SCERTS?

[DimpleHands]

Anyone have experience of this? My 3 year old DS has been on an ABA programme (a light sort of programme with about 15 hours per week) for about 18 months.

We haven't been very impressed by the ABA consultant and are thinking of having a SCERTS programme instead. THe SCERTS consultant we are thinking of using currently works on DS's ABA programme as lead tutor and is wonderful - DS loves her and everyone can see how much she gets out of him.

Does anyone have any experience of SCERTS programmes and have any thoughts? How do they differ to ABA programmes?

DS is verbal (although has a receptive and expressive language delay) and doesn't really have any major behavioural problems - it is mainly his social communication and language that needs work. Would it work for him?

Sorry no experience of scerts. Although I've been doing ABA myself working on language mostly, and it is working (3 yr old). If this lead tutor has bonded and gets a lot out of your child that sounds better - why not? For me, whatever is used, key things seem to be adapting to needs and pace of your child, a natural ability to gently challenge your kid in small but focused steps without being a robot/cold - very clear goals and progress charts, and someone who can listen, observe your child and how they are feeling.

To me whatever system, most incl speech therapy are kind of the same behavioural approach, its if you find a great tutor they are the key! It's an art more than a science!

I should add I'm just a parent!

To be honest I feel the tutors are key and the type of programme is almost secondary. We have had 4 ABA tutors - 2 amazing and 2 terrible - and 2 consultants - one amazing and one just ok. The difference in his progress was remarkable when he was with the right team. So if you have someone he has paired really well with them go for it.

Thanks both. I agree - am going to go with the SCERTS consultant as I think the relationship is the most important thing. Thanks for replying!

I think there's a lot of crossover, definitely between VB and SCERTS. Our past supervisor was also v experienced with SCERTS and incorporated a lot into our programme.

Totally agree it is more down to the skill of each individual tutor, rather than whether they label themselves ABA/VB/SCERTS or whatever. We had a senior tutor once, charged a shocking amount, apparently very experienced in SCERTS, but she was beyond useless for ds at the time, so we got rid of her after a month or two.