A consultation is a vital step for understanding and addressing challenging behaviours in children or individuals with developmental needs. During a consultation, a trained professional works with families, caregivers, or educators to assess specific concerns and gather information about the individual’s behaviours, environment, and triggers. This process often includes observations, interviews, and reviewing relevant history.

The goal is to create a tailored plan with strategies to encourage positive behaviours and reduce unwanted ones. Consultations may involve suggestions for evidence-based interventions like Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), focused on improving communication, social skills, and daily living activities. Through collaboration, a consultation empowers caregivers with practical tools and guidance, fostering meaningful progress and enhancing the individual’s overall quality of life.

School readiness or preparation focuses on equipping children with the skills they need to succeed in a classroom environment. This includes building foundational abilities such as following instructions, communication, socializing with peers, and managing emotions. For children with developmental delays or behavioural challenges, school readiness may also involve addressing specific concerns like transitioning between activities, following instructions, or participating in group settings.

Specialists work with families to assess the child’s current skills and identify areas for improvement. They may recommend individualized strategies, training sessions, or structured routines to help the child adapt to the demands of a school setting.

The goal of school readiness is to ensure that children feel confident, supported, and prepared, setting the stage for positive learning experiences and future success.

Getting an Assessment is an important initial step in guiding individuals with autism and related developmental disabilities, as well as their families. It provides solutions to many of the challenging scenarios encountered by the individuals and the immediate stakeholders which include parents, teachers, siblings, and other family members.

Benefits of Assessment

• An assessment helps to develop individualized ABA goals that can delve deep into understanding an individual’s unique strengths, challenges and areas of growth.
• It plays an indispensable role in keeping a track of your child’s progress throughout your journey with us. These assessments provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of interventions, allowing us to track behavioural changes, skill acquisition, and areas that may require further attention.
• Assessments gives an opportunity for parent and community collaboration. Through assessments, parents gain a deeper understanding of ABA principles, therapeutic strategies, and their child’s progress. It fosters open communication between instructors, parents, and other caregivers, creating a supportive network focused on your child’s success.
• For parents and caregivers, an assessment can also bring peace of mind. While it can feel overwhelming at first, it helps them plan for the future and find ways to support their child’s growth. It also connects them to other families and support groups, where they can share recommendations, experiences, and encouragement.

What to expect during assessment

• You can expect a thorough and individualized process tailored to an individual’s needs and developmental level. Typically, it begin with gathering information from you, the parent or caregiver, about your child’s medical history, developmental milestones, and any other concerns you may have. 
• Direct observation of your child and their behaviour in various settings, such as home, school, or therapy, is also a key component. This observation helps understand your child’s strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement.
• The Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) will conduct standardized assessments and structured interviews to gather more objective data about your child’s skills and abilities. These assessments may cover communication, listener responding, play skills, social interaction, academic skills, and daily living skills. Throughout the assessment process, the ABA practitioner (BCBA) will interact with your child in a supportive and engaging manner, focusing on building rapport and trust.

Types of ABA Assessment we conduct

In applied behaviour analysis (ABA), various assessments are utilized to comprehensively understand an individual’s current level of functioning and behaviours, helping to determine the most effective intervention strategies. 

• Developmental Assessment: A developmental assessment evaluates various aspects of a child’s growth and development, including motor, play, language development, and social functioning. It typically involves standardized tests, observations, and parent/caregiver interviews to gauge the child’s developmental milestones and identify any delays or areas of concern. This assessment helps detect developmental delays or disorders early, allowing for timely intervention and support to promote optimal development.
• Functional Behaviour Assessment: Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) is a systematic process for understanding the purpose or function of behaviours. It involves identifying antecedents (what happens before a behaviours), behaviours, and consequences (what happens after a behaviours) through observation, interviews, and data collection. FBAs help determine the underlying reasons for challenging behaviours and guide the development of behaviours support plans to address these behaviours effectively and teach replacement behaviours.

