For many families, daycare is where their child spends a large portion of their week. Whether it’s all day, before school or after school, the daycare setting is where so much happens. They learn new things, develop social skills, and their time there is impactful on their overall development.
And sometimes, a teacher might mention something to parents: “We’ve noticed your child seems a bit quieter than other kids,” or “They’re having a hard time with transitions,” or “They seem to struggle with fine motor tasks.”
And the parents next thought it usually: Now what? Do I need to pursue this further? Where do I even start?
This is where therapy at your child’s daycare with Beyond Speech comes in! Our therapists can partner with your child’s teachers and if services are recommended, we can provide therapy right there during their day- no additional appointments, nothing to add to your weekly to-do list!
What Happens During A Screening?
A daycare screening is a developmental assessment that happens in your child’s actual daily care environment. We observe how your child interacts with other kids, how they communicate, how they move, how they handle transitions, and how they engage in daily activities.
We assess across multiple areas:
- Speech and language development
- Fine and gross motor skills
- Social-emotional development
- Self-care abilities
- Sensory responsiveness
- Peer interaction
- Overall developmental progress
A daycare screening can mean a lot!
Early Identification Means Early Support
The earlier we can identify developmental concerns, the better the long term outcomes tend to be. Young children’s brains are incredibly adaptable and early intervention can make a real difference in speech and language development, motor skills, social development, and more.
Your Child’s Teachers & Support Staff Know Them Well
Daycare teachers see your child in a peer group setting every single day. They see how your child communicates with other kids, how they handle frustration, how they manage transitions, how they respond to sensory input. Their observations are incredibly valuable to our therapists as they get a full picture of your child.
Removing the Scheduling Burden
We all know how busy the weeks and months are these days and adding another appointment to your schedule can feel almost impossible. A daycare screening takes that appointment off your day-to-day calendar.
Assessments happen at daycare, during your child’s day and if services are recommended and you want to move forward, therapy can happen there too. No additional appointments to add to your week!
Access to Services That Might Not Be Otherwise Available
While public schools are required to provide evaluations and services for school-age children, younger children in daycare settings sometimes fall through the cracks. Daycare-based screening through Beyond Speech ensures that young children have access to developmental assessment, regardless of their setting.
How Therapy Screenings Work In This Setting…
Step 1: Conversation With You
We start by talking with you about your current concerns. Maybe your child isn’t talking as much as you’d expect or they seem to struggle with coordination or their teachers mentioned concerns about behavior or social interaction. This conversation is an important part of the process because you are their first and most important advocate.
Step 2: Collaboration With Daycare Teachers & Staff
Next we’ll arrange time to talk with the teachers and staff at your child’s daycare. We gather their first hand observations about your child behavior, interactions, and overall day. These conversations are crucial because teachers see your child in ways you might not.
Step 3: Observation in the Daycare Environment
Our therapist will then observe your child during their actual day – in classroom-style activities, during free play, at meals, during transitions. We watch how they communicate, move, interact with peers, and respond to their environment. This real-world observation gives us more context and understanding of the concerns you’re having.
Step 4: Standardized Assessment
We use research-based assessment tools to measure your child’s developmental skills. For young children, this looks like games and play-based activities, not formal testing that can feel overwhelming.
Step 5: Clear Results and Next Steps
Once our observations and assessments are done, we will provide clear information about what we found and what we recommend. We discuss your child’s strengths and any areas that might benefit from support and if services are recommended, we will talk about how those could happen at daycare or in your own home.
If Services Are Recommended…
If the screening indicates that your child would benefit from therapy services, together we can create the best, most supportive, therapy plan for your child and your family.
With your permission and the cooperation of teachers and staff, Beyond Speech can provide services at your child’s daycare:
- Speech-language therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Social work services
- Nutrition therapy
Your child receives services in their familiar daily environment, during their regular day. This means:
- No additional appointments for your family
- Your child is in a comfortable, familiar setting
- Consistency with their existing routine
- Teachers can reinforce what’s being worked on in therapy
- No added stress to your schedule
If You’re Interested In A Daycare Screening…
1. Talk to Your Daycare
Let your child’s daycare know you’re interested in having Beyond Speech conduct a developmental screening. Many daycares appreciate partnerships that support their students’ development.
2. Contact Beyond Speech
Reach out to discuss your child and any specific concerns. We’ll talk about the screening process and answer your questions.
3. Screening Happens
We come to your daycare, assess your child, collaborate with teachers, and provide clear results.
4. You & Our Therapists Decide Together
If services are recommended and you’re interested, we discuss how those could happen at your child’s daycare.
Daycare screening through Beyond Speech offers families exactly what they need: access to professional developmental assessment and therapy in a familiar, comfortable setting without adding stress to already busy schedules.
We partner with your child’s teachers who know them best, we observe your child in their actual daycare environment and we then provide clear information about their development. And if services are recommended, we can provide them right there at daycare.
Ready to learn more or connect with one of our therapists? Reach out to Beyond Speech Therapy Specialists to discuss daycare screening for your child.
