Why Continuing Outpatient Occupational and Speech Therapy During the School Year Matters
As the school year begins, many families wonder whether continuing outpatient therapy services is necessary for their child’s continued progress. While school services can be a valuable therapy tool to help a child thrive in an educational environment and build on skills that are necessary to function in the classroom, most families would be surprised to find that school-based therapy and outpatient therapy tend to work best together to help children reach their fullest potential. Throughout this blog, we will explore the differences in school-based and outpatient services as well as the valuable ways they can work together to help provide the most effective support for your child to thrive in and out of the classroom!
Two Different Settings, Two Different Goals
School-based therapists work within the educational system to help students access and participate in their educational environment. That might mean helping a student with skills that allow them to write well enough to complete classroom assignments, communicate effectively with teachers and peers, follow classroom instructions, or access playground equipment at recess. Services are tied to educational eligibility and focused on skills that directly impact a child’s ability to learn in a specific setting.
Therapists who work in an outpatient setting work on skills with children with broader goals in mind. Instead of asking whether a child can access and participate effectively in school, outpatient therapists ask how a child can become as independent and successful as possible across every part of life. Outpatient occupational therapy focuses on building independence with developmental skills that can positively support a child and family at home, at school, in the community, during play, and in future stages of development. Depending on a child’s needs, outpatient OT may address emotional regulation, attention, problem-solving, social skills, self-advocacy, self-care skills such as toileting, sleep routines, and other skills that support greater independence and confidence in everyday activities.
Similarly, it is a common misconception that speech-language therapy only supports articulation. Depending on a child’s needs, outpatient speech therapy may target language development, social communication, pragmatic language, executive functioning, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), feeding and swallowing, literacy foundations, fluency, voice, and cognitive communication.
Often, children who reach goals and graduate from school-based speech therapy may still benefit from outpatient services focused on broader communication and oral motor skills. A child may communicate well enough to succeed in school while still developing skills like making friends, carrying on a conversation, understanding figurative language, or advocating for themselves in the community. Outpatient therapy provides the space to continue developing these skills beyond the classroom.
Therapy Doesn’t Stop When School Starts
Development of social/emotional skills should continue beyond summer social activities. During the school year, children are navigating many changes including new teachers, increased academic expectations, longer periods of attention, extracurricular activities, and new routines. These growing demands can create waves that may carry over from the classroom into home life and reveal areas where additional support makes a meaningful difference. Continuing outpatient therapy during the school year can help children navigate transitions, strengthen social skills, and build emotional regulation. While school-based services focus on educational success, outpatient therapy can address challenges that affect daily life beyond the classroom.
Individualized, Family-Centered Care
Another advantage of outpatient therapy is the opportunity to participate in your child’s therapy journey! Outpatient sessions are tailored to each child’s strengths, interests, learning style, and family priorities. Goals can evolve quickly as progress occurs, and at Playabilities parents and caregivers are encouraged to be a part of the therapy team from the start. Families are encouraged to collaborate to set meaningful goals, observe sessions, learn strategies, and receive coaching that helps carry therapy into everyday life, giving children more opportunities to practice new skills in ways that matter to their family.
School and Outpatient Therapy Work Best Together
Deciding whether to continue outpatient therapy during the school year looks different for every family. However, when it comes to which setting will provide the best therapeutic benefit, the answer can be very simple. Clinically, collaboration is the most effective approach. School therapists bring valuable expertise in supporting success within the educational environment, while outpatient therapists focus on the developmental skills that carry across everyday life. When families, teachers, school therapists, and outpatient therapists communicate and work toward shared goals, children benefit from consistent support across every environment they’re in.
