Early years: difficulty with social communication and developing relationships

• Mirror, copy and mimic the child’s play as a way into reciprocal interaction and to show that it is valued
• Use intensive interaction strategies
• Planning of small groupings and opportunities to develop social understanding and inference
• Model functional language e.g. “hello, please, can I play?”, “help me”, “Hello, Sonny wants to play”
• Consistent use of natural gestures e.g. pointing, facial expressions, open body language/position at child’s level
• Organise small group or 1 to 1 tasks and activities, e.g.  which involve turn taking and learning each other’s names, build up the size of the group gradually, adult to child, adult to two children etc.
• Promote a calm learning environment
• Be clear and consistent in your communication of expectations
• Ensure staff support child to label their own and other’s emotions
• Consider creating communication friendly spaces for children

Links

Inclusion Development Programme (IDP) – Supporting children on the autism spectrum in the Early Years

Intensive Interaction

Elizabeth Jarman’s Communication Friendly Spaces information

Link to SEN Toolkit for more in-depth advice and support https://schools.local-offer.org/send-toolkit/communication-and-interaction-strategies-and-resources/social-communication/strategies-to-support-in-the-early-years/

Last updated 17 November 2020