is also important: rather than asking “Do you understand?”, invite the child to show or explain what they need to do. [7]
How families, carers and communities can raise awareness
Families, carers and communities all have a valuable role in making DLD better understood. To raise awareness and take part in DLD Awareness Day, you can:
- Share trusted DLD facts, graphics or videos from RADLD on social media.
- Join or support a local DLD Awareness Day event.
- Display a poster in a community venue.
- Talk with your child or young person about what DLD means to them.
- Watch age-appropriate DLD videos together and invite questions.
- Explain DLD to relatives, friends, activity leaders and other trusted adults.
A simple explanation might be:
“My child has DLD, which affects how they understand and use language. Sometimes they need more time to process what has been said and share their ideas. Please be patient and check that they have understood.”
Where appropriate, help the child or young person develop their own words for explaining what supports them. Some may prefer to speak, while others might use a card or written note.
How schools and SENCOs can take part
Schools and SENCOs can also help pupils with DLD feel understood, included and supported. Some practical ways to take part and raise awareness across your school community are:
- Asking your local speech and language therapy team about staff training.
- Sharing DLD information during an assembly, staff meeting or classroom discussion.
- Displaying DLD Awareness Day posters.
- Providing staff with short strategy flyers for classrooms and meetings.
- Adding trusted books and DLD resources to school or council libraries.
- Reviewing whether spoken and written communications are clear and accessible.
- Including DLD in SEND training, local guidance and referral information.
- Remembering that parents, carers, colleagues and other adults may also have DLD.
Awareness should lead to everyday action. Clearer language, visual information, additional processing time and respectful checking of understanding can benefit the whole community.
Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, educator or professional, our free webinar is a great place to start if you’d like to better understand DLD and how to support children in everyday settings: Watch the webinar
You can also download our free resource pack to help raise awareness and start conversations with family, colleagues and your wider community. Download now.
Building better days together
DLD Awareness Day invites us all to learn about Developmental Language Disorder and help others understand it too. Every conversation can make a difference by helping people with DLD feel understood, families feel heard, and schools and services offer effective support.
Whether you are a parent, carer, teacher, SENCO or council professional, you have a valuable part to play. By coming together for DLD, we can share understanding, create more inclusive communities and help people with DLD participate with confidence.
Have questions about DLD, concerns about a child’s language development or plans to improve support in your school or community? Contact Better Days to talk through your needs and explore the right pathway.
References
- Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder. DLD Awareness Day 2026 [Internet]. [cited 2026 Sep 16]. Available from: https://radld.org/dld-awareness-day/
- Norbury CF, Gooch D, Wray C, Baird G, Charman T, Simonoff E, et al. The impact of nonverbal ability on prevalence and clinical presentation of language disorder: evidence from a population study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2016;57(11):1247–57. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12573.
- Bishop DVM, Snowling MJ, Thompson PA, Greenhalgh T; CATALISE-2 Consortium. Phase 2 of CATALISE: a multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study of problems with language development: terminology. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2017;58(10):1068–80. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12721.
- Bishop DVM, Snowling MJ, Thompson PA, Greenhalgh T; CATALISE Consortium. CATALISE: a multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study. Identifying language impairments in children. PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0158753. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0158753.
- Devon County Council. Developmental Language Disorder: support for schools and settings [Internet]. Exeter: Devon County Council; [cited 2026 Sep 16]. Available from: https://www.devon.gov.uk/support-schools-settings/send/areas-of-need/communication-and-interaction/developmental-language-disorder/
- Norbury C, Griffiths S, Goh SKY, Boyes M, Hill E, Viding E. Developmental language disorder: a hidden condition. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2024;8(7):473–5. doi:10.1016/S2352-4642(24)00016-6.
- Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. Developmental Language Disorder [Internet]. Liverpool: Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust; 2025 [cited 2026 Sep 16]. Available from: https://www.alderhey.nhs.uk/conditions/patient-information-leaflets/developmental-language-disorder/
