One of South Bay’s most unique attributes is that the majority of our services are conducted outside of our offices, such as in community settings. Our Early Childhood clinicians frequently travel to homes, schools, foster homes, residential programs, churches, childcare programs etc. – wherever our consumers feel most comfortable.

We understand that inviting an outside party into your home to work with your child can be scary and intimidating. There’s also a common misconception amongst our consumers that a South Bay clinician is the only party involved in the child’s development. It takes a joint effort of the entire family and our Early Childhood team to ensure growth, stability and well-being during the child’s early years. We explain everything you need to know about home-based services for children below.

The clinician’s role

When serving a child, South Bay’s Early Childhood clinicians work with the entire family – not just the child. The clinician’s role is to identify developmental delays and provide support to families if there are environmental barriers that are contributing adversely and may impact the child’s development. Such barriers may include drugs, alcohol, traumatic birth, etc. Once the developmental delay is determined, clinicians provide consultation among the team if it’s beyond the scope of the primary clinician’s abilities. They can also coordinate services in the community (like church or socialization activities), share information or make referrals that may be necessary or desired outside of the initial services. Every situation is different, but what doesn’t change is the clinician’s continued support for the family and the child.

The family’s role

Sometimes, families don’t realize that they do have an active role in the child’s development – not just the clinicians. Clinicians act as supportive coaches for the parents, and the parents actually implement the strategies. Their role is vital to the child’s success. Families often fear that clinicians enter their home and take over, but South Bay clinicians are primarily there for guidance and support. The family is the head of the team. In our home visits, family members can establish what they would like to work on with the clinician and what they would like addressed during the visit.

The goal

South Bay clinicians strive to operate from a place of strength. Our approach is to help families identify their own strengths so they are empowered to foster their children’s growth and development. It’s more important to identify strengths and build upon them than focus on the needs.

If you think your child could benefit from our home-based services, we encourage you to contact South Bay Community Services. We strive to provide the proper programs, certified staff members and clinicians for the perfect combination of professional therapy and guidance. Let us help your child have the best possible beginning!

For more information, contact us at 508-521-2200 or click here.