8. Supporting communication through Social Stories with Dr. Kathryn Hackman

The Child Charmer

What is a social story and HOW can it be of benefit to kids in schools?

Today we are learning more about this powerful, but incredibly under utilised therapeutic tool that can be easily embedded in our educational practices as a way of ensuring that our communication is not being lost in translation.

Used by the Autistic community for many years, it is time for all school leaders to understand the vital ways in which we can aim to reduce anxiety and emotional distress in kids by helping them understand the where, when, why and what is expected of them.

Social Stories are a positive, proactive and preventive measure we can use as a whole school approach to demonstrate our understandings and beliefs that not all kids onboard, process and understand information in the same way.

Our guest, Dr. Kathryn Hackman identified a gap between the medical field where she works, and the ways in which we can prepare our kids for medical procedures or needing to go to hospital. These experiences can be incredibly daunting and overwhelming for our children and social stories help them understand what lays ahead in VERY simple, factual information.

Kathryn set to work and has created an incredible tool that creates socials stories in a flash - saving you time and effort - and they can even be personalised for kids and she is currently working on a school version.

Chrissie has been using social stories in specialist settings, and with her own kids for years!

She actually cannot quite believe that more schools have not been implementing this game changing strategy.

Maybe after hearing this conversation, they will.

You can learn more about the origin of social stories here: https://carolgraysocialstories.com/

Courageous Kids here: https://www.courageouskidsapp.com/