Who benefits from the Healthy Relationships Curriculum? When should a school or organization begin to introduce content from the curriculum to youth? These are two common questions that our team are asked frequently, and we are addressing one of them in today’s blog post to help the community better understand the “when” of implementation.
Is there a “right answer?” Is there a “concrete answer?” In our experience, there is no magic number and there is no “right time!” This curriculum – with 37 comprehensive and lessons across three units – uses adaptable visual lessons accompanied by 35 video demonstrations, opportunities for role-playing, takeaway materials to facilitate conversations and generalization in the home, and tools that measure outcomes and progress.
Suggested content by age group is as follows:
Elementary School – Hygiene, Privacy, Types of Relationships, Simple Communication Styles
Middle School – Elementary School Topics + Puberty, Social Media, Small Talk, Personal Boundaries, Consequences to Breaking Social Norms, and Building Significant Friendships
High School – Elementary and Middle School Topics + Job Readiness and Life After High School, Developing Personal Relationships and Dating, Understanding Their Bodies, Complex Communication Styles, Navigating the World Around Them
Though we believe that there is no magic number or right time, what we do believe is that there is value is introducing the curriculum at an early age to build upon skills each year as children grow. As individuals who have autism or a developmental disability reach transition age, there is a dire need for them to be armed with information to initiate and sustain healthy relationships to become strong self-advocates. Adolescents and young adults with such diagnoses thrive on repetition to learn and retain knowledge, and therefore would benefit from having the opportunity to build on their skills each year. However, given how adaptable these lessons are, we want to also stress and remind you that we believe it is never too late to introduce the curriculum. It is never, ever too late to learn, nor is it ever too late to promote autonomy and achieve ultimate success.
In the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, “One thing is sure. We have to do something. We have to do the best we know how at the moment. If it doesn’t turn out right, we can modify it as we go along.”
Ready to “do something” for the population you serve? Contact Us and request a sample packet, or schedule a presentation for your team. See if the Healthy Relationships Curriculum is right for you!
