News

Using Social Stories to Support Children with Transitions


Guest Blog by Cindy Cole, Director of Psychological Services for the Champlain Valley School District and guest on the May 27th BBF Early Childhood Forum on Mental Health. The picture below is of Cindy as seen through the eyes of a student.

Social stories can be a really effective way to help children understand changes around them. In preparing for the Building Bright Futures Forum on Mental Health [view the recording here], I shared a social story to help children in my school district as we are coming to the end of this unusual school year due to COVID-19 and want to support students understand and ease anxiety about what might happen in the future.

The use of Social Stories was developed by Carol Gray. They are stories that preview a social situation with some teaching to help the reader to navigate a social situation.  The tone is positive and includes visuals that can help the reader understand what to expect, what kinds of challenges to expect, some ideas for how to manage the experience and information about what some of the social rules might be.  

A social story is a visual and verbal aid that can help the reader feel prepared for a social expectation. Here are other ways you can use social stories: 

  • Learning new routines
  • Going to a new place
  • Returning to school
  • How to say you are sorry
  • What to do if someone is not social distancing

The possibilities are endless and I hope this can be a tool to support you and your children through the COVID-19 crisis.

Social Story Resources for Children

Similar Blog

Blog

Students listen during a BDCC ECE course
September 29, 2023

VECF Spotlight: Early Childhood Workforce Development for New Vermonters in Brattleboro

“The feel-good is great, but the real feel-good is doing something that lasts longer than the duration of this grant funding.”  That is what Alex Beck, Welcoming Communities Manager for the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC), told me toward the end of our conversation about BDCC’s successful 2023 pilot program to train New Vermonters in […]

Read More

Blog

September 21, 2023

Inaugural Grand Rounds Seminar Explores Equity-Focused Data

“Data and equity have to lead to some sort of action that leads to a better outcome.” —Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph.D., during the Vermont Early Childhood Grand Rounds Seminar On Sept. 13, 2023, Building Bright Futures Executive Director Dr. Morgan Crossman moderated the inaugural Vermont Early Childhood Grand Rounds Seminar, a new series hosted by […]

Read More

Blog

September 13, 2023

Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) Announces 2024 Funding Opportunities

The Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) supports creative solutions that will improve the well-being of children from the prenatal period to age 8, their families, and the Vermont communities where they live. In late 2022, Vermont was awarded a $23 million federal grant to strengthen the state’s early childhood system, support the early childhood workforce, and […]

Read More

Stay up to date on news + events.

Please check your inbox for a confirmation email.