Teaching Safety Skills to Children with Autism

You’re at the grocery store when your child suddenly bolts toward the automatic doors. Your heart stops. Or maybe you’re at the park and you turn away for just a second—and when you look back, your child has wandered toward the parking lot. Perhaps you lie awake at night wondering: what if they got out of the house? What if someone approached them and they didn’t know what to do?

If you’re raising a child with autism in Maryland, these scenarios aren’t hypothetical worries—they’re daily realities that keep you vigilant and exhausted. The statistics are sobering: research shows that approximately half of children with autism will wander or elope at some point, and wandering remains one of the leading causes of injury and death in the autism community. When children wander, they’re at heightened risk for drowning, traffic accidents, and other dangerous situations.

But here’s what we want every Maryland parent to know: safety skills can be taught. With the right strategies, support, and understanding, you can help your child learn to navigate the community more safely while building their independence and confidence.

At The Learning Tree ABA, we work with families throughout Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Howard County, and beyond, and we see firsthand how teaching safety skills transforms both children’s capabilities and parents’ peace of mind. This comprehensive guide will walk you through evidence-based strategies for teaching community safety awareness, addressing wandering behaviors, and accessing Maryland-specific resources that can help keep your child safe.

Understanding the Safety Challenges: Why Children with Autism Are at Higher Risk

Before diving into solutions, let’s understand why children with autism face unique safety challenges in community settings. This isn’t about limitations—it’s about recognizing how autism affects safety awareness so we can teach skills effectively.

The Reality of Wandering and Elopement

Wandering, also called elopement, is when a child leaves a safe area or the care of a responsible person, often without understanding the potential dangers. According to recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about half of children with autism will wander at least once after age 4, and one in four of those children will go missing long enough to cause serious concern.

The statistics from Maryland’s own Kennedy Krieger Institute are particularly striking. Their landmark study found that from ages 4 to 7, 46 percent of children with autism eloped—four times the rate of their neurotypical siblings. Even more concerning, 53 percent of children who attempted to elope went missing long enough to cause alarm, with the average missing duration being over 40 minutes.

Why This Matters in Maryland: Our state has numerous bodies of water—from the Chesapeake Bay to neighborhood ponds and community pools. Tragically, drowning is the leading cause of death for children with autism who wander. According to the National Autism Association, in 2024, 91 percent of U.S. wandering fatalities were caused by drowning, and children with autism face a risk 160 times greater than the general pediatric population.

Why Children with Autism Wander

Understanding why wandering happens is the first step to preventing it. Children with autism may wander for many different reasons, and each child’s motivations are unique:

Seeking Sensory Input: Many children are drawn to water because they love the visual shimmer, the sound of splashing, or the sensation of water on their skin. Others might seek the feeling of running or the visual stimulation of moving vehicles. Children aren’t trying to be difficult—they’re following a sensory need that feels compelling to them.

Escaping Overwhelming Situations: Sometimes wandering is about getting away from something rather than going toward something. A crowded, noisy environment like a school cafeteria or busy store might become overwhelming. When a child can’t communicate “this is too much,” they might simply leave to find relief.

Pursuing Special Interests: If your child is fascinated by trains, they might wander toward train tracks. If they love ceiling fans, they might walk into a neighbor’s house to see theirs. These aren’t random behaviors—they’re goal-directed attempts to access something intensely interesting to them.

Following Routines or Familiar Paths: Some children wander to return to a familiar place or to follow a routine they remember. They might be trying to get to a favorite playground or to visit a store they associate with a preferred item.

Communication Challenges: For children with limited communication skills, wandering might be the only way they know to express a need. They can’t say “I’m hungry” or “I need to use the bathroom,” so they wander in search of what they need.

Additional Safety Challenges in Community Settings

Beyond wandering, children with autism face other safety challenges that parents worry about constantly:

Limited Danger Awareness: Many children with autism don’t naturally understand risks the way neurotypical children do. They might not recognize that a hot stove can burn them, that traffic is dangerous, or that strangers could pose a threat. This isn’t defiance—their brains may process risk information differently.

