HOW TO IMPLEMENT

AN ABA PROGAM

EDITION 1 | JULY 2020

 CONTENTS

03 | WHAT IS ABA? 4 | ABA FOR AUTISM 05 | HOW IS ABA DONE?

07 | WHO RUNS THE PROGRAM? 08 | A TYPICAL ABA SESSION 09 | PROGRAM SUPPORTS

10 | HOW TO FUND ABA 11 | THE NIDS JOURNEY 12 | ABA PARENT TRAINING

13 | PROGRAM CHECKLIST 14 | OUR SERVICES

HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 3

ABA arises from the branch of psychology

known as behaviourism. As a science-based
methodology, you can rest assured that
your child is in the safest and most
competent hands.

WHAT IS ABA?
Around the world, across the globe, Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is used to aid learning and
development, and create behavioural change.

As a scientific methodology ABA has hundreds of uses: organisation change, sleep disorders, acquired
brain injuries, eating disorders, sports performance, relationship issues and addictions. Basically where
there is problematic or challenging behaviour, where there is a need for learning or development, ABA has
a role. As a consequence it's used in businesses, schools, child-care centres, aged-care centres, aged care,
psychology and counselling rooms.

The foremost goal of ABA is to increase helpful behaviours and decrease behaviours that are harmful or
affect learning. Your child's ABA program will be built on this premise.
 HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 4

ABA applied early in a child's life is known

as Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention
(EIBI). It was first used to help children with
autism by Dr Ivar Lovaas in 1987.

ABA FOR AUTISM?

Dr Lovaas is considered the father of ABA-for-autism. His 1987 study is the preeminent work on ABA for
autism. (You have likely come across it in your research.) Lovaas' research found that "90% of children
substantially improved when utilizing the Lovaas Model of Applied Behavior Analysis, compared to the
control group" ... and that ... "Close to half attained a normal IQ and tested within the normal range on
adaptive and social skills."

Since Lovaas' initial study, hundreds of further studies have been done and many hundreds of ABA
research papers have been written. The consensus is that ABA works. Here in Australia the Federal
Government rates ABA as an 'effective and evidence-based' intervention; the highest rating for any autism
intervention. Many hundreds of research papers (worldwide) state or show similar findings. And as the
USA Surgeon General's Report cites, "ABA therapy accounts for 45% of therapies that develop long-lasting and
observable results."

When applied early in a child's life, ABA is often referred to as Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention
(EIBI). In Australia you will hear ABA and EIBI used interchangeably. While they mean slightly different
things, just know that professionals or other people are talking about the same thing.

ABA is used extensively in the USA. This is because healthcare insurers pay for it. It's also because there
are around 20,000 highly-qualified behavioural clinicians to support children and families, and many more
tens-of-thousands of therapists available to work with children. This is partly population related, but also
because behaviourism and ABA were both formulated in the USA. Without a doubt, it's also because it
works.

ABA is also a popular and sought-after intervention because it aids improvements across multiple
development domains. It can be use to support communication skills, social skills, cognition, play, self-
help, executive function -- to name just a few. Most other therapies are single-level domain therapies.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 5

ABA is delivered as a program. It is

delivered in either the family home, or in an
autism or disability-specific centre.

HOW IS ABA DONE?

ABA as a therapeutic intervention is primarily done in the family home. This is known as home-based ABA.
It simply means your child's ABA program--and the majority of their therapeutic and learning experiences--
will occur within the home. Another option is centre-based ABA. This means the therapy and learning
experiences will occur in an autism or other purpose-built centre.

Regardless of your choice, the first step is finding an ABA Service Provider. These are autism-specific
organisations that have been set up specifically to support families and children. They have skilled
behavioural clinicians (Program Supervisors or BCBAs) and ABA therapists on staff. These are the people
who will assess your child's knowledge and skill, develop and tailor the ABA program curriculum. But we'll
learn more about program personnel (and how to find them) in the next section.

ABA is generally delivered as an intensive intervention. Intensity primarily relates to the number of hours
being done, however, it's also a measure for ensuring outcomes. As an early intervention measure, 20-
hours of therapy per week is a commonly quoted amount to obtain required learning and development
outcomes. Depending on your child's capabilities and capacity, more or fewer hours may be needed.

The amount of hours also varies (fewer or more) depending on your child's age. For example, it would be
unrealistic for a child with a very early diagnosis (ie 12-18 months) to do 20 hours of therapy. In other
words, ABA therapy is adapatable and flexible depending on your child's age and needs.

