ABA therapists Adelaide
Enhancing childrens lives through evidence-based ABA therapy in Adelaide
Personalised ABA therapy services for children with autism
Schedule a consultation with our ABA therapists in Adelaide today and take the first step towards a better quality of life for your child
Our experienced mobile ABA therapists cover Adelaide and its surrounding areas
ABA for Change is unique as a service provider in South Australia with some of the most experienced clinicians in the state and a mobile service model which means that we will come to you and teach your child the skills they need in the environment where they need them!
We offer flexible scheduling to ensure that all therapists on the team have regular supervision to deliver therapy of the highest quality to your child. With a focus on collaboration within the therapy team, including one of our speech therapists when considered beneficial, we help your child make the most progress possible.
convenient and flexible scheduling
collaborative approach
effective results
ABA therapists Adelaide
Our unique service model for ABA therapy
ABA for Change offers a unique service model with its highly qualified and experienced staff delivering ABA and speech therapy in our clients home. informed by the most recent research we were founded as one of the first contemporary ABA service providers in South Australia. Therapy at ABA for Change is provided in a person-centred, safe, neurodiversity affirming, effective, and ethical way meeting every child where they are.
ABA therapists Adelaide
Person-centered and progressive ABA therapy programs
Our programs are person-centred, fun and progressive to help your child achieve increased independence and open doors to new opportunities while affirming their neurodiversity.
What is ABA therapy?
ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy uses evidence-based behavioral principles to help children with autism and developmental delays learn new skills and reduce problem behaviors.
ABA therapy is highly individualised and tailored to the specific needs and abilities of each child. It typically involves breaking down complex skills into smaller, more manageable steps and teaching those steps through repetition and positive reinforcement.
Therapy may also focus on reducing problem behaviors by identifying triggers and teaching alternative, safer and more appropriate behaviors.
Effective ABA Therapy: Goals, Professionals and Outcomes
ABA therapy is a data-driven and goal-oriented approach that should always be provided by a trained and licensed professional called a Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA/CBA) and therapy assistants or therapists. Therapy goals are often centered around improving communication, social interaction, play skills and daily living skills, with the ultimate goal of increasing independence, choice and control and improving overall quality of life.
Holistic Skills Development: Comprehensive Assessments and Ongoing Monitoring in ABA Therapy Programs
Skills across all developmental domains can successfully be addressed including communication, language, social skills, personal independence, cognition, etc. In order to fully understand your child’s strengths and skill deficits we will complete a comprehensive developmental assessment at the commencement of a program. Re-assessments will occur every 6-12 months in order to monitor your child’s progress. The specific assessment used will depend on your child’s age, level of functioning, and the goals your child is aiming to achieve.
ABA therapists Adelaide
Early Intervention & Collaborative Team Approach
ABA programs are mainly associated with early intervention programs for young children 7 years and younger with autism. Albeit being specialised in autism we successfully support young children with ADHD, Downs Syndrome, Intellectual Disability, Global Developmental Delay and other developmental delays. ABA programs often collaborate with other professionals specialising in children with autism, like OTs, Speech Pathologists, teachers and educators to provide a consistent, team approach to your child’s learning and reduction of problem behaviours.
ABA Therapists in Adelaide
Effective ABA therapy techniques
Today’s ABA is person-centred, safe and delivered with compassion and care for the individual child. To determine the underlying cause and treat problem behaviours that are harmful or create barriers to inclusion in everyday life we conduct a Practical Functional Assessment to help us develop an intervention plan that addresses the underlying cause of behaviors of concern and teaches the child more appropriate ways to meet their needs.
Practical Skill Teaching
Skill-based teaching is an instructional approach that focuses on teaching specific skills that are necessary to function effectively in everyday life at home, in an educational setting and in the community.
Systematic Skill Breakdown
Skill-based teaching involves breaking down complex skills into smaller, more manageable components and teaching those components systematically.
Effective Teaching Strategies
Positive reinforcement is used to strengthen behaviours and discrete trial training, prompting techniques, chaining procedures, Multiplar Exemplar Teaching, fluency, Task Analysis and Incidental Teaching are common teaching strategies used.