Difficulty Recognizing Social Cues: Children might struggle to identify whether someone is trustworthy or potentially dangerous. They may not pick up on the subtle warning signs that would alert other children to a concerning situation.

Communication Barriers: If your child can’t verbally communicate, they may be unable to ask for help, provide their name and address, or explain what they need to a helpful stranger or first responder.

Impulsivity: Some children act on urges without considering consequences—dashing into a parking lot after a ball or running toward something interesting without looking for traffic.

Inability to Respond to Their Name: Many children with autism don’t consistently respond when their name is called, making it terrifying when they wander away and don’t come back when you call them.

ABA Strategies for Teaching Safety Skills

The good news? Research from 2024 and 2025 shows that children with autism can learn essential safety skills through structured, evidence-based teaching methods. Here’s what works.

Behavioral Skills Training: The Foundation

Behavioral Skills Training (BST) is the gold-standard approach for teaching safety skills to children with autism. BST involves four key components:

1. Instruction: Clearly explain what the child should do in a safety situation. Keep instructions simple and concrete. Instead of “be careful around strangers,” you might say “If someone you don’t know tries to talk to you, say ‘no thank you’ and come tell me right away.”
2. Modeling: Show your child exactly what to do. You might role-play a scenario where someone approaches them, demonstrating how to respond. Many children with autism are visual learners, so seeing the correct behavior is more effective than just hearing about it.
3. Rehearsal: Practice, practice, practice. Your child needs opportunities to try the safety skill in a controlled, safe environment. You might practice crossing the street safely in your driveway before attempting it on a real road.
4. Feedback: Provide immediate, specific praise when your child performs the safety skill correctly. If they need correction, give it gently and then practice again. “I noticed you didn’t stop and look both ways. Let’s try that again, and this time I’ll help you remember to stop first.”

Research published in 2025 in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that BST, when enhanced with visual supports and positive reinforcement, is highly effective for teaching home safety skills to children with autism. The study emphasized that fathers’ involvement in teaching safety skills through video modeling also produced excellent results—so both parents can be powerful teachers.

In Situ Training: Practicing in Real Environments

In Situ Training (IST) takes BST a step further by practicing safety skills directly in the environments where children will need to use them. Instead of only practicing at home, you teach and practice in actual community settings.

Why IST Matters: Children with autism often struggle with generalization—applying a skill learned in one setting to a different setting. If you only practice crossing the street in your neighborhood, your child might not apply that skill at the grocery store parking lot. IST helps children learn that safety rules apply everywhere.

How to Implement IST:

Start by teaching the skill using BST at home. Once your child demonstrates the skill reliably in that controlled environment, gradually move to real-world settings. You might practice “stop and wait” first in your yard, then in a quiet parking lot, then in a busier area—always with you present to ensure safety and provide guidance.

Set up realistic scenarios in community settings. If you’re teaching your child not to accept food from strangers, you might coordinate with a friend to approach your child at a park and offer a snack. You’re right there to intervene if needed, but your child gets to practice the real response in a real situation.

Continue practicing over time in multiple locations. Safety skills need to become automatic, which requires repetition across many different contexts.

Recent research confirms that IST significantly improves both skill retention and generalization. Children who receive in situ training can maintain safety skills over time and apply them in new situations effectively—exactly what parents need.

Visual Supports: Making Safety Concrete

For many children with autism, visual supports are essential for understanding and remembering safety rules. Abstract concepts like “danger” or “stranger” become much clearer when paired with visual cues.

Social Stories: Create personalized stories with pictures that walk through specific safety scenarios. For example, a social story about crossing the street might show: “When I come to a street, I stop. I hold a grown-up’s hand. I look left, then right, then left again. When there are no cars coming, we walk across together.” Social stories help children understand both what to do and why.

Visual Schedules and Checklists: Break down safety procedures into steps with corresponding pictures. A visual checklist for leaving the house might include: check that an adult is with you, put on shoes, hold hands, wait for the door to open.

