Therapy Decision Guide
Social narratives can be funded under OAP when incorporated into treatment plans by regulated professionals — SLPs, BCBAs, or special education consultants. Parents can also create Social Stories independently at no cost using Carol Gray's published guidelines.
Ask any prospective provider which of these credentials they hold, and confirm the credential with the relevant regulatory college before starting.
Carol Gray's Social Stories follow a specific formula. Each story uses a ratio of descriptive sentences (what happens), perspective sentences (how others think or feel), directive sentences (suggested responses), and affirmative sentences (cultural values or rules). The 2010 criteria require at least twice as many descriptive and perspective sentences as directive sentences.
Stories are written from the individual's perspective using first person. They describe a specific social situation in concrete, literal terms. Visual supports — photographs, drawings, or symbols — accompany the text for individuals who benefit from visual information. Stories are read repeatedly before and during the target situation.
Effective Social Stories are individualized. A story about visiting the dentist for one child will differ from another's based on their specific concerns, sensory sensitivities, and comprehension level. The story must accurately describe what will happen without making promises or assumptions that may not hold true.
Kokina and Kern (2010) conducted a meta-analysis of Social Story interventions for autistic individuals. Published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the analysis found moderate effectiveness for reducing challenging behaviour and increasing appropriate social behaviour. Effect sizes varied significantly across studies.
The National Professional Development Center on ASD and the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP, 2020) both classify social narratives as an evidence-based practice. Research supports their use for teaching social expectations, reducing anxiety about new situations, and improving specific social behaviours in autistic children and adolescents.
In Ontario, speech-language pathologists, behaviour analysts, and special education teachers commonly create and implement Social Stories. SLPs registered with CASLPO can develop stories targeting communication and social goals. BCBAs incorporate social narratives into comprehensive behaviour support plans funded through OAP.
Parents can create Social Stories at no cost using Carol Gray's published guidelines and templates. The Carol Gray Social Stories website provides free resources and training. Ontario school boards often use Social Stories as part of Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Libraries and autism organizations frequently offer workshops on creating effective social narratives.
Kokina & Kern (2010)
Social Story interventions for students with autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(7), 812-826.
Gray (2010)
The New Social Story Book, Revised and Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition. Future Horizons.
NCAEP (2020)
National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice Review Team. Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) delivered to children aged 18–30 months produced significant gains in IQ, adaptive behaviour, and autism severity — some children no longer met diagnostic criteria at follow-up
Cochrane systematic review finds evidence that early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) may produce positive effects on adaptive behaviour and communication for young children with ASD (low certainty of evidence)
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements — less than one in four