Firstly, what do I mean when I say caregiver involvement? Well, often you will hear it referred to as parent engagement or parent training meeting. These meetings occur when a supervising clinician meets with a parent/guardian individually or a group of parents/guardians to provide education, guidance, and support in receiving ABA services. The significance of caregiver involvement plays a huge role in promoting the best outcomes possible for your family when it comes to receiving ABA services. Getting involved in your child’s ABA services is highly recommended because it can be quite informative, helpful, and engaging.
Informative
When attending caregiver meetings with a supervising clinician, it is an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the services your child is participating in. It will give you more insight into the day-to-day and long-term achievements, as well as areas of opportunity.
Some Examples of Information
- Assessment results
- Program progress and modifications
- Goal mastery
- Data collection for interfering behaviors
- Skill development progress
Helpful
A caregiver meeting is an opportunity to gain education and resources to support you and your child. The supervising clinician can provide information on how to run and develop individualized programming for your needs. With the countless possibilities of opportunity, I want to highly encourage speaking to your supervising clinician about your areas of need.
Some Examples of Areas of Need Toileting
- How to address interfering behavior
- Developing language
- Eating behaviors
- Promoting social skills
Engaging
The chance to engage with the treatment team is perfect to promote not only your involvement but also to build a relationship with your child’s technician and supervising clinician. This time together will give you the ability to further discuss your child’s needs as well as the needs of your family. As a result, this will aid the supervising clinician in making sure your aspirations are supported in the best ways possible.
It is so important to participate in and advocate for caregiver involvement opportunities to aid in the best outcomes possible for you and your family. Of course, it can certainly be a lot to take in when navigating your child’s ABA services. Just know your care team is here to support you and your family through all the growth, tears, and challenges.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Linaye McDonald has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for seven years. She obtained both her Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. Currently, Linaye resides in Midland, MI, with her husband and five-year-old son