sickofsocalledexperts
Sat 20-Jun-09 15:15:07
Yes it is a lot better than that Starlight. That is probably portage, right? ABA tutors will adapt to the kids' needs and find a way of "getting through" to them so that they can learn new skills. I can't recommend it highly enough!
sickofsocalledexperts
Sat 20-Jun-09 17:05:46
Maybe if they have ended up at tribunal enough, your LA might start to give in to ABA before spending all the money on lawyers. I found that once I'd paid for it myself for a year, and therefore had evidence of its effectiveness, they did agree to part-fund, but I know that every LA is different. I wonder what the autism advisory service will do - probably PECs or visual timetable stuff?
moondog
Sat 20-Jun-09 17:36:33
Ask (in writing)
who the Autism Advisory service is exactly
-what training they have
-how long it has been going
-what is their evidence base and
-where is their data demonstrating it to be an effective intervention
-how often it will happen
Must stress that notihngwrong with PECS done properly though (which it rarely is) as it is a marriage of SALT and ABA which is a great mix. I love PECS.
Similarly visual support can be very effective too.
moondog
Sat 20-Jun-09 17:38:16
Crossposted.
Star, I think you have to get your head around the fact that you need to change some things for your child too, and not just everyone else to change what they do.
Structure, of some sort is, in my clinical experience, really useful.
moondog
Sat 20-Jun-09 19:11:22
You need to ask all these questions and get answers.
Be warned, a home based ABA programme wil lturn your life upside down. Everything else will have to come second and you will have armies of relative strangers trooping in and out and very little privacy.
Perfectly reasonable to ask for evaluation of ABA programmes to date.Cite the Freedom of Information act when asking for info.
Having youngsters to be therapists not a problem-they've generally got energy and stamina but be prepared for hangovers, lovers tiffs, broken alarm clocks and so on.
Don't know your child obviously but puzzled as to why you don't want to use PECS 'yet'.
moondog
Sat 20-Jun-09 20:19:56
Yes, and please remember, I'm not trying to tell you what you do.Just hope some of my observations and knowledge might help you a bit.
Sounds great. Your dh sounds like a trooper.Nothing can ever be better for a child than loving committed parents, whatever the therapy. His tailor made programme sounds very ABA.
Interestingly, some ABA fold curl their lips at PECS because it does not demand vocalisations from the off (although we very much want them to come). SALTs on the other hand like it (even if they think they don't liek ABA) because it works on motivation to communbicate and doesn't focus solely on speech.
moondog
Sat 20-Jun-09 20:36:37
Probably, yes!
This is why organisation is the key.
It is not easy to get anything above bog standard stuff on offer. (I know,I have been through it all as a parent and if it is hard for me, as part of the 'system', it is 100 times harder for everyone else.)
But this is our duty as parents and that is that. Self pity will get us nowhere so start limbeirng up for the challenge now and you will get there.
moondog
Sat 20-Jun-09 20:40:58
Do FoI request asking what ABA programmes they have supported.
Make a note of when and where the 'We do not fund ABA' line was given.
Armed with information on what they have funded in the past, this will be an excellent hand grenade to throw into a tricky meeting in the future.
Something on the lines of
'May I ask why on 20/4/08 at 3:15 pm in the Social Services meeting room, Mr Jones stated that the council do not fund ABA?
However I have here (wave documnet) a letter sent to me in response ot an FoI request, detailing 4 ABA home programmes that you have funded in the last 4 years.
Can you explain this?'
Get my drift?
moondog
Sat 20-Jun-09 20:54:41
Have a nice evening together.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
moondog
Sat 20-Jun-09 21:06:17
Well, just hang in there and keep going.
Slow and steady wins the race
daisy5678
Sat 20-Jun-09 22:12:03
Sounds like 'they' will soon be regretting taking you on - I will be hoping that you win!
daisy5678
Sat 20-Jun-09 23:51:57
I didn't mean it nastily - and even if, as employees, people think 'we'd better not mess her around', they won't dislike you personally, and will secretly be thinking 'well done'. I feel it in my job - there's things I have to do that I don't agree with, so am secretly pleased when parents get one over on 'the system'.
moondog
Sun 21-Jun-09 09:27:42
Indeed.
Don't think of it as a personal thing, because it isn't.
