Parent Training in ABA Therapy
Parent training is part of ABA therapy and gives parents and caregivers guidance connected to their child’s individual treatment goals. At Integrated Autism Behavior Services (IABS), family involvement is part of our ABA therapy approach.
What Is Parent Training in ABA Therapy?
Parent training focuses on the parts of your child’s ABA treatment that involve you as a parent or caregiver. Our ABA team talks with you about your child’s goals, answers questions about treatment, and discusses how certain strategies relate to situations outside direct ABA therapy sessions.
Our team of professionals remain responsible for treatment. Parent training gives you the information and guidance you need to understand your role without expecting you to become your child’s behavior therapist.
What Happens During ABA Parent Training?
What you discuss during parent training depends on your child’s current treatment plan and the questions your family has at the time. The conversation stays specific to your child rather than following the same steps for every family.
Your ABA parent training discussions may cover:
- A treatment goal you want to understand better
- A strategy your child’s team has introduced
- A routine that relates to a current goal
- A change you have noticed outside therapy
- A question about handling a similar situation in the future
Your ABA team can explain how each topic relates to your child’s treatment so you know what matters and why.
What Should Parents Practice Between ABA Sessions?
The main piece of advice here is that you, as a parent, should follow guidance from your child’s ABA team rather than choose treatment strategies on your own. Anything you practice between sessions should connect directly with a skill or goal already included in your child’s treatment plan.
Your team may ask you to create another opportunity for your child to use a skill during a routine that already happens. A child working on requesting a break might use that skill during an activity at home, while a child working on transitions might practice moving between familiar parts of the day.
You do not need to recreate an ABA session at home, but with parent training, you’ll understand what’s important for you to focus on, when to use the strategy, and what information to bring back to the team.
What Should I Share With My Child's ABA Team?
Parents and caregivers see parts of a child’s day that the ABA team may not be able to pick up on during scheduled ABA therapy. Sharing these observations gives your team more context when they review how your child uses skills across different situations.
Useful information may include:
- A skill your child has started using somewhere new
- A routine that has recently become easier or harder
- A change in communication or behavior
- A different response to a strategy you have discussed
The more information we have, the better, even if you’re not sure if it’s useful to us. It’s best to share what you noticed with your BCBA, and they can help you understand what it may mean for your child’s treatment.
How Much Do Parents Participate in ABA Therapy?
Parent involvement in ABA therapy depends on your child’s treatment plan, current goals, and service setting. Taking part does not mean attending every part of every session or carrying out the responsibilities of an ABA therapy team.
Your role may involve discussing what you see outside therapy, asking questions about a goal, or following guidance related to a particular skill. Your ABA team should explain what they need from you so you understand your role within your child’s treatment.
How Does Parent Training Connect With In-Home ABA Therapy?
In-home ABA therapy takes place in the setting where many family routines already occur. When a child’s treatment goals relate to situations at home, scheduled sessions give the ABA team direct context around those routines.
Parent training focuses on what parents and caregivers need to understand outside those direct sessions. You can discuss how treatment guidance relates to similar situations that occur at other times during your family’s week.
How Does Parent Training Change as My Child's ABA Goals Change?
Parent training may evolve as your child’s treatment goals develop. The topics discussed early in ABA therapy may differ from the questions and concerns that arise later in treatment.
A routine that once needed more attention may become less relevant as your child develops a skill, while another area starts to need more discussion. Your ABA team adjusts the focus of family training in your child’s treatment plan.
Talk With IABS About Parent Training
Understanding how family training fits into ABA therapy can give you a better idea of what to expect before your child begins services. You can ask about your role, how the team communicates with families, and how parent training relates to your child’s individual treatment.
IABS works with families in Virginia and Maryland. Request a consultation to discuss your child’s needs and ask about parent training as part of their ABA therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Parent Training in ABA Therapy
Start Your Child’s Journey Toward Growth Today
Integrated Autism Behavior Services (IABS) is ready to begin helping you and your family right now! If you have further questions about ABA therapy, click the button below, and our staff will be happy to work with you. Start your child’s journey with Home or Center-Based ABA Therapy in Virginia and Maryland to begin building lasting skills that will support their growth for years to come.