In our ABA Therapy we focus on
New Skills
Building Relationships
Promoting Independence
Staff at ABA for Change are highly trained in all teaching strategies and have worked in the field of ABA for many years. We continuously seek professional development to ensure that we use strategies that are modern and progressive. We are experts in delivering skill building ABA programs and behaviour support with a focus on compassion, safety and dignity. Our highly skilled staff is committed to using effective and evidence based approaches to teaching your child new skills, building relationships, and promoting independence.
ABA therapists Adelaide
The power of our customised ABA therapy programs
Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI):
Every child’s ABA program is uniquely tailored exactly to the needs of your child. Initially we gain information about your child through in-depth interviews with parents and caregivers as well as comprehensive developmental assessments. Together we develop a program targeting goals that help your child achieve increased choice and control and inclusion in family life and in the community while affirming their neurodiversity. We don’t “treat a diagnosis”, we help build skills that increase independence and quality of life!
Most effective treatment for children up to 7 years old
For children up to 7 years old best practice is to provide Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention (EIBI) based on ABA which is the most effective treatment for young children with developmental delays addressing goals across all necessary developmental domains as well as reduction of behaviours of concern. EIBI is an intensive program typically including around 20 hours per week of 1:1 therapy Recommendations will however always be individualised once we have met with you and discussed your child’s needs and circumstances in more detail and a therapy program with fewer hours can be an option.
In-home ABA therapy sessions
In-home sessions consist of behaviour therapists coming to your house for 2-hour sessions, implementing your child’s ABA program which is designed and overseen by your Program Supervisor from ABA for Change. Your Program Supervisor completes assessments of your child’s skills, designs an individualised ABA program, and updates to your child’s ABA program as your child is progressing through their goals. The Program Supervisor will also train and provide ongoing supervision to your behaviour therapists and host monthly team meetings.
Behavioural consulting/focused ABA program:
We also offer smaller and more targeted ABA programs with one of our highly qualified certified behaviour analysts providing all therapy hours. In a focused ABA program, we will target behaviours of concern, tolerance and functional communication using the highly successful approachPFA/SBT by Dr Greg Hanley, one of the world leading experts in ABA.
Thriving with ABA: understanding the benefits of our therapy programs
“Helping children with autism learn and thrive with evidence based therapies from a multidisciplinary team.”
Clinical Director Alexandra Ahlgren
The role of the Program Supervisor and ABA therapists in treating autism
The therapist’s role is to provide a highly individualised, one-on-one therapy program to help every child acquire and improve important skills and reduce problematic behaviors.
At ABA for Change, therapists are supervised by a certified Behaviour Analyst and together they help children with ASD to achieve their full potential and improve their quality of life by acquiring new skills and reducing problematic behaviors. The role of the Program Supervisor and the ABA therapists includes:
- Conducting assessments to determine the child’s strengths and weaknesses and identify functional and personalised goals.
- Developing a therapy plan to address the child’s specific needs and goals.
- Implementing one-on-one therapy sessions using various techniques and interventions to teach new skills and reduce problematic behaviors.
- Tracking progress to assess the effectiveness of the therapy program and make necessary adjustments.
- Providing support and training to families to help them understand and reinforce the therapy program and empower them to support their child’s development.
- Collaborating with other professionals and stakeholders such as speech therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and educators, to provide coordinated care for the child.
- Compiling reports to reflect progress and help access NDIS funding
Frequently asked questions about ABA therapy
How many hours of therapy does my child need?
Research has shown that the best outcomes for young children with autism are seen with intensive ABA therapy with up to 30 hours/week of therapy; however recommendations will be individualised once we have met with you and discussed your child’s needs and circumstances in more detail. We are well aware that an intensive early intervention program is a big commitment for families, both in terms of time as well as financial resources, and we do also offer smaller, more targeted ABA programs with fewer hours per week where we can address a skill or behaviour of major significance.
Will my young child cope with many hours of therapy?
Therapy sessions are fun and structured to meet your child where they are at. Skills are built gradually and systematically to ensure that it’s not overwhelming or too challenging for your child. Our aim is always that your child is happy, relaxed and engaged in sessions, that’s when we see learning happen.
What if my child doesn’t have a diagnosis yet?