Whether you choose a home- or centre-based program, ABA will often be facilitated in additional
locations. For example, ABA is commonly delivered in schools to support a child's academic progress or
social skills. An ABA program may also include therapy locations such as a shopping centre, sporting
venue, swimming pool, or cinema. This is about teaching the child (and parent) how to generalise learnings
across different environments. On the next page we've provided elements specific to each delivery
method. They are provided to aid informed decision-making. The best option is always what fits your child,
your family, and your financial situation, and child.
 HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 6

DELIVERY ELEMENTS

HOME-BASED CENTRE-BASED
Home-based ABA is done in the family home. Centre-based care is provided at a center by a
team of specialists (which we learn more about
Most initial learning occurs in the family home in the next module).
so this makes sense. It can be easier for
parents and kids because there's no travel. And The centre will be an autism or other disability
it's a familiar environment, which for kids' with provider who has premises or space, and
autism means less anxiety. Therapeutic consulting rooms. Many of these
centres are purpose-built, have multiple
Considerations to be given to this ABA delivery
method are: space, delineation, time, educational resources on hand to aid therapy,
boundaries, management. and have multiple staff members.

Home-based ABA can also be more cost- Considerations to be given to this delivery
effective because there is an option for you method are: cost, time, resources and staffing
(the family) take on more of the program benefits.
management and administration, including
direct hire of ABA therapists.

Become an ABIA Member

and receive multiple benefits
Free access to ABA Connect -- the premier online platform that connects you with
ABA therapists and ABA Service Providers
Free access our ABA library with over 700 educational resources
Discounted conference tickets (parent rate, heavily reduced)
Discounted event tickets (parent rate, heavily reduced)
Free access to members' only resource area on our website

Annual membership -- from just $70.00 per annum

HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 7

Behind every ABA program is a team

of dedicated and highly-educated
professionals.

WHO RUNS THE PROGRAM?

The ABA Team consists of an ABA Service Provider, an ABA Program Supervisor, an ABA Therapist, you,
and your child. Each team member plays a particular and important role.

ABA SERVICE-PROVIDER'S ROLE YOUR ROLE

The Service Provider's role is to provide ABA Services The role you take on will depend whether you have
and to offer best-practice ABA. There are around 75 opted for home- or centre-based ABA. Some parents
ABA Service Provides in Australia. Our website has a choose home-based because this enables cost
search engine which allows you to search and find a savings (but equally it requires more hands-on
provider in your area. Visit abia.net.au/ABAConnect involvement). Others choose centre-based because it
offers a full-service model (ie delivered at the centre).

ABA PROGRAM SUPERVISOR ROLE Either way, your ultimate role is to ensure your
The Program Supervisor designs your child's ABA child's availability, regularity, and attendance at their
program. ABA is a tailored program which meets ABA program.
your child at his/her current developmental point,
but always with a view to moving he/she forward. An It is also common for parents to do ABA Parent
ABA program is constantly evolving to ensure your Training. This up-skills you to communicate with your
child's learning and development progresses. child, and continue therapy session learnings in a
non-therapeutic setting. Parent training is core to a
successful ABA program. Find out more about parent
training at abia.net.au/training/parents/.
ABA THERAPIST'S ROLE
The therapist's role is to facilitate the ABA program,
as developed by the Program Supervisor. Across
Australia, on a daily basis, thousands of therapists
YOUR CHILD'S ROLE
support and develop children on the spectrum. Your child's role is to attend therapy sessions. Their
When implementing your program, keep in mind that role is to learn and develop to their full capacity. Each
the therapist implements rather than writes or team member mentioned here plays a critical role in
designs the program. achieving this outcome.
 HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 8

If a child cannot learn in the way we teach...

we must teach in a way the child can learn."
-Dr Ivar Lovaas

A TYPICAL ABA SESSION

In some ways, there's really no such thing as a typical session. That's because sessions are tailored to
the individual's developmental and learning needs. Sessions also vary in length, which can relate to
the child's age, time availability, or other environmental and familial constraints.

The two things that are typical of an ABA session is that the therapist is always seeking to engage the
child and learning is framed in a positive manner. This helps ensure an environment conducive to
learning, and keep your child motivated to attend sessions. 

If you'd like to see some typical ABA therapy sessions, check out our You Tube Channel
<https://www.youtube.com/user/ABIAautism/>. Have a look at Learning About Animals and ABA
Therapy Play. These are good start points to understand the look and feel of a therapy session. In
the first video, Daniel learns about animals. In the second, the therapist's focus is on teaching Daniel
play.

