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Improving access to professional ABA for all who choose it, not just all who can afford it
Useful Info
Below are lists of groups and sources of information that you may wish to investigate. They are not specific endorsements by ABAA4ALL. You will also find a list of books to explore and some useful videos to view.
Industry bodies
UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (UK-SBA) Industry body for ABA in the UK. It is a forum for behaviