Advice re ABA Home Program/Consultants/ case managers Pls!! im desperate

[CinderEdna]

my son was diagnosed last year with autism. I found out about ABA and started a program with a case manager albeit without much research. i think i was just too overwhelmed and panicky about not doing something fast and went in with what came my way! now i have come to a point where i am not so sure about how things are progressing!! i need some advice on what a good home program should look like!! what should be my starting point? what components are essential?? i know its individual but there must be some basics. also my data folder has been described as appaling by a new therapist! how to have my son assessed as so far i dont think we have had a proper assessment!! not sure if that was my fault as i was trying to preserve every penny or just not been informed correctly!! i am literally going mad with worry and stress as i am paying a lot of money for something that might not be right for my son or isnt working!! i feel like its all my fault but i have no one to turn to!!! please help!!

When you say a case manager do you mean a BCBA? Did you speak to them about what particular things were important and that you wanted to work on?
There should be plenty of data and you should know whether targets are being met or not. And you should hopefully be able to see improvements in your son.
Was you son assessed using ABLLS or VBMAPP? If so, you should have a starting point and the assessment should have been updated within the year so that you can see what progress has been made.
Don't be afraid to speak to your consultant about any issues and if necessary change consultants.

Oh and I meant to say don't feel like it's all your fault. We have had a very steep learning curve and started out with a different consultant to who we are with now.
I would advise that you try to be as involved as you can be. I attend all team meetings and make sure I know what is happening with all his programs and speak to the tutors after each session.

Thanks. The case manager is not qualified but has 14 yrs experience. The data is quite low level as compared to some vb stuff I have now seen! He was never assessed using Ablls or vb mapp. I'm trying to make a list now but just need advise on good consultants as well. I am quite involved with the training but whenever I ask a question she is able to answer it and then I start doubting myself as to whether I'm being too fussy! But I have this feeling that it's not adequate. This was then reinforced by the comments from the new therapist .

If be concerned about someone who is not a BCBA running a programme ( I'm a BCBA myself but don't work privately). 14 years is more than enough time to get qualified. Alarm bells would be ringing for me. What baseline assessment was used? How much are you paying this person an hour?

hiya, i am paying 75 an hour! i dont think any baseline was done. i didnt even know what a baseline was until a few days ago when i attended a free workshop!! i am thinking i need to change the case manager. i only know of Peach other than the current one. however i have been told their case managers are not BCBA qualified! with full time work an older very jealous kid and a very challenging little one.. i am at the end of my wits!! i have contacted Risca Solomon now. but i cant afford something that will cost me thousands of pounds! we have no funding and dont think will get any! im doing some courses myself now and some online training. an suggestions for good consultant that wont cost me an arm and leg to set up with! i am happy with 3 hr team meetings evry month and with soem telephone contact as my tutor is quite experienced. i spoek to someone alst week who charges 200 quid monthly as standing rate just to be contacted!!!

I sympathise.
Unfortunately costs are crippling when you pay yourself for what should be a given in any educational context-an evidence based data drive programme.
Hope other home ed types will come along and help you out.

Have you been on the BCBA website to look for consultants in your area? Also try posting on the ABA Yahoo group for recommendations.
Not sure if you would qualify but you might want to see whether you could get any funding from the Caudwell charity.
I would also suggest that whichever consultant you go for to make sure that they haven't got too many families and are able to give your son enough time to monitor programs.
Can your new tutor suggest anybody?

The relatively newly formed UK-SBA society website and Facebook page are good places to be to find people of calibre and join in discussions and find out about available professionals.
Here

oh didnt know i could look on the CBA website. i wil do that and contact the UK SBA as well. Thank you ladies. i just want my little guy to get as much help as he can. would you suggest any courses that i can do to help with the therapy or do some myself. i dotn wantto rely on consultant workshops as i want an independant view.

Go here then to 'Find/Contact certificants' and then go to UK. Only about 140 in the UK so not too onerous a task to go through them..

We had the same problem, I switched consultants and I couldn't believe how much we had missed.

Switch consultants but speak with families who are using them first.

do you knwo consultants who you would recommend??

i ahve now had a look on teh BCBA website. a bit overwhelmed but will now go through the Londn ones. Does it matter how long they have had their certifiction; ie longer the better?

Cinder - I was like that 2 months into my program. A new tutor came and asked me so many questions and pointed out so many inconsistencies I was in shock. That tutor didnt stay on my program because she was way too much data data data for my liking however I was seeing begging her to come and review my program once in a while and she did not agree

and just like you I posted here and I got the best piece of advice - DIY!

I sat my BCBA down after a workshop and asked her to explain every sheet and how data should be managed. Till then I was just happy that my daughter was progressing. But you will soon realise that a good ABA program is backed up with data.

Over time I have gotten better and now I track each IEP (she does ABA in school too) to a sheet and my husband and I review how we are doing against every IEP every few weeks.

The other thing is even my daughter wasnt assessed and it turned out to be some miscommunication. We were told to do the VB MAPP with the tutors because we were low on funds and then the BCBA would have reviewed it. I got my tutors to do VB MAPP and review it regularly with the consultant and tutors. Now I get my consultant to assess on VB MAPP every 6-12 months.

I also try and do as much material as possible myself. Like flash cards etc.

I think a lot of families feel like that. I personally think that a BCBA doesnt necessarily does a better job than someone with over a decade of experience. However, I have always used a BCBA as my consultant so I am probably speaking based on my own thoughts while in practice a BCBA is probably required. 75/hour is a lot!

In terms of changing consultants, you could describe your child here or on ABA-UK and I am sure people will be able to recommend someone to you

I dont think length of their certification matters.. They should have experience of working with children similar to yours, get 2-3 references and also see how they will fit longer term with LEA/school etc

oh thank you for that. i think i will try to do i tmyself. my challenge is that the data sheets we are suing are not adequate apparenlty. they are lumping all programs in one sheet per week rather than individual data for each program.
with regards to my son, he is quite high functioning. he was non verbal around XMas and now can say things such as "give me", i want. he has massive voabulary in terms of knwoing things but doesnt use it. i have flashcards that he will go though oe by one and know all of them in context as well but wont use them in his language. he learns real qick; he taught himself all teh alphabets, nos up to 10 and backwards, colors and shapes. he is only 3 and half so i dont think thats bad! he has some sensory issues but generally is ok. He can actually tolerate noise i.e can take him to super market and he will just keep using IPAd or iphone and be oblivious bu wont go inside a restaurant at any cost!! he can navigate through ipad better than i can! he is not doing so well on life skilsl though. hates brushing teeth, washing hands or head!! its a fight!! i use visuals and videos but he can only just about tolerate.
i guess i need someone who can work with high functioning kids and helps sort behaviors and life skills along side with academic skills.

I hope you find the right consultant.. I would suggest posting on aba-uk also

Thanks I will do it tonight. X