If you would like to hear about why other parents and families have chosen ABA, check out our 21st
anniversary video. You'll hear from our founders, and the next generation of parents who chose ABA.
The resounding message you will hear is that ABA gives hope.

https://www.youtube.com/user/ABIAautism/
HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 9

"Ultimately, knowing what drives us puts us

in the driver’s seat."
-Susan M. Schnider, 2012

PROGRAM SUPPORTS
Why does Lockie always hit me when I buckle his seat-belt? Why does Saskia squeal when we enter the
supermarket? What's with Harry 's constant fidgeting when we sit for dinner?

Whether you choose home- or centre-based ABA, the purpose of your ABA program is to learn how to
understand what drives your child to act in a certain (or uncertain) way. As your knowledge increases, you
will also begin to reflect on, and better understand, your own drivers. All of these learnings are incredibly
important. They return our personal power. And powerful parents better-support challenged kids.

But you will also need support. An ABA program does not come without challenges. Like any disability,
autism is time-consuming, confronting, intensive. It will demand that you draw energy reserves you often
don't have. We're not saying this to scare you off, but to let you know it's okay to ask for and seek help.
The support you will need will be physical (educational resources, learning materials), emotional (someone
to listen, someone to talk to and share experiences with), and intellectual (knowledge of ABA specifically,
and autism generally).

Our organisation exists to meet these needs. Our services and resources have been developed to
specifically assist with your ABA journey. Information about available support mechanisms can be found
on the reference page at the end of this publication. While it's unlikely you will need all these straight up,
it's nice to know they 're available. When times get tough, when there's not one enough time in your day,
when you hit the "I just can't do this" space, it's comforting to know someone's got your back. Our
organisation is that someone.

What we hear time-and-again is that ABA gives hope. Hope for a better way of communicating with your
child. Hope for a more harmonious home. Hope for better life outcomes for your child. It's this hope that
saw our founding parents bring ABA to Australia some 22 years ago. And it's that hope that sees
thousands of Aussie mums and dads around the country choose ABA as their preferred intervention. ANd
as previously mentioned, our 21st anniversary video captures this hope. Visit our YouTube Channel
<https://www.youtube.com/user/ABIAautism> and watch the poignant and deeply personal ABA stories of
our courageous families.
 HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 10

Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme

(NDIS) is the most significant economic and
social reform since the introduction of
Medicare in the 1970s.

HOW TO FUND ABA

The primary funding method for disability support in Australia is now the National Disability Insurance
Scheme (NDIS). This scheme is operated by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), a federal
government body.

Under this scheme, participants receive an annual funding package. The amount of funding is calculated
relevant to the level of disability and types of supports required. These supports fall into three categories.

Core Capital Capacity Building

A support that A support that enables an A support that enables
enables a investment, such as a participant to build
participant to assistive technologies, their independence
complete equipment and home or and skills.
activities of daily vehicle modifications, or
living. funding for capital costs
(e.g. to pay for Specialist
Disability Accommodation).

Under the NDIS, your disability funding package can be self-managed, NDIA managed, or partially
managed (ie partially self-managed and partially NDIA managed). One of the fantastic aspects of the NDIA
is that the person with the disability, and/or their carer or authorised representative, has choice. The
process on the next page shows you how to register with the NDIA to obtain a funding package.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 11

THE NDIS JOURNEY

A new system, new jargon and terminology, a bunch of acronyms; often on top of a new diagnosis. It's
overwhelming. So let's walk it together. A hand held makes the journey easier. Here's the link to the
relevant NDIA website page: https://www.ndis.gov.au/applying-access-ndis/how-apply

Step 1: Are you eligible?

Are you eligible? Check basic eligibility for your loved one here. You'll
answer a few quick yes/no questions. such as age, residency status,
equipment and supports regularly used or needed. If criteria is met, the
next step is apply to become an NDIS recipient.

Step 2: How to apply?

This is about making a request for access (assuming you've met eligibility
requirements above).
You can apply for access in three ways:
via telephone on 1800 800 110
via the Access Request Form which can be downloaded at
<https://www.ndis.gov.au/media/2323/download>, then email this to NAT@ndis.gov.au.
with the support of a Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood Early Intervention partner, or your
local NDIA office. Locations for these support partners can be found at
<https://www.ndis.gov.au/contact/locations>.

Once completed, the Access Request results in an access decision. A 'success' decision moves you to the
next step. Other supports are available if you are unsuccessful. A list of these can be found on the NDIA
website. Some people who have not received a success decision have challenged the NDIA. This is called
an internal review. Further information about this is also on the NDIA website.

Step 3: The planning meeting.

Once you have gained access you will be contacted to meet with an NDIA planner. They are contacting you
to arrange a planning meeting to discuss support and funding needs. The key thing here is to be organised
prior to the meeting.

