CONNECT First: Helping Children & Young People Thrive Through Real-Life Communication

What if supporting your child’s communication didn’t mean squeezing in more therapy, more strategies, or more pressure-but instead meant noticing what’s already there, and building on it?

In this honest, practical, and empowering guide, speech and language therapist Susannah Burden shares her CONNECT Framework(R)-a relationship-first, neurodiversity-affirming approach that helps families support their child’s communication, emotional regulation, and confidence in the moments that matter most.

Drawing from lived experience on both sides of the table-as a professional and as a parent- Susannah invites readers into a more compassionate, functional way of working with children and young people of all ages. Whether they are speaking or not yet using words, autistic, anxious, sensory-seeking, deaf, or simply wired differently, this book will help you understand what’s going on beneath the surface and how to support growth through everyday routines and real-life connection.

You won’t find pressure, perfection, or step-by-step scripts here. Instead, you’ll find clarity, practical ideas, and a reminder that what your child needs most... is you.

Written for parents, teachers, and SEND, speech/language and allied professionals, CONNECT First introduces The CONNECT Framework(R) for supporting children and young people with communication needs. Grounded in evidence-based practice and real-life experience, this approach shifts the focus from ＂fixing deficits＂ to creating safety, togetherness, and genuine opportunities for language to flourish.

The book is structured around seven CONNECT principles:

• C - Connection First
• O - Observe and Adapt
• N - Natural Routines
• N - Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice
• E - Empowered Caregivers
• C - Communication as an Outcome of Regulation
• T - Togetherness

Each chapter combines clear explanations, neuroscience in accessible language, and real stories from therapy sessions and family life. Practical reflection prompts invite readers to apply the ideas to their own situation, while take-home strategies ensure the book is immediately useful in daily routines.

More than a manual, this book is an invitation to slow down, notice, and build stronger relationships. By starting with connection, communication becomes not only possible, but joyful and sustainable.