Strengthen the Parent-Child Relationship

Create Meaningful Peer Relationships

Promote Positive Social/School Experience

********************************************************************************************************************

Stepping Stones is a program that helps children learn to become more competent at navigating the social world. We believe that social learning and social thinking are done best “on the job” but only after certain the foundational skills necessary to develop meaning­ful and enjoyable relationships are in place. Consistent with neurotypical development, the most important real-world learning interac­tions that build these relationships begin to develop between the parent and child in infancy.  Learning that faces reveal information (2 months) and that shared interests/shared opportunities (joint attention at 12 months) with a social partner, are critical first steps to puzzling out complex and dynamic social situations. Neurological challenges during early development interfere with this pro­cess. Social cognitive challenges interfere with social thinking.

For parents, learning how to re-do or re-capture these missing elements can be overwhelming. But simple procedures like altering expectations and assumptions, slowing down speech, allowing ample time for response, breaking down activities and teaching on-the-job all work to allow the child to have an active role and to feel more competent.

Over time, with small and repeated successes, children begin to embrace the novelty of new interactions and gain the confi­dence to participate in new and socially dynamic situations.

Stepping Stones Program work with parents and children to re-instate a balanced process of social learning