A CAMPAIGN to raise awareness of language impairments founded by an Oxford University professor has celebrated its second anniversary with a trip to Parliament.

Raise Awareness of Language Learning Impairments (RALLI) was set up by Prof Dorothy Bishop of the Department of Experimental Psychology.

Its YouTube campaign has been viewed more than 160,000 times by a global audience across 186 countries since it was launched two years ago.

Families, speech and language practitioners and young people with language impairments celebrated the anniversary by joining with House of Commons Speaker John Bercow.

Eighteen-year-old Harry Davies, who suffers from speech and language difficulties, said: “I am proud to be one of the first people to have shared their story of dealing with a speech and language difficulty on the RALLI channel.

“Before I was diagnosed and got the help I needed, I didn’t want to go to school and I felt that I didn’t have a brain.

“I used to feel alone and left behind from my friends.

“Getting the right teaching and therapy turned my life around and now I want to give back to help others.”

Prof Bishop said: “Language impairments are hidden difficulties, little recognised and understood.

“Yet they can affect every aspect of development and without the right support can have major impacts on a young person’s life.

“Thank you to all of our supporters and above all, to the young people, families and specialists who have been brave enough to share their stories to help others.”

 

 

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