Makaton is a combination of speech, signs and symbols that helps children and adults communicate.

And what children in Aycliffe school and our adults in Day Services want to communicate today are best wishes for the festive season!

Class 5 are singing and signing along to Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You, while adults at No. 24 in Sunderland show how to sign some well-known Christmas words.

Over 100,000 people use the Makaton language programme, some of them during childhood and some throughout their lives. It is a visual system that can help some autistic people develop their communication skills and express themselves.

To find out more, visit https://makaton.org/.

Find out more from our Festive Resources