When it comes to supporting children with developmental delays or autism, consistency is everything. Skills learned in therapy sessions grow stronger when they are practiced at home and reinforced in the classroom. But here’s the challenge: parents, teachers, and ABA professionals often operate in separate worlds. The key is building bridges.
At Abundant Life Family Services, we believe that children thrive when their support systems work together. Here’s how families, schools, and therapy providers can connect the dots.
ABA therapy helps children build skills in communication, behavior, and daily living. But if a child only practices these skills in one environment, progress can stall. By aligning home routines, school supports, and therapy goals, we create a powerful network that promotes generalization—the ability to use a skill in different settings and with different people.
Your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) should reflect the skills being targeted in therapy.
Ask for overlap: If ABA is focusing on requesting help, ensure the IEP also includes communication goals.
Bring data: Share graphs or progress notes from therapy to inform the IEP meeting.
Collaborate on accommodations: For example, if a child uses a visual schedule in therapy, request one in the classroom too.
Clear, consistent communication between school and home is essential.
Daily or weekly logs: A notebook, app, or email update can track successes and challenges.
Shared language: Use the same prompts or reinforcement words across environments.
Team check-ins: Quick, scheduled calls between teachers and BCBAs help keep goals aligned.
Children are more motivated when rewards are meaningful and consistent.
Favorite reinforcers: If a child earns time with a favorite toy or activity at home, teachers can use the same motivator in the classroom.
Celebrating progress together: When a child masters a skill in therapy, let teachers and parents reinforce it, too.
Numbers don’t lie, and data helps cut through confusion.
Graph progress: Simple charts make it easy for parents and teachers to see growth.
Track generalization: Note when a skill is used in a new setting (e.g., “asked for help at school lunch” vs. “asked for help at home dinner”).
Adjust based on patterns: If progress slows in one environment, the team can tweak strategies together.
When parents, schools, and ABA professionals work in silos, children risk getting mixed messages. But when we come together—sharing goals, reinforcers, and data—children gain the consistency they need to succeed.
At Abundant Life Family Services, we are passionate about building bridges between home, clinic, and school. By partnering with families and educators, we can help children not only reach milestones—but carry them confidently into every corner of their lives.
