Empowering Parent Engagement: Strategies for Effective Communication in School-Based Therapy
It's the fourth post of our Back to School Series and I'm excited for our tips today!
If you've been here long enough, you know I place a heavy emphasis on Parent Communication, and for good reason! Keeping parents involved and aware of what is happening in therapy can really help increase carryover and help meet our kids' goals so much faster.
I know how difficult if can be to keep open lines of communication between parents when they aren't present for the session, but hopefully a few little changes can help you knock this goal off your list!
Here's how I would do it:
- Introduce yourself! Send home a simple flyer with your name and a small blurb about yourself to let parents know who you are and that you'll be working with their child this year. Include contact information such as your school email if you're comfortable with using that as your primary contact.
- Send home positive notes when a child is doing well! Using a personalized notepad (I've seen them on Etsy and they're adorable!) or even a simple sticky note to write a quick (and positive) note home when a child is working hard will make such a difference to both the parent and the child. Your school may use a texting system that you can take advantage of as well for sending messages within an encrypted system!
- Keep Parents in Mind when Scheduling Meetings. Parents and teachers alike love when others consider their valuable time. Make sure you're sending advance notice and following up to ensure attendance!
- Know your Limits! Did you decide to tell parents that you will send home a progress note or write in their child's “speech folder” each time they come to speech? Make sure that this is something you can reasonably keep up with. While we have the best of intentions, we know how crazy some sessions can be and adding to our plate by adding daily notes sent home can lead them to crash down on us. Most parents would much prefer consistent therapy and comprehensive progress reports each quarter than inconsistent “daily” notes! A better idea? Send home therapy activities that can be completed at home or speech homework that can be used for an entire week!
- Collaborate Frequently with Teachers! Your best advocate to parents can be teachers! Make sure to check in frequently with teachers and ensure everyone is on the same page. Teachers can provide insight to parents and help build your reputation.
- Provide education through handouts! Going into a new IEP or an existing one where a child has specific language and articulation goals? Bring along handouts explaining the elicitation of strategies for these goals and what they mean so that parents understand why they are in speech and how they can help too! When they understand the importance of what their child is working on, the buy-in on therapy can leap up!
Looking for an easy resource to use that will help with parent communication?
Try my Articulation Handouts and Parent Carryover resource!
Try my Articulation Handouts and Parent Carryover resource!
Try these tips this school year and see what a difference it makes!
Happy Speeching!
P.S. For more resources and ongoing support, join The Speech Therapy Toolbox! It's packed with valuable tools and strategies to help you excel in your school-slp role.
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