Video Modeling: Show your child videos of themselves or other children demonstrating safety skills correctly. Research from 2024 shows that video modeling can be highly effective for teaching safety skills like responding to strangers or following safety rules around water.

Picture Identification Cards: Create cards with photos of “safe people” your child can go to for help—police officers, firefighters, teachers, specific neighbors. This helps children distinguish between safe adults and strangers.

Positive Reinforcement: Making Safety Rewarding

Children with autism often learn best when desired behaviors are immediately rewarded. When your child demonstrates a safety skill—stopping at the curb, checking in with you at the store, or responding appropriately to a stranger—praise them enthusiastically and provide a reward they find meaningful.

Rewards might include verbal praise (“I’m so proud of you for stopping at the street!”), a favorite activity, a preferred snack, or earning tokens toward a larger reward. The key is making safety behaviors immediately valuable to your child.

Teaching Specific Community Safety Skills

Now let’s break down how to teach specific safety skills that matter in your Maryland community.

Teaching “Stop” and “Come” Commands

The ability to stop on command could save your child’s life. Here’s how to teach it:

Start at Home: Begin in a safe space like your living room. Have your child walk away from you. Say “stop” in a clear, firm voice. Initially, you might need to gently touch their shoulder to help them stop. The instant they stop, praise lavishly and provide a reward.

Add Duration: Once your child stops consistently, practice having them stay stopped for increasing amounts of time—first one second, then three, then five, then ten. You don’t want them to learn to pause briefly and then keep going; you want them to stop and wait for your next instruction.

Increase Distance: Gradually practice from farther away. Start three feet away, then five feet, then across the room. Eventually practice in your yard, then in other safe outdoor spaces.

Practice “Come”: After your child masters stopping, add the “come” command. Say “stop,” wait for them to stop, then say “come” and reward them when they return to you. Practice this regularly until it becomes automatic.

Maryland Tip: Practice these commands at Maryland locations your family actually visits—Patapsco Valley State Park, your local playground, or your neighborhood street. The more places your child practices, the more likely they’ll respond when it really matters.

Stranger Safety and Appropriate Social Boundaries

Teaching stranger safety to children with autism requires concrete, specific instruction rather than vague warnings.

Define “Stranger” Clearly: Don’t just say “don’t talk to strangers”—that’s too abstract. Instead, create a specific definition your child can understand. You might say: “A stranger is someone whose name we don’t know. A stranger is someone Mommy or Daddy hasn’t introduced you to.”

Create a “Circle of Trust”: Use visual supports to show concentric circles. The innermost circle contains photos of immediate family members. The next circle includes extended family and very close friends. Outer circles include teachers, therapists, and other familiar people. Anyone outside these circles is a stranger.

Teach Specific Responses: Give your child exact scripts for different stranger scenarios:

• If a stranger tries to talk to you: “No, thank you” and walk away immediately to find a safe adult.
• If a stranger asks you to go somewhere with them: “No!” and run to a safe adult.
• If a stranger tries to give you something: Don’t take it. Say “no, thank you” and find a safe adult.

Identify Safe People in Public: Teach your child to recognize safe people in the community if they need help. Show them photos of police officers in uniform, firefighters, store workers wearing name tags, and parents with children. Practice pointing out these people when you’re out together.

Practice Through Role-Play: At home, practice different scenarios. You might play a stranger approaching your child at a park or asking them to help find a lost puppy. Practice the appropriate response over and over until it becomes automatic.

Use the “Ask First” Rule: Teach your child that they should always ask a parent or trusted adult before accepting anything from anyone—food, toys, rides, or invitations to go anywhere. Make this an absolute rule with no exceptions.

Traffic and Parking Lot Safety

Traffic injuries are among the leading dangers when children wander. Here’s how to teach traffic safety systematically:

The Stop-at-Curb Rule: Teach your child that curbs, yellow lines in parking lots, and any boundary between sidewalk and road means STOP. Practice stopping at every curb without exception. If there’s no curb, teach them to stop when you stop.

