Running a Home-based ABA Program
This section addresses administrative issues.
when the child has beginner-level play and social skills.
As previously noted, intensive programs for learners with autism can be intense experiences for those who are responsible for them. This section highlights some of the common issues parents face when maintaining a home program. There are some advantages and disadvantages to having a child’s education take place at home. The issues presented will be helpful in determining if a home program is appropriate for an individual family. When a child goes to school, there is a natural separation of home and school life. The teacher does not enter the home, or at least not on a regular basis. A home-based program presents very differently. Teaching is taking place where the child and family live. If a difficult discussion needs to take place with the teacher, it may happen in the living room or at the kitchen table. The natural separation of home and school that is inherent in sending a child to a school evaporates. Everything happens at home. Alternatively, this could be seen as a good thing. Communication may be more regular and thorough, and it may not require a scheduled meeting. From the child’s perspective, there are learning opportunities throughout the day. For young children, this learning would occur in the most natural setting – his/her home. The child has plenty of opportunities to learn, use, and generalize new skills in a functional manner across people and settings. Frequently in the home program, opportunities for social development require more planning than in a school. Arranging play dates can take on a new meaning
There are also factors to consider related to the staff of the program. The home environment may cause some professionals to behave more casually than they would in a classroom. This puts some parents at ease, while others find it unprofessional. Parents should be aware of their preferences and make them known to their child’s instructors. Perhaps these expectations should be included in their performance appraisals. The Autism Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavior Analysis has created guidelines for consumers of ABA services. This document may be helpful in selecting behavior analysts and reviewing their performance with standard criteria in mind. The information gathered from both informal and formal sources can be used in a systematic way to determine the feedback, incentives, and raises that are provided for the child’s instructors. Some parents welcome this opportunity and are very comfortable in the role of employer. Others rise to the occasion with mixed feelings along the way. The program supervisor can largely determine the quality of the home program. He/she sets the tone for professionalism, communication, collaboration, and the integrity of the ABA program itself. Service delivery coordination and financial arrangements with state early intervention programs, local school districts, and state offices for individuals with developmental disabilities are substantial tasks that are beyond the scope of this book.
There are also implications for siblings when a home-based program is in effect.
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ABA and the Family
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