I think the point is, Whirlwind, that you have identified where your child may have a problem! You are clearly educated sufficiently to know this. You can rad and write proficiently and hold a conversation with a good vocabulary too no doubt. Lots of parents would never realise there is a problem and that their child is very low achieving. They would rarely meet a high achieving child. We are not talking about children whose parents can, and will, do whatever is needed to help and know where any problems may and, importantly, access help. For many parents, they do not know their child is behind, they do not access help and they do not necessarily do what they are asked to do when they are given help. You will find,at schools with chaotic parents, there is little in the lunch box, reading books are frequently lost, and the parents do not come to parents' evenings never mind fill in a reading log! I am assuming a lot of people writing on this thread have never encountered such families.
Health Visitors these days see only the most "at risk" families. They are not necessarily the ones whose children are deprived of conversation, singing and interaction. Well meaning parents can easily expect a child to sit in their wonderfully decorted bedroom with all the latest computer equipment and a TV and barely speak to their child at all. Travellers families do present problems, but they are not the only ones. They are a minority. It has long been taboo to really pinpoint families where there are educational isses so we carry on allowing these children to under-achieve. They will all their lives. We know that and the Government is blaming schools for the lack of progress these children make. It starts much earlier but we appear unable to tackle it because we give precious resources to all children, irrespective of need, and not enoughto those who desperately need it.