Rewards

Parents and carers will be aware that there are often some tricky daily transitions where you ask your child to do something and you get pushback. In particular, bedtimes, mealtimes, and playtimes can cause issues and stress.  

Visual aids like reward charts are great for communicating to children how much progress they've made and to reinforce positive behaviour with the idea that this will be repeated. In our experience, visuals can be excellent for helping children with SEND refocus on their positive actions and build self-esteem. 

What are reward charts? 

A reward chart works on the basic understanding that a child will be rewarded for doing something they don’t enjoy or find difficult, such as doing their homework, trying a new food, or going to bed on time. 

Reward charts are a powerful way of: 

• encouraging positive behaviour, like saying please. 
• discouraging challenging behaviour, like hitting. 
• rewarding your child for practising new skills, such as playing an instrument.