Your ABA Service Provider can assist. Our organisation also has helpful information in the form of an NDIA
Advocacy kit. Email us at info@abia.net.au with NDIA Advocacy Kit in the subject line and we will forward the
kit to you.

Experience shows that best outcomes are achieved when you are organised and clear about your child's
needs and goals before attending the meeting. Most Service Providers offer help and guidance with this as
they've been through it many times. And they want you to use their services (that's why they exist) so don't
be afraid to reach out.

Core
Step 4: The planning meeting outcome.
Capital Capacity Building
Following the meeting you will receive a letter and a copy of your plan in the mail. You will be able to start
using funds immediately. If you haven't already joined our organisation, now is a good time to do so. For
$70 per year we will keep you in touch with ABA and autism events, and industry happenings. Your
membership fee provides access to ABA Connect, a platform which allows you to search and connect with
ABA therapists and Service Providers, and ABA-for-autism training courses facilitated by our organisation.
 HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 12

In regard to your child's development, the

single most important step you can take is to
up-skill yourself.

ABA PARENT TRAINING

Up-skilled parents are better equipped to respond (rather than react) to a child's behaviour or actions. Up-
skilled mums and dads are better placed to initiate growth strategies and reinforce positive tactics, rather
than continually placate or manage (ie give into) an upset child, or one that is acting out. All behaviour
occurs for a reason. ABA helps you pinpoint the reason.

Up-skilling in ABA is done through courses like our Making It Work series. Up-skilling is done through
knowledge building and behaviour change. In the autism sector this is known as parent training. Our
CoreABA Parent training in two formats: face-to-face at our Canterbury (Melbourne) office
organisation offers
or online. The face-to-face course is three days' duration. You'll meet other parents, young people training
to become therapists, educators who are up-skilling, and allied health professionals wanting to better
support kids in their care. If time and distance are factors, choose our online training. Once you've
registered and paid, you'll have access to 29 hours of introductory level ABA content.

Regardless of the learning format you choose, our ABA training teaches how to do a Functional Behaviour
Assessment (FBA). Other topics include task analysis, reinforcement and extinction, shaping and chaining,
stimulus control. These may sound a bit heavy, but rest assured they 're delivered in a manner that is
practical and applicable to you, your child, and your family situation.

Most parents quickly comprehend the benefits of parent training. As previously mentioned, you are your
child's first and foremost teacher, and most learning occurs in the home. ABA parent training equips you
like nothing else. It literally is life-changing learning.

Thanks for reading this resource. We hope you've enjoyed building your knowledge as much as we've
enjoyed sharing ours. May the challenges you and your loved ones currently face transform to triumphs.
And may your child reap, for many years to come, the rewards of your foresight and discernment in
choosing ABA as your preferred intervention.

www.abia.net.au
HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 13

ABA CONNECT

Coming in August 2020! Join ABIA today to

access hundreds of therapists and a listing of
Australian ABA Service Providers.
 HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ABA PROGRAM  |    PG 14

ABIA offers training, information and support.

There's a load of free resources, and additional
resources and discounts available by becoming
a member.

OUR SERVICES & OFFERINGS

Training
ABA Parent-Training
ABA Therapist Training
ABA Training for Educators
Choose between facilitator-led live-streamed sessions on Zoom, and self-paced e-learning sessions in the
privacy of your home. Our ABA Therapist Training is the preeminent Australian course. As a parent you'll
likely be hiring our graduates. Our Parent Training will upskill you to better support your child and is
paramount to the success of your ABA program. Our Educator Training aligns with Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers (APST). With courses for you, your therapist, and your child's educator, we've got you
covered.
A support that enables
Information a participant to build

join ABIA today!

How to Implement an ABA Program
their independence
Parent/NDIS Advocacy Kit (coming soon!)
and skills.
Parent Information Kit
Therapist Information Kit
Educator Information Kit
MEMBERSHIP FROM $70 P/A
GP Information Kit

Support
As the peak body for all things ABA-for-Autism, we offer a range of support services to both consumers
and suppliers of ABA. Here's just a few: ABIA website with multiple free resources including podcast and
videos, ABA Connect to help you find a Service Provider and Therapist/s; ABA Resource Library with 700
educational and play resources; ABA Today (national ABA-for-Autism biennial conference); ABA
Exchange (Professional Development for ABA professionals and educational events for parents); ABA
Round Table (Clinical Practice Group).

www.abia.net.au
(03) 9830 0677 | info@abia.net.au
Copyright © Autism Behavioural Intervention
Association, 2019

ABIA
1/121 Maling Road
Canterbury Vic 3126
abia.net.au | info@abia.net.au
(03) 9830 0677