Therapists
The primary role of an ABA Therapists is to teach play, communication, self-help and academic skills to children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. An ABA Therapist works as part of a team, alongside the family and other therapists, and is supervised and trained by an ABA Program Supervisor.
The ABA Therapist works one-on-one with the child. Initially, the therapy takes place within the home however, as the child grows and develops, the sessions can take place elsewhere. For example, at kinder, school, shopping centres, playgrounds etc.
Moving the therapy outside of the home environment is an important part of the child's education, as s/he needs to be able to generalise the skills developed within the ABA program to other environments, other people and to be able to cope with the distractions encountered in the outside world.
ABIA has compiled a comprehensive information pack for Therapists. Click here to obtain a therapist info pack or contact ABIA on (03) 9830 0677.
What does an ABA Therapist do?
The first task for a new Therapist is to build rapport with the child. This may take several sessions as all children are different. The therapist will get to know their likes and dislikes, what makes them laugh and how to motivate the child to want to learn.
Knowing how to motivate a child with autism and provide the right kind of reinforcement to encourage learning is essential. A child with autism spectrum disorder may not be interested or motivated by the same things that typically developing children are interested in. Some detective work may be required to find out what motivates the child.
Once the rapport is built the therapist will:
- Provide regular one-on-one therapy sessions which include teaching new skills and managing challenging behaviours, set out by the Program Supervisor
- Observe and record the child's progress
- Communicate with the Program Supervisor, parents and other members of the team
- Participate in clinical/team meetings
- Maintain and revise the student's program folder
Do therapists work alone?
Initially, a therapist will overlap with either the Program Supervisor or another more experienced therapist who will provide training and guidance.
Once the initial training period ends, the therapist is expected to attend regular (usually fortnightly) Supervision meetings where they are required to work with the child in front of the Supervisor and any other therapists working on the program.
The Program Supervisor provides feedback to the therapists and parents on their performance. They also update the program and open the forum to discuss any concerns that either the parents or therapists may have.
What skills does a therapist need?
The most important requirement for a potential therapist is a genuine interest in working with children with autism.
ABA therapy is more than just a part-time job and should not be considered as a means of earning extra income. It is a commitment as well as a potential career path for those interested in working long-term with children in the disability field.
Patience, problem-solving abilities, creativity, discretion, the ability to think on your feet and lots of energy are general traits that exhibit an ABA therapist. A sense of humour, a positive outlook, the ability to accept constructive criticism and to be able to work independently and as part of a team is critical to the success of this role.
What qualifications and training does a therapist need?
Typically student's studying under the health/psychology faculties show great interest in considering therapy work before they decide which career path to follow.
A small investment in determining if you are interested in becoming a therapist would be to enroll in ABIA's three-day therapist training program. Click here to download a registration form.
To become an ABA Program Consultant/Supervisor, you need to have completed an Undergraduate Degree in a Health-related discipline and/or a Postgraduate Degree in Psychology, Speech Pathology or Disability Studies, an internship with a recognised ABA Service Provider and a minimum of 2 years experience as an ABA Therapist.
Once you are employed as a Therapist, you will find that most ABA programs incorporate ongoing training for the Therapist. This usually takes place while working with the child and is provided by either the Program Supervisor and/or a more experienced therapist.
How do you become employed as an ABA Therapist?
There are many ways to find work as an ABA Therapist. One of the simplest is to register your interest on the ABIA therapist list. ABIA family members have access to this list and will most likely refer to it when looking to employ new therapists. Alternatively, you can approach Private ABA Service Providers listed in the ABA Directory and let them know you are interested.
Usually, the demand for therapists exceeds the supply so there is plenty of work available.
What can a therapist expect to be paid?
Payment varies from family to family, provider to provider and will depend on a therapist's experience and academic qualifications. As a general rule however, a therapist's pay usually ranges from $15.00 (inexperienced) to $25 (experienced) per hour.
Are there other benefits?
Therapists have the opportunity to work with some wonderful and amazing children. With a therapist's help, children are able to overcome the frustrations and behavioural outbursts that frequently occur in those who have not had the appropriate intervention.
Often, ABA Therapists are studying Psychology, Speech Pathology, OT and Education degree's who want to gain extra experience and expertise by working as a therapist. Some therapists go on to become full time ABA Supervisors, where they eventually supervise ABA programs themselves.
The 'hands on' experience gained from working as a therapist is invaluable and many find their therapy work leads to career opportunities in the Disability Sector.
What about insurance, sick leave and work cover?
It is important to find out the terms of employment before starting work. In most instances, families or private organisations hire therapists on a casual basis. Casual employees are not entitled to holiday or sick leave, but the family or organisation employing the therapist is responsible for providing work cover.
In some cases, therapists will be employed by families on a contractual basis which leaves the onus of taxes and work cover documents up to the therapist. If that is the case, an ABN is required and can be applied for either at your local Tax Office or online at www.ato.gov.au.
Free Information Session!
ABIA is pleased to offer a free information
session to families new to ABA.
Click here for details
Helping Children with Autism/FaHCSIA Funding
ABIA is a FaHCSIA Panel Provider under the Federal Government "Helping Children with Autism (HCWA)" initiative.
