Little Honey Doula Services LLC

Okay, so you took a leap of faith and started ABA with your kiddo. Now what?

What should be expected?

Well, I am here to help! Of course this is just my opinion, but there are some red flags that are very apparent with some ABA agencies and it is extremely important to be aware of them.

Do you see the overseeing BCBA? If the answer is no, this is a hard red flag. The BCBA oversees your child’s case. This means that they should know your child, and of course the goals your child is working on. They should have a behavior intervention plan written out for your kiddo’s staff so that staff knows what to do when your child is having a difficult time.

Does the supervisor reach out to you about doing parent consultation? They definitely should be! We are a service that is meant to be utilized only for a season. Each goal that your child works on is meant to reach generalization (which means the goal should be mastered no matter who they are with or the location of where they are at). In order to reach this ‘generalization’, the BCBA or supervisor should be teaching you and handing the baton to you (the caretaker). And if they have tried reaching out, I strongly encourage you to try and make time to meet with them.

Is there high turnover? I’d be lying if I said being in the field of ABA is easy, but that is because there is so much to the job. You play, teach, apply the science, build relationships with families, help your clients through their most vulnerable moments and so much more. It is a field where you are always learning. If staff does not have proper support, they will burn out. Companies that care for and about their staff usually have less turn over. If the staff is being properly cared for, chances are they will be even better technicians for your kids.

The last red flag I will leave you with today is this. Does the staff have fun with your child or find ways to simply connect with them? Whether your child can vocally speak or not, their therapist should know them so well. They should know what they love, how to connect with them, how to make them laugh. Now this does not mean your child will never be upset with them, but the better the relationship that the therapist has with your child…the more they will be able to work on.

These are just a few things you should pay attention to if your child is receiving ABA services. I hope this is helpful, and remember that you are allowed to be picky with who you choose to provide these services to your child.

With Care,

Melina❤️