changing tutors

[theDudesmummy]

Hi, there, a question for those of you running home ABA programmes: did you get though a number of tutors? We have just had a workshop and the consultant was very unhappy with the quality of work/level of skills of one of our tutors, and strongly advised us to replace her. We hate doing this kind of thing to people, but if it is the best for DS then we just have to get rid of her.

We have, in the nine months the programme has been running, had a few tutors. One was unreliable from the beginning and called in sick more often than she attended. Another semed great and very enthusiastic but was constantly breaking personal boundaries (going into my cupboards and borrowing my cardigans, being in our bedroom for half the session, borrowing money from us, as well as bossing other tutors around), and we had to let her go too. Now we have the current one who is just not up to scratch in quality. Of course all this creates stress for me and DH, and slows down progress. Is it just us or have other people experienced similar issues?

Yes turnover can be a real problem - partly cos a lot of tutors are young and have variable work ethics. Personal recommendation worked well.

Yes, turnover is an issue, I would not hesitate to get rid of anyone who is not up to scratch as early as possible. Life is too short to be dealing with we'll intentioned numpties especially as you are paying them so much as well.

Yes. It's very stressful managing a home programme, but it's not about the tutor you want to let go who is presumably and adult and can look after themselves.

Oh, we will be letting her go, no doubt (although we of course don't relish firing people), but I just wondered whether it is usual to have a turnover like this. It seems like it is! Adds to the stress, doesn't it!

It is stressful, but in amongst it all I found some absolute gems, who will be in our lives for many years. You soon learn to spot who will be good, and who will be lazy and chucking sickies all over the place!

Yes, we do have a great lead tutor, who is really a huge support for me as well as a great professional. It's the others that have been the problem. And we also made the mistake of trying to train up the nanny to do ABA sessions, which she was not in fact capable of understanding or doing properly. She is a lovely nanny and we certainly want her to stay but it has also been stressful "demoting" her from having tutoring sessions.

(So we are on the hunt for a new tutor, if anyone knows one, North London area).

Have you asked on ABA-uk site?

Not yet, but that site (and ABA tutor finder) are where I have got all the tutors from in the past. I just wondered whether anyone had someone they would recommend. All this chopping and changing is driving us mad!

I think my connects are all in the wrong area

I can pass you the details of somebody we hired recently. We had to let her go because we are switching providers and using one who is providing an all inclusive service as we couldn't be dealing with the stress of managing tutors anymore either. She is in Finsbury park and has a few years of ABA experience.

Sounds good dev please pm me!

Done.