Parent & caregiver coaching
Simple ways to build communication and connection into the moments you already share.
Early Intervention Support for Ages 0-3 on the Peninsula and Coastside
Legacy Behavioral Collective offers private-pay early support for infants and toddlers from birth to age 3, including toddlers with autism or other developmental differences, and for the parents who care for them. Founder Juanita Traver Stine, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with 30 years of experience, provides caregiver coaching and play and routines-based learning grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and coordinates with your child's Early Start (IFSP) team when you have one. We work with families across the Peninsula and Coastside.
Who early intervention support is for
Families of babies and toddlers often reach out when:
- You have questions about your child's communication, play or development
- You are waiting for an evaluation, a diagnosis or services to begin
- Your child has an Early Start team and you want more support at home
- Daily routines like meals, bath time or bedtime feel hard
- Your child will soon start daycare or preschool
If you are worried about your child's development, talk with your pediatrician. In California, families can also contact their regional center directly to ask about an Early Start evaluation: Golden Gate Regional Center serves San Mateo County, and San Andreas Regional Center serves Santa Clara County, including Palo Alto.
What we work on with young children
Play & routines-based learning
Learning during snack time, bath time, play and bedtime instead of drills at a table.
Early communication support
Noticing and building on eye gaze, gestures, sounds and early words.
Preschool readiness
Routines, transitions and group skills that help with the move to daycare or preschool.
Team-based care and collaboration
Coordination with your Early Start team and medical providers, with your consent.
Developmental guidance
Practical guidance on what to focus on next, based on your child's strengths and your family's priorities.
What sessions look like for babies and toddlers
Young children learn best through relationships, play and everyday interaction. Sessions happen at home or in familiar places and follow your child's interests. Juanita joins the play, shows you small ways to create chances to communicate, then coaches you while you try them, for example:
- Pausing before opening a favorite snack to invite a gesture or a sound
- Waiting during a favorite song for a smile or a movement before continuing
- Modeling simple words during play
- Taking turns during an interactive game
Read more about this approach in Juanita's article on communication through everyday routines.
Working alongside Early Start and your IFSP
California's Early Start program serves eligible infants and toddlers under 3 who have, or are at risk of, developmental delays or disabilities. Services are planned with the family in an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and coordinated by a regional center service coordinator.
Our early support is private pay. If your child has an Early Start team, we can coordinate with that team, with your consent, so the strategies you practice at home support your IFSP goals. Your service coordinator continues to manage your Early Start services.
Learn more about parent coaching and family training.
How progress is tracked
For babies and toddlers, progress often shows up first in small moments: more shared attention, a new gesture, an easier bath time. Juanita tracks the goals you set together and shares progress, session summaries and simple next steps in the secure family portal.
Where we work
Sessions take place in your home and in familiar places across the Peninsula and Coastside.
ABA therapy in Redwood City ABA therapy in Menlo Park ABA therapy in Palo Alto ABA therapy in Woodside ABA therapy in Portola Valley ABA therapy in Half Moon Bay and the Coastside
For Coastside families facing longer drives, coaching can also happen through telehealth consulting.
Cost and payment
Early support is private pay and can be booked as hourly behavioral consulting, a telehealth consultation or a program. The 10-Hour Foundation is designed for initial assessments and goal setting. General parent coaching or education is not HSA/FSA eligible; clinical services that are part of a medically necessary ABA treatment plan may qualify, depending on your plan. We cannot guarantee reimbursement.
See what each option includes on our ABA programs page.
Questions families ask about early intervention support
Is this the same as California Early Start?
Not exactly. Early Start is California's public early intervention program, coordinated through regional centers. The support described on this page is private pay. If your child is in Early Start, we can coordinate with your team, with your consent, so home strategies support your IFSP goals.
How young can a child start?
We support infants and toddlers from birth to age 3. At this age, most of the work happens through parent and caregiver coaching, play and routines-based learning, and early communication support, so the adults in your child's life can create learning opportunities throughout the day.
Will my toddler sit at a table and do drills?
No. For very young children, learning happens through play, shared attention and everyday routines like snack time, bath time and bedtime. Sessions follow your child's interests and focus on engagement and communication, with you as an active partner.
What happens when my child turns 3?
Support can continue, since we also serve children and teens from 3 through 18 years. Early Start ends at age 3, when eligible children may move to preschool services through the local school district. We can help with that transition and, with your consent, collaborate with the new school team.
Planning the move to preschool? See school and IEP collaboration.
Talk with a BCBA about your toddler
Book a free 30-minute consultation through Google Calendar on our contact page. You do not need reports or perfectly worded concerns; we will talk about your child, your priorities and possible next steps.