Hand-Holding in Parking Lots: Make hand-holding non-negotiable in parking lots and near streets. You might create a visual rule card showing “In parking lots, we hold hands ALWAYS.” Some parents use a specific phrase like “parking lot rules” that signals the hand-holding requirement.

Looking for Cars: Teach the specific steps: Stop, Look Left, Look Right, Look Left Again. Practice this sequence every single time you cross a street together, narrating the steps: “We stop. We look left—I don’t see any cars. We look right—I don’t see any cars. We look left again—still no cars. Now we can walk.”

Staying in Designated Areas: Teach your child to walk on sidewalks and designated walking paths. Create a rule like “We walk on the sidewalk, not in the street.” Use visual cues—perhaps pointing out that we walk on gray (sidewalk) not black (road).

Maryland Practice Locations: Practice traffic safety in real Maryland parking lots during quieter times—early morning at grocery stores, quieter areas of shopping centers in Howard County or Montgomery County. The more your child practices in actual parking lots, the better they’ll generalize the skill.

Teaching Your Child to Ask for Help

Being able to seek help is a crucial safety skill, especially if your child can verbally communicate.

Identifying Helpers: Teach your child to recognize who can help in different situations. In a store, someone wearing a name tag who works there. In public, a police officer or firefighter. In emergency situations, another parent with children.

What to Say: Give your child specific scripts. They might learn to say “I need help. I’m lost. My name is [name].” or “I need help. I can’t find my mom.” Practice these phrases until your child can say them clearly and automatically.

Using Visual Supports: If your child has limited verbal skills, create a “help card” they can show people. The card might say “I have autism. I need help finding my parent. Please call [phone number].” Keep this card in your child’s pocket or backpack.

When to Ask for Help: Create clear rules about when to seek help—if they can’t find their parent, if they’re hurt, if someone is scaring them, or if they’re lost. Practice identifying these situations through role-play.

Water Safety: A Critical Priority in Maryland

Given Maryland’s proximity to water and the statistics on drowning risk, water safety deserves special attention.

Swimming Lessons: Enroll your child in swim lessons as early as possible, ideally with instructors experienced in teaching children with autism. Several Maryland programs offer adaptive swim instruction:

• Pathfinders for Autism maintains a database of Maryland swim programs designed for children with special needs
• Many Maryland YMCA locations offer adaptive aquatics programs
• The Autism Society of Maryland provides resources on water safety and swim programs

Water Safety Rules: Teach concrete rules about water:

• Never go near water without an adult
• Always ask before going swimming
• Never jump in water without an adult watching
• Wear a life jacket when near water until you’re a strong swimmer

Barrier Awareness: Teach your child that fences around pools are barriers they shouldn’t cross. Practice stopping at fences and understanding they mark boundaries.

Wearing Identification Near Water: When visiting pools, beaches, or waterside parks in Maryland (like those along the Chesapeake Bay), make sure your child wears waterproof identification with your contact information.

Preventing Wandering: Creating Layers of Protection

While teaching safety skills is essential, preventing wandering in the first place is equally important. Think of wandering prevention as having multiple layers of protection—if one fails, others are still in place.

Environmental Modifications at Home

Door and Window Alarms: Install alarms on all doors and windows your child could access. Battery-operated magnetic door alarms are inexpensive and readily available at hardware stores. These alarms alert you the moment a door or window opens.

Pathfinders for Autism and other Maryland autism organizations sometimes distribute free door alarms and safety equipment to families—contact them to inquire about availability.

Locks and Deadbolts: Install locks that are difficult for young children to operate but don’t create fire safety hazards. Some families use sliding bolt locks placed high on doors, out of children’s reach. Important: Never use locks that would prevent emergency exit in case of fire.

Fenced Yards: If possible, install fencing around your yard with self-latching gates. This creates a safe outdoor space where your child can play while you maintain sight and supervision.

