Discharging a child from speech therapy can be one of the most rewarding — and emotionally complex — parts of the job.

As an SLP, you've tracked progress, seen breakthroughs, and built rapport with both the child and their caregivers. But when it's time to wrap up services, many clinicians hesitate.

• What if the parent doesn't agree it's time?
• What if the child hasn't mastered everything?
• What if letting go just feels… weird?

In this article, we'll walk through how to handle discharge conversations with clarity and compassion — so you can set families up for long-term success and feel confident in your clinical decision-making.

Why Discharge Conversations Can Be Hard

It's not just about clinical criteria — it's about relationships. Over time, many parents come to rely on you as a source of reassurance, structure, and progress.

Ending therapy can bring up:

• Parent anxiety about regression
• Guilt ("Should I keep going just in case?")
• Unspoken fears about losing support
• Pressure to "fix everything" before stopping

But staying in therapy too long can drain a family's time and money — and keep the child in a clinical role they've outgrown.

When Is It Time to Discharge?

There's no single rule, but some common signs include:

• All goals have been met consistently
• Remaining concerns are within age-typical limits
• The child is generalizing skills independently
• You're "working hard" to find things to target
• Progress has plateaued despite strong intervention

And in schools, you'll also consider:

• IDEA eligibility requirements
• Functional classroom performance
• Team consensus during IEP review

What to Say (and What Not to Say)

✅ DO say:

"I'm seeing so many strengths in [child's name], and they're using their skills independently across settings. That's exactly what we want to see before graduating from therapy."

"Our goal has always been for [child] to communicate confidently without needing ongoing support — and we've reached that point."

🚫 DON'T say:

• "There's nothing else I can do." (This can sound abrupt or final.)
• "They're all better now." (Many parents will feel unsure — what if they're not?)
• "We're done." (A little too casual for something so meaningful.)

Tone matters. Discharge is a celebration, not an abandonment.

What to Offer Instead of Ongoing Therapy

Parents are more likely to feel confident in the discharge process when you leave them with tools, not just an end date.

Offer:

• A summary of progress (especially helpful for private clients)
• A list of next-step suggestions (e.g., classroom strategies, home routines)
• Follow-up options ("Feel free to reach out in 3–6 months if you'd like a check-in.")
• Handouts or links for at-home carryover if appropriate

This shows you're not closing the door — you're just giving the child space to thrive independently.

How to Prevent Pushback

Start preparing for discharge early by:

• Mentioning it in your initial evaluation or intake
• Reviewing progress with parents every few months
• Describing discharge as a positive, expected part of therapy

When it's not a surprise, it's less likely to feel like a loss.

What If the Parent Still Wants to Continue?

This happens most often in private practice. In those cases, ask:

• Is there a functional, measurable need for continued services?
• Could we transition to consultative or monthly check-ins?
• Would a home program support the remaining goals?

Ethically, we don't keep clients on the caseload "just in case." But we also don't need to disappear overnight. Graduated discharge is often the best middle ground.

Document It All

In schools, make sure your data, team notes, and IEP updates reflect the discharge decision clearly.

In private practice, write a final summary with:

• Progress toward goals
• Reason for discharge
• Recommendations
• Discharge date

SLP Score can help with this — more on that below.

SLP Score Makes Discharge Documentation Simple

When it's time to wrap up services, SLP Score can help you:

• Generate clean, professional discharge summaries
• Auto-fill progress toward goals using tracked data
• Save time writing final notes or recommendations
• Create a lasting record for both you and the family

No more scrambling to summarize six months of progress in one sitting.

Make graduation from speech therapy a moment of pride — not paperwork panic. Try SLP Score now