School Readiness

Do not let autism delay your child starting school

Starting school is a big deal for kids and autism doesn’t have to slow them down. Let us help get your child off on the right foot by setting them up for their maximum potential in preschool, kindergarten and beyond.

ABA Therapy Opens Learning Possibilities

At 15 months old, 3 years old, and even for some at 5 years old, school may seem lightyears away if you have a child with autism. But at Hopebridge, we believe it’s never too early to think about school. If classroom academics are important to you and your child, we want to help you get excited about sending your child off on his or her first day. This is why we believe in our center-based model, which gives us the resources to reach a broader range of skills and achieve more goals than in-home or other therapy options.

Through applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy) and other complementary therapies all under one roof, Hopebridge focuses on the skills outside of academics that your child needs to thrive. Our center-based model supplies us with the time, tools, environment, structure, multidisciplinary experience and data to dedicate to this special kind of learning even before he or she steps foot in preschool.

Research shows that children receiving ABA-based intervention in preschool-like settings similar to ours made significantly more gains in both intellectual and adaptive functioning skills, as compared to children who underwent the standard approach (Eldevik 2011). Let our center-based, Hopebridge 360 Care therapy model* provide your child with the same benefits.

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Necessary School-Ready Skills

The benefits of ABA therapy in preparing children for school are exponential. Our ABA therapy-trained professionals are experienced in developing age-appropriate skills in children no matter where they lie on the spectrum.

Here is a quick peek at some of the essential skills required for the classroom that we are uniquely equipped to work on within our center environments:

Staying seated in a chair and/or at circle time
Following instructions and completing tasks
Paying attention and responding to teachers
Learning in a group setting
Lining up
Being aware of personal space and body awareness
Self-care skills (e.g. using the restroom, washing hands, feeding self)
Eating lunch around others
Playing cooperatively and interacting with peers
Leaving the home to attend a new place with new people

Why Choose Center-Based Therapy?

While there is not a one-size-fits-all treatment plan for children with autism, Hopebridge’s in-center therapy gives us the edge to meet a wider spectrum of needs than other options. Here are some of the advantages of center-based therapy:

ABA, speech and occupational therapy all in one place*
More than a half-dozen settings under one roof
Ability to offer intensive therapy up to 40 hours per week
Alignment with insurance
More control over variables to meet goals
Access to peers
Multidisciplinary team of highly trained care providers
Builds comfort outside the home as a stepping stone to school

From craft spaces and bathrooms similar to those you’d find at home, to circle time areas and mock classrooms, Hopebridge facilities are designed with school and other natural environments in mind. Our team is prepared to successfully transition learners in a way that is not possible from inside the home.

Risks of Entering the Classroom without Therapy

As much as we love all of our kiddos here at Hopebridge, our best days are those in which they graduate onto school. We in no way want to take the place of school, but rather, help children adequately prepare for it in the first place.

We’ve seen too many cases where children are admitted to preschool or kindergarten, but once they get there, not much interaction or learning occurs. Often times a child is sequestered in a separate classroom because no one in a general education classroom knows how to manage him or her. Other times a kid is ostracized because she doesn’t have the appropriate skills or behaviors to stay on task.

Our comprehensive 360 Care therapy programs aid in increasing functional skills and diminishing problem behaviors that lead to better progress in school. Our behavior analysts are highly trained in identifying and developing the pivotal skills our kiddos need to reach their maximum potential, ultimately opening new doors of opportunity. Plus, our centers are designed with school and other natural environments in mind so we can prepare and transition them in a way that is not possible from inside the home.

Kiddo Success Story

Meet Aurora. Hear her story of going from non-verbal to counting to 10!

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