Parent training is such an important part of any successful treatment plan for a child on the autism spectrum. Your child might receive daily or weekly ABA therapy sessions run in 1:1 format with a trained therapy service provider and while that’s a great way to expand your child’s skills and improve behaviors, making sure the parent receives support on implementing these taught strategies outside of the therapeutic setting is the very best way to get the most out of ABA therapy services. Parent training has a wealth of benefits and can be performed in many different ways.
Improve your child’s communication skills  Children on the autism spectrum can have difficulty expressing themselves and often engage in problem behaviors to get their wants and needs met. Through parent training we can teach parents and caregivers how to effectively teach communication skills that replace problem behaviors at home and in the community. When parents get involved in teaching communication skills it helps children to acquire those skills at much faster rates, as they will get a lot of practice with the skills at home and in their therapy sessions.Decrease Problem Behaviors With structured parent training sessions, parents and caregivers can learn how to carry out the same evidenced-based problem behavior reduction interventions that are being delivered by your ABA team. Support is available on how to handle your child’s problem behaviors. By undergoing parent training and assisting your team in carrying out the behavior reduction interventions, the treatment of problem behaviors will be more consistent and allow for faster elimination of problem behaviors.  Learn to Promote Independence Children with autism easily become dependent on help from others and sometimes they do not have the skills necessary to perform tasks independently. A major focus in ABA therapy is to promote independence. Parents and caregivers can learn how to teach children daily living and self-help skills during parent training sessions which can improve the quality of life for the entire family.  Consistency is Key  Consistency is the key to having a successful treatment program. It is vital that parents, caregivers, teachers, therapists, and every person involved in a child’s ABA programming are consistent in the way that skills and replacement behaviors are taught. Collaborations can be accomplished through parent training. Everyone can learn and collaborate on ways to best teach children on the spectrum innovative skills they need to learn and grow. How can you become involved in parent training? Joining your child’s therapy sessions is the number one way to receive hands on training. Observe and participate! This is always encouraged. Doing so can allows for direct observation of skills being taught within therapy sessions and allows parents and caregivers the frequent opportunity to receive coaching and feedback from an Analyst. Schedule meetings with your child’s therapy team! Schedule to meet with your ABA therapy team frequently to discuss any concerns or newly arising events so that everyone is always up to date. Take notes. Learn. Grow. Your ABA team is here to help you and your child succeed and always enjoys collaborations. Don’t forget to work on skills at home! Working on skills at home can contribute to your child’s success by allowing more practice in the natural environment in which they are expected to perform these skills. The more practice, the more successful your child will be at developing and using those skills in the future. Staying involved pays off! If you have questions on parent training, please reach out to your child’s ABA therapist for more information. 
Guide by Ms.Michelle , RBT
ABCS Senior Behavior Therapist