Remove Climbing Aids: Ensure there aren’t chairs, toys, or other items near doors or windows that could help a child climb to reach locks or open windows.

Monitoring and Tracking Technology

GPS Tracking Devices: Consider wearable GPS trackers designed for children. Options include GPS watches, shoe inserts with GPS, or clothing tags. These devices allow you to locate your child quickly if they wander.

The Maryland Autism Coalition sometimes provides GPS tracking devices to Maryland families in need. Contact them or Pathfinders for Autism to learn about availability.

Safety Gates: Use safety gates to limit access to certain areas of your home, particularly near exits.

Video Monitoring: Some families use video monitors or doorbell cameras to watch entry points even when they’re in other parts of the house.

Identification and Communication Tools

ID Bracelets: Ensure your child wears identification at all times. Medical ID bracelets can include your child’s name, that they have autism, that they’re nonverbal (if applicable), and your contact information. Some bracelets include QR codes that first responders can scan for detailed information.

Identification Cards: Keep a laminated card in your child’s pocket with their name, photo, your contact information, and critical information like “Has autism, may not respond to name, nonverbal.”

Communication Devices: If your child uses an AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) device or communication app, make sure it includes a “help” or “emergency” button programmed with essential information.

Community Awareness and Support

Neighbor Notification: Consider informing trusted neighbors about your child’s autism and wandering risk. Pathfinders for Autism provides a Community/Neighbor Alert Form you can fill out and share with neighbors, explaining your situation and asking them to be watchful.

Some families provide neighbors with a photo of their child, a brief explanation, and their phone number, asking neighbors to call immediately if they see the child outside alone.

School and Caregiver Communication: Ensure your child’s school, ABA therapists, babysitters, and any other caregivers understand the wandering risk and know your prevention strategies. Research shows that 45 percent of wandering incidents occur under non-parent supervision, making caregiver awareness critical.

911 Registry Programs: Many Maryland counties offer special 911 registry programs where you can pre-register information about your child. Montgomery County Police Department’s Autism/IDD Unit, for example, maintains registries that provide first responders with essential information before they arrive on scene.

Contact your local police department to ask if they offer a similar program in your Maryland county.

Working with Your ABA Team

If your child receives ABA therapy through The Learning Tree ABA, your BCBA can help address wandering behaviors systematically.

Functional Behavior Assessment: Your BCBA will conduct assessments to determine why your child wanders. Is it to access something they want? To escape something uncomfortable? Understanding the function helps design effective interventions.

Replacement Behaviors: Once you understand why wandering occurs, your BCBA can teach replacement behaviors—alternative ways for your child to meet the same need without leaving the safe area. If your child wanders to access sensory input, they might learn to request a preferred sensory activity instead.

Communication Training: For many children, improved communication skills reduce wandering. When children can effectively request what they need or communicate discomfort, they’re less likely to wander in search of it.

Safety Skills Instruction: Your ABA team can incorporate safety skills directly into your child’s therapy goals, systematically teaching and practicing these critical skills.

Maryland-Specific Resources and Support

Maryland families have access to excellent autism-specific safety resources. Here’s what’s available:

Pathfinders for Autism

Pathfinders for Autism is Maryland’s largest autism organization and offers comprehensive wandering and safety resources:

First Responder Training: Pathfinders trains law enforcement and first responders throughout Maryland on autism awareness, including how to respond to wandering situations. They’ve trained departments in Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Howard County, and many other Maryland jurisdictions.

Safety Resources: Their website offers downloadable resources including:

• AWAARE First Responder Form (to fill out and keep ready in case your child goes missing)
• Community/Neighbor Alert Forms
• Wandering Prevention Tips
• Safety kit information

Help Line: Call 443-330-5341 to speak with knowledgeable resource staff who can provide personalized guidance and connect you with safety resources.

Safety Workshops: Pathfinders periodically offers wandering prevention workshops for Maryland families. Check their website for upcoming events.

