YOUNGSTERS with speech and language problems will get help before they start school to prevent them falling behind later, thanks to an innovative new scheme.

Nursery school children with significant problems in Blackburn and Darwen will be able to spend time at a special class with a speech and language therapist, psychologist, teacher and nursery nurse to deal with their language problems.

Based at Roman Road Primary School, Fishmoor, Blackburn, the "Soundstart" programme will aim to help the tots overcome their speech problems before they start the primary school curriculum.

It is the first project of its kind in the county and is part of the Government's drive to tackle basic problems early.

Teacher Fiona Leach, who is working on the project, said: "If they don't get help at this stage, they will struggle in school and fall behind.

"Speech is the basis for all learning -- you have to be able to listen, understand and speak before you can learn to read and write."

The first two groups of up to ten three- and four-year-olds from all over the borough will start on Monday.

The youngsters, who have all been recommended for the class by their own speech and language therapists, will attend for four mornings or afternoons of intensive speech therapy and teaching a week while joining in Roman Road's nursery classes. While not at Roman Road, they will continue to go to their own nursery schools. The Soundstart team will spend Fridays visiting their pupils at their own nursery schools.

The nursery rooms have been refurbished for the new set of youngsters and a parents' room is being arranged so parents can join support groups or learn how to help their children make progress.

At the end of the term the Soundstart team will stay in touch with their teachers to make sure they continue to make progress.

The Soundstart team, which includes teacher Fiona Leach, speech and language therapist Ann-Marie Caunce, educational psychologist Marcia Vasco and nursery nurse Emma Cookson, will also spend one term of every year doing training and outreach work at other nursery schools in the borough.

The scheme is financed equally through government cash and Blackburn with Darwen Council, and it is hoped it will eventually help children throughout the nursery and reception years.