We don’t require a referral to work with your child and can still help your child with challenges that they are facing even if there isn’t a formal diagnosis of autism. ABA is based on the principles of learning which apply to all people, not just children with autism. Your child does not need to have a diagnosis of autism to benefit from ABA. Many children with other developmental delays or children who engage in challenging behaviour can benefit from our support in achieving their goals. Contact us to discuss your child’s unique needs and we can assist in determining if we are the right service provider for your child.
How does ABA work?
An ABA program will use a developmental assessment to identify your child’s current skills and skill deficits, and then develop an individualised set of goals . Each goal will be taught by breaking down complex skills into smaller, easy to learn steps that we practice until your child can confidently and independently do them. Once your child can consistently do these easy steps, they are put back together and increased in complexity until your child is able to do the big picture skill independently.
What will my child’s therapy team look like?
A Program Supervisor at ABA for Change:
- Is a Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) or has a Masters degree in ABA
- Completes assessment and re-assessment of your child’s skills
- Compiles assessment reports and progress reports to summarise your child’s current skills and progress across time
- Designs and implements skill building programs and behaviour support plans
- Oversees the overall progression and the progression of each skill, and makes the necessary changes to ensure continual development
- Trains and provides ongoing supervision to your therapists
- Provides ongoing parent training
- Consults with your child’s other support teams e.g. Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, childcare, kindergarten or school.
- Conducts monthly team meetings with all team members to ensure optimal progress and discuss challenges or concerns
- Helps prepare for NDIS reviews
Behaviour Therapists
- Delivers 1:1 therapy sessions to your child
- Has completed the ABA for Change introductory behaviour therapist workshop as a prerequisite
- Implements all skill building programs and behaviour support plans as designed and directed by the Program Supervisor
- Records data on skill building as well as behaviours of concern
- Attends and actively participates in your monthly team meeting
- Participates in ongoing professional development with the Program Supervisor
How many therapists do I need?
For an intensive early intervention program you will typically require 2-3 therapists to deliver all hours.
What does a session look like?
Behaviour Therapist Session: These are the sessions that occur most frequently and are run solely by your behaviour therapists. When starting the session, the therapist will always commence with some fun activities with your child. We always want our client’s to be happy, relaxed and engaged at the start of a session and throughout the session. This time also allows the therapist to see what activities, toys, or games to use as positive reinforcement reinforcers for your child throughout this session. Throughout the session the therapist will implement both your child’s skill acquisition procedures and behaviour support plans. You will see how the therapists constantly shift between structured learning and fun play. At the very end of the session the therapist will talk with you for 5 minutes to update you on how the session went.
BT Training Session (Overlap Sessions with Your Program Supervisor): Sessions that focus on supervising your therapists occur both when a new therapist joins your child’s team, and on an ongoing basis to consistently maintain and improve therapists’ therapy skills. These sessions will include your child’s Program Supervisor, the therapist, and your child.
Parent Training Session: Parent training is a vital component of an effective ABA program, and is absolutely necessary when addressing day-to-day challenges, such as eating, sleeping, toileting, and sibling interactions. It is also particularly important when working toward reduction of behaviours of concern. Throughout a parent training session, you will receive training on any strategies that are recommended.
Team Meetings: Team meetings occur once every 4-week on a set day and time via Google Meet and require the attendance of all people working with your child on their ABA program, including parents, therapists, Program Supervisor and speech therapists if applicable. Grandparents, carers, teachers, and other professionals working with your child are also welcome. Team meetings are led by your Program Supervisor and are used to review your child’s progress through each skill acquisition procedure, discuss existing and new behaviours of concern, and problem solve any difficulties that are arising in sessions or at home. This is one of your best opportunities to ask questions, so if you would like further clarification about something from your Program Supervisor or have any other general questions feel free to ask!
Can I join or watch my child’s sessions?
Of course, you are more than welcome to join a session but we also understand that an intensive early Intervention program is a big commitment and that therapy sessions can offer you an opportunity to do things around the home.
Do you provide sessions in educational settings?
Early in your child’s ABA program we typically deliver most sessions at home but can also provide some sessions in your child’s educational setting if the kindy, childcare or school can provide a space free from distractions. Once your child has built foundational communication and social skills we can support your child in so-called shadow sessions as they go about their day in their educational setting. We can help transition your child from school during the reception year at school in collaboration with their teachers.