Montgomery County Police Department Autism/IDD Unit

The Montgomery County Police Autism/IDD Outreach Unit is nationally recognized for its autism-specific safety programs:

Wandering Safety Kits: The unit provides free safety kits to Montgomery County families, including window clings for homes, MCPD safety t-shirts, and prevention tools.

911 Scripts: They offer downloadable 911 scripts that families can fill out in advance. In an emergency, you simply read the script to provide first responders with essential information quickly and clearly.

Training and Awareness: All Montgomery County police officers receive training on positive, effective interactions with individuals with autism.

Registry Programs: Contact them to inquire about pre-registering your child’s information with the police department.

Autism Society of Maryland

The Autism Society of Maryland focuses extensively on safety education:

Water Safety and Wandering Prevention: They’re part of the Maryland Autism Coalition’s drowning prevention initiative, offering:

• Free educational resources
• Information on water safety courses
• Swim lesson programs
• Door locks and alarm resources

Emergency Resources: Their website provides critical safety information including:

• Why to call 911 immediately if your child wanders
• Living Safely on the Spectrum materials
• IEP considerations for addressing wandering at school
• Emergency Identification Sheets for first responders

Local Chapter Support: Their Howard County, Montgomery County, and Anne Arundel County chapters offer localized support and resources.

Kennedy Krieger Institute

Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore conducted the landmark research on autism and wandering. They offer:

Clinical Services: Specialized evaluation and intervention for children with autism, including those with significant safety concerns.

Parent Training: Educational programs that teach parents evidence-based strategies for managing challenging behaviors, including wandering.

Research Participation: Opportunities to participate in cutting-edge autism research, contributing to our understanding of safety issues.

National Autism Association Resources

While not Maryland-specific, the National Autism Association provides invaluable resources:

Big Red Safety Box: Free toolkits for autism families containing educational materials, door/window alarms with batteries, ID bracelets, and safety decals. These boxes are distributed periodically—check their website or social media for availability announcements.

Wandering Prevention Resources: Comprehensive guides, videos, and materials on preventing wandering and responding to missing incidents.

First Responder Materials: Resources specifically designed to help first responders understand autism and wandering behavior.

Creating Your Family Safety Plan

Now that you understand the challenges, strategies, and resources, let’s create a comprehensive safety plan for your family.

Step 1: Assess Your Child’s Specific Risks

Every child is different. Spend time thinking about your child’s particular wandering triggers, interests, and communication level:

• Does your child wander frequently, occasionally, or has it never happened?
• What seems to trigger wandering when it occurs?
• What are your child’s special interests that might draw them?
• Can your child verbally communicate their name and address?
• Does your child respond to their name reliably?
• Are there bodies of water near your home?
• What community locations does your family regularly visit?

Step 2: Implement Environmental Safety Measures

Based on your assessment:

• Install appropriate alarms and locks
• Secure your yard if needed
• Set up GPS tracking if appropriate for your child
• Ensure identification is in place

Step 3: Develop Your Emergency Response Plan

Create Your 911 Script: Fill out the AWAARE form or create your own script including:

• Your child’s name, age, and photo
• That they have autism
• Communication abilities
• Where they were last seen
• Likely destinations based on interests
• Nearby bodies of water
• What they’re wearing
• Any GPS tracking information

Keep this information readily accessible—on your phone, in your car, and at home.

Identify Search Priority Locations: List places to search first based on your child’s interests:

• Nearby bodies of water (pools, ponds, streams)
• Favorite stores or restaurants
• Places associated with special interests
• Neighbor’s homes
• Parks or playgrounds

Assemble Your Emergency Team: Identify who you’d contact:

• Neighbors who can help search
• Family members
• School or therapy team
• Police (always call 911 first)

Step 4: Begin Teaching Safety Skills Systematically

Choose 2-3 priority safety skills to start with based on your child’s needs:

• Start with BST at home
• Practice consistently
• Add IST in community settings
• Use visual supports
• Involve your ABA team if applicable

Remember: this is a long-term process. It may take months or even years for safety skills to become fully automatic. Be patient and persistent.

