Parent Coaching in ABA Therapy
At InBloom Autism Services, we find that Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is most effective for children when it extends beyond their therapy sessions at our centers. Depending on their therapy plan, your child may spend around 30 hours or more per week in therapy sessions, but they are home with you for much longer.
As their caregiver, you are in a unique position to reinforce and build the skills your child learns in ABA therapy, creating a trajectory of consistent growth and development throughout their daily life.
What Is Parent Coaching in ABA?
Parent training is a central part of ABA therapy at InBloom Autism Services. We like to think of it as “caregiver coaching,” as this training is for all caregivers. If a grandparent or nanny is involved in caring directly for a child, we want to make sure they also benefit from the coaching process.
As a caregiver, you will meet regularly with your child’s Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to discuss their progress, share your observations, and work together to ensure excellent outcomes for your child. Learning any new skill requires practice, and by receiving coaching and guidance, you will be equipped to help your child practice and develop their growing skills outside of regular therapy sessions.
ABA Parent Coaching Curriculum
Your child’s experienced BCBA will explain the principles and methods of ABA therapy that will be used to help your child. The terminology surrounding therapy may seem overwhelming, but our BCBAs will take the time to ensure you understand their approach, the best teaching methods to use for your child, and how to take an active role in fostering your child’s progress at home.
Empowering Parents as Caregivers
At InBloom, our collaborative approach empowers you as a caregiver. We recognize that your role in your child’s learning and development is central and vital, and our goal is to give you the tools you need to equip them for success. Consistent meetings with your child’s BCBA allow you to be involved in treatment planning and give you an appreciation of your child’s overall progress toward their goals.
Reducing Parent Stress
Helping a child with autism navigate life can be overwhelming, and we understand that. The unknown and unfamiliar can be stressful, and caregivers can feel powerless without support and guidance. With the tools, training, and support you need, caregiver stress can be much less.
When you understand how to help your child, the goals they are working toward, and the milestones of progress you’ll observe along the way, you’ll have less stress and greater confidence. ABA parent coaching with our experienced InBloom BCBAs makes you better equipped and more confident as you help your child in their therapy journey.
Supporting Children With Autism
Consistency is a big part of why we do parent training in ABA. Coaching caregivers in the therapy interventions used by the BCBA, and the reasoning behind them, enables them to carry out the same therapy plan while children are at home.
For instance, if your child is working on a specific communication skill for expressing their wants during therapy but experiences a different approach at home, they can become confused, and the skill may not develop consistently or translate to multiple settings. Having every member of your child’s therapy team (including you!) on the same page leads to better results and more consistent outcomes for your child.
Improving Social and Communication Skills
For children with autism, parent training sets them up for greater success in building essential social and communication skills. Being equipped to help your child practice these skills at home and in other social settings using consistent methods and techniques leads to faster improvement and better outcomes. Through parent coaching at our therapy locations, you will be better able to proactively improve your child’s communication and social skills, leading to increased confidence and independence for your child.
ABA Parent Coaching: Data Collection and Analysis
As a parent or caregiver, you spend the most time with your child. This gives you the unique opportunity to observe your child’s behavior and progress, implement the therapy methods taught by the BCBA, and collect data. The word data might sound clinical, but it is simply information about your child’s behavior, progress, and response to therapy methods. Analyzing this important data enables your child’s BCBA to provide the guidance, support, and therapeutic approach best suited for your child. Helping to gather data also helps you better understand and track your child’s progress.
Caregiver Coaching: Equipping You for Success
At InBloom Autism Services, we prioritize parent training, ensuring your child receives the greatest benefit from ABA therapy. Our collaborative approach is at the center of all we do. When your child has a dedicated team behind them, they can achieve great things and blossom in new and exciting ways.
Take the Next Step in Your Autism Therapy Journey
We invite you to experience the difference our exceptional therapy can make in your child’s life. For more information about ABA therapy at InBloom, contact us today.