How to Communicate Effectively with Your Child’s Therapist and Teacher

If your child is receiving therapy for a mental health or developmental issue, you may wonder how to communicate effectively with their therapist and teacher. After all, these are two important people in your child’s life who can help them learn and grow. However, communication can be challenging, especially if you are not sure what to say, how to say it, or when to say it.

In this blog post, we will share some tips on how to communicate effectively with your child’s therapist and teacher, and why it matters. We will also provide some examples of questions you can ask and topics you can discuss with them.

Why Communication Matters

Communication is essential for building trust, understanding, and collaboration between you, your child’s therapist, and your child’s teacher. By communicating effectively, you can:

• Share information about your child’s strengths, needs, goals, and progress

• Learn about the therapy methods and strategies used by the therapist

• Learn about the curriculum and expectations of the teacher

• Provide feedback and input on your child’s treatment plan and education plan

• Address any concerns or issues that may arise

• Support your child’s therapy and learning at home

Communication can also benefit your child, as they can:

• Feel more supported and understood by the adults in their life

• Receive consistent and coordinated care across different settings

• Develop better social and communication skills

• Gain more confidence and self-esteem

How to Communicate Effectively

Here are some tips on how to communicate effectively with your child’s therapist and teacher:

• Start with a release of information form. This is a document that allows the therapist and the teacher to share information about your child with each other, with your permission. You can specify what kind of information you want them to share, such as diagnosis, treatment goals, progress reports, behavior plans, etc. This has to be renewed regularly, usually yearly.

• Schedule regular meetings or phone calls. It is important to have frequent and ongoing communication with the therapist and the teacher, not just when there is a problem. You can schedule regular meetings or phone calls with them to discuss your child’s progress, challenges, and needs.

• Prepare for the meetings or phone calls. Before you meet or talk with the therapist or the teacher, it is helpful to prepare some questions or topics that you want to discuss. For example, you may want to ask about your child’s strengths, areas of improvement, specific skills or behaviors they are working on, homework or assignments they have to do, etc. This is also a great opportunity to share any observations or feedback that you have about your child’s therapy or learning.

• Be respectful and collaborative. When you communicate with the therapist or the teacher, try to be respectful and collaborative. Listen attentively to what they have to say and acknowledge their expertise and experience. At the same time, express your opinions and concerns clearly and politely. Try to avoid blaming or criticizing them or yourself. Instead, focus on finding solutions and working together as a team for the benefit of your child. If this is difficult to do or you find the teacher or therapist is not receptive, reach out and we can assist with mediation and resolving any existing conflicts.

• Follow up on the action steps. After each meeting or phone call, make sure you follow up on the action steps that were agreed upon. For example, if the therapist gave you some suggestions on how to support your child’s therapy at home, try to implement them and monitor the results. If the teacher assigned some homework or projects for your child, help them complete them and submit them on time. If you encounter any difficulties or questions, don’t hesitate to contact the therapist or the teacher for clarification or assistance. in the same way, if the teacher or therapist has stated they would work on something with your child or provide resources etc, please contact them and highlight the issues and query the delay. Remember, for all parties involved, sometimes life happens, people get sick, or we honestly made a mistake or forgot - so be kind where possible.

• Keep a communication log. It is useful to keep a record of your communication with the therapist and the teacher, such as the date, time, mode, topics, and outcomes of each meeting or phone call. You can also note down any important information, feedback, or action steps that were shared. This way, you can keep track of your child’s progress, review what was discussed, and prepare for the next communication. This is especially helpful if your child is an NDIS participant as keeping clear records is always helpful when it is approaching plan review time.

Communication is essential for building trust, understanding, and collaboration between you, your child’s therapist, and your child’s teacher. By following these tips, you can communicate effectively with them and support your child’s therapy and learning. Remember, you are not alone in this journey; you have a team of professionals who care about your child and want to help them succeed. 😊