Step 5: Involve Your Community

• Notify trusted neighbors
• Inform school and caregivers
• Register with local police programs if available
• Connect with Pathfinders for Autism and other Maryland resources

Step 6: Review and Update Regularly

Your child’s needs will change as they grow:

• Update your 911 script and emergency information every few months
• Review and practice safety skills regularly
• Adjust environmental safety measures as your child develops new skills
• Update GPS tracking and identification as needed

Building Independence While Maintaining Safety

One of the hardest aspects of parenting a child with autism who has safety challenges is balancing protection with fostering independence. You want to keep your child safe, but you also want them to develop skills, confidence, and autonomy.

Here’s how to work toward that balance:

Set Clear Boundaries Within Safe Spaces: Rather than constant restriction, create clearly defined safe spaces where your child has freedom to explore and make choices. Within your fenced yard, they can roam freely. Within sight at a playground, they can play independently.

Gradually Expand Freedom Based on Demonstrated Skills: As your child masters safety skills, gradually allow more independence. When they consistently stop at curbs and hold hands in parking lots, you might allow them to walk slightly ahead to the car (still in the parking lot, still supervised).

Celebrate Progress: Every small step toward independence deserves celebration. When your child remembers to check in with you at the store without being reminded, when they stop at a curb automatically, when they ask for help appropriately—acknowledge these victories.

Accept That Perfect Safety Doesn’t Exist: Even with all precautions, you can’t eliminate every risk. Your goal isn’t perfect safety—it’s reasonable safety while allowing your child to learn and grow. This is easier said than accepted, but it’s important for both your wellbeing and your child’s development.

Use ABA to Build Confidence: Through The Learning Tree ABA’s services, your child can systematically build skills that increase both safety and independence. As communication improves, wandering often decreases. As safety awareness develops, you can relax restrictions.

When to Seek Additional Support

While many families successfully teach safety skills at home, sometimes additional professional support makes a critical difference. Consider reaching out to The Learning Tree ABA if:

• Your child wanders frequently and prevention strategies aren’t working
• You’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start
• Your child has had a close call or dangerous wandering incident
• You need help conducting a functional behavior assessment to understand why wandering occurs
• You want systematic, professional teaching of safety skills
• Your child’s communication challenges make it difficult to teach safety awareness

Our BCBAs can work with you through in-home ABA therapy to:

• Assess the function of wandering behaviors
• Develop individualized intervention plans
• Teach safety skills systematically
• Train you to continue safety teaching effectively
• Address communication challenges that contribute to safety concerns

A Message of Hope and Encouragement

We know that worrying about your child’s safety is exhausting. It’s the background anxiety that never fully goes away, the vigilance that leaves you constantly scanning for exit routes, counting seconds when your child isn’t in sight.

But here’s what we want you to know: with consistent teaching, appropriate supports, and connection to the excellent Maryland resources available, things can improve dramatically. We’ve seen countless families move from constant crisis mode to relative calm. We’ve watched children who once bolted from every store entrance learn to stay close to parents and follow safety rules.

The journey isn’t quick or easy. You’ll have setbacks and scary moments. But you’ll also have breakthroughs—the day your child stops automatically at a curb, the time they come when you call them, the moment you realize you made it through a whole shopping trip without incident.

Your child can learn. With patience, the right strategies, and support from knowledgeable professionals and Maryland’s autism community, you can teach them the safety skills they need while building the independence you want for them.

You’re not alone in this journey. Thousands of Maryland families are navigating the same challenges. Organizations like Pathfinders for Autism, the Autism Society of Maryland, and providers like The Learning Tree ABA are here to support you.

The Learning Tree ABA provides comprehensive ABA therapy throughout Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Howard County, and surrounding Maryland areas. Our BCBAs specialize in teaching critical safety skills alongside communication, social, and daily living skills. Contact us to learn how we can support your family’s safety goals and help your child thrive safely in the community.

Frequently Asked Questions: Teaching Safety Skills to Children with Autism in Maryland