Specific Assessment tools used

• Verbal Behaviour-Milestones Assessment Placement Program (VB-MAPP)

  The Verbal Behaviour-Milestones Assessment Placement Program (VB-MAPP) is a widely used assessment tool in applied behaviour analysis (ABA) for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities.

  Developed by Dr. Mark L. Sundberg, VB-MAPP assesses verbal and social skills across various developmental stages. It comprises five components: Milestones Assessment, Barriers Assessment, Transition Assessment, Task Analysis and Supporting Skills, and a comprehensive scoring system.

  VB-MAPP helps identify an individual’s current verbal abilities and areas for improvement and guides the development of personalized intervention plans. By focusing on language and social skills acquisition, VB-MAPP assist in tailoring interventions to promote communication, social interaction, and overall development in individuals with ASD and related conditions.

• Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills – Revised (ABLSS-R)

  The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills – Revised (ABLLS-R) is a comprehensive assessment tool designed to evaluate the language, academic, self-help, and social skills of individuals with developmental delays or disabilities.

  Developed by Dr. James W. Partington, ABLLS-R assesses over 500 skills across 25 areas, including language, social interaction, self-care, academic, and motor skills. It provides a detailed analysis of an individual’s strengths and deficits, guiding the development of individualized education plans (IEPs) in school settings and intervention strategies across other settings.

  ABLLS-R is widely used by educators, speech-language pathologists, and behaviour analysts to identify specific skill targets, track progress over time, and facilitate skill acquisition in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders.

• Essential For living (EFL)

  It is a comprehensive assessment and curriculum designed specifically for children and adults with moderate-to-severe disabilities and limited skill repertoires. This instrument includes practical life skills, rather than skills that are referenced to ‘typical development’ or ‘academic standards.’ EFL targets communication, language, and daily living skills, ensuring that these individuals with disabilities are equipped to lead more independent and fulfilling lives.

  EFL is about understanding and meeting the unique needs of each individual. Developed by Dr. Patrick McGreevy and Troy Fry, MS, BCBA is not just an assessment tool. It’s a comprehensive curriculum that guides educators and therapists in developing instructional plans that improve quality of life.

• The Practical Functional Assessment (PFA)

  It begins with an open-ended interview designed to reveal qualitatively rich information regarding the events that evoke challenging behaviour and the reinforcers responsible for its maintenance. The interview is also designed to identify the topographies of both dangerous problem behaviours and associated non-dangerous problem behaviours. The information gathered in the interview is then used to design an analysis to test whether the variables reported to influence problem behaviour influence problem behaviour.

It developed by Dr. Greg Hanley and his colleagues, marks a significant shift in the assessment of challenging behaviours in individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.  In this kind of assessment behaviour analyst may safely proceed to treatment while leveraging the power of synthesized reinforcement to teach the skills of communication, toleration, and cooperation.

The Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) offers a more humane, person-centered approach to understanding problem behaviour prior to its treatments relative to historical functional analysis procedures. 

A brief direct observation is a focused assessment where a behaviour specialist observes an individual in their natural environment to understand specific behaviours and their context. This method involves observing how the individual interacts with their surroundings, responds to triggers, and communicates needs. Observations may occur at center, home, school, or other relevant settings.

The goal is to identify patterns, such as what happens before and after the behaviour, to determine its function. These insights help understand the behaviour in a more effective way. A brief direct observation provides valuable real-time data, enabling professionals to observe challenging behaviours in their natural settings. It’s a key step in developing practical, evidence-based strategies to support the individual’s growth and success.

An initial parent intake is the first step in understanding a child’s needs and creating a tailored support plan. During this process, parents meet with a specialist to share important details about their child’s behaviours, development, strengths, and challenges. Topics often include developmental milestones, communication skills, social interactions, and any concerns parents may have.

This intake is also an opportunity for parents to discuss their goals and expectations for their child’s progress. By gathering this information, the specialist gains a clearer picture of the child’s unique needs and can recommend appropriate assessments or interventions.

The initial parent intake fosters collaboration between families and professionals, laying the foundation for effective support strategies that promote the child’s growth, learning, and overall well-being.