For many of us, the winter holidays are synonymous with gift-giving. We cherish the act of giving to our family members and friends, to coworkers and to school teachers.
And while it may seem only natural to give gifts to your child’s therapy team (after all, they have likely established a close bond with your child) and the giving of gifts may be thought of as a means to show appreciation and gratitude, here are some important things to know before you do:
Ethically, we may not be able to accept some gifts
The most recent update to the ethical code for professionals in the field of ABA states:
Small gifts of up to $10 in value may be accepted from a client, but therapists must use discretion when accepting any gifts of monetary value.
In other words, when gifts of monetary value are exchanged between clients and clinicians, this has the potential to create a conflict of interest and may blur the professional boundaries of the relationship.
Appreciation can be conveyed in many forms
If your intent is to show the clinical team your appreciation for the work that they do and the care they demonstrate for your child, we invite you to consider some of the following ideas:
- A drawing or other home-made craft created (or co-created) by your child
- A hand-written card
- A baked good that your child helps you make
These types of gifts are even more meaningful to the people who work closely with your child than anything that could be purchased in a store.
There is NO expectation of any gift-giving at all
Your clinical team members do not have any expectation that a client or client’s family will be giving them gifts of any kind.
We are rewarded:
🥰 By the work that we do
🥰 By your child’s success
🥰 By the small gestures of appreciation and gratitude that are shown to us everyday
Your child’s smile and your words of thanks are more than enough!
We wish you and your families a joyful, healthy and magical holiday season. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide services to you and your family.
Happy holidays!