Starting ABA program - do I tell LEA now or wait?

[mompa]

Hello I hope someone can advise. I am beginning an ABA home programme run by experinceed case manager who will also do the supervising and tutoring to begin with. My DS has a statement and diagnosis and will I think be offered specialist ASD special school by panel next march (his statement currently specifies TEACCH and PECS) Do i tell the LEA now that I am starting ABA at home in afternoons or do I wait and see what progress is made and what school is offerred. DS also attands special asd nursery that LEA fund each day 9am to 2pm I think I would be in better bargaining position if ABA works if I demonstrate it would be cheaper than their special school placment. Also DS father is convinced special school is right place -worried about bullying etc. Luckily I have very good realtionship with case manager to date and I also have one to one for DS in mainstream provision in afternoon (I work fulltime). Advise greatly appreciate. Do I say nothing and wait and see? I don't think special nursery would be too pleased I am starting ABA either. Any ideas of charities that might help fund program also appreciated. Sorry so long

Is your idea that you get ABA funded through his statement? Yes, if the LEA are talking about special school you're in a pretty good position, as ABA in mainstream school might work out cheaper (that's basically all they care about).

Have you looked at ABA schools by the way? There's a poster here (silverfrog) whose dd goes to one - worth asking her.

Tbh it would be best to get the nursery on board and supportive - one of the key things about ABA is that everyone's approach is consistent. so if you're doing ABA at home but nursery are using a different approach (and reinforcing the 'wrong' things) this will be pretty confusing for ds, and will possibly hinder progress. Why would the nursery not support this, do you think?

And what about the mainstream school - are they allowing your tutors in?

Knowing when to tell the LEA is tricky, but I think if I was you I'd be upfront about it, especially as you might want to get nursery on board. Perhaps your supervisor can also advise (they often have good knowledge of statements/schools/LAs etc).

I have heard that Cauldwell charity can help with funding.

Its always hard as if your LA is anti-ABA, as mine is, then telling them can unleash the forces of evil upon you!
However as there is often an immediate boost when you start ABA and you want any such progress to be documented as being due to ABA then I think you have to be open, with the schools at least.
I think it is best to give the impression of being open minded eg see how gets on with ASD nursery and ABA approaches and say you are keeping an open mind about placement but think it either needs to be ASD specific in special school or ASD specific (ABA) in mainstream. Then when it comes to March you can say you want ABA if that is what you have decided.
Do you feel TEACCH and PECS not working?
Maybe you need to say to school why you feel this is not working eg perhaps speech is not progressing and then if speech does progress with ABA you can draw a clear distinction
Agree you can't really mix approaches long term but you can run two programmes side by side for 6-12 months and decide which is getting better results. Often you have to do this to prove one approach has failed.
In theory you can wait until you have the draft amended statement and then name your preferred Part 4.
If you are offered ASD specific school then as you say cost is unlikely to be the sticking point.
But do not underestimate the will of some LAs to keep ABA out of their schools as they do not want other families who have accepted mainstream+outreach, or schools themselves, to find out how terrible the mainstream outreach support actually is.
Our class teacher had always worked with outreach (she was new to area so our ABA programme was thrust upon her) and was very sceptical about doing things differently, but within a few weeks is saying what a shame all children don't get the input mine does. So we are winning her over just by the sheer quality of provision.

It's important to know that PECS is an approach based on ABA.
Your LEA probably won't know that.
Useful to know as if they get difficult, you can say in wode eyed fashion 'So how is it you endorse and fund other ABA based interventions?'

I don't think conflict is useful for anyone thoguh. You have to work out how to 'sel' your informed choices to them and best ways to do so are by demonstrating £££ benefits and tangible gains to be made from it (easily done with sophisticated data collection which is at the heart of any good ABA programme).

Thanks all for very informed responses. Yes speech is main issue along with very strong own agenda. Will let nursery know in new year and run both alongside each other for 6 months and then will hopefully be able to be in a better position to argue ABA is what is needed in Mainstream (assuming progress). Have looked at ABA schools Jigsaw and one in Earlsfield but neither seemed right. Quite liked one of the special schools but not convinced PECS and TEACCH will bring about results - thanks Moondog re the point that PECS is ABA!! Will see if he comes on over next few months!! Do not want to alienate LEA since I have been one of the lucky ones so far albeit with a huge amount of work on my part to get things done!!

PECS is great and hugely helpful but you need a closely designed educational curriculum to complement it.
Messing around in sandpits EYFS style and 'exploring the environment' won't give your child the powerful closely organised and managed input he will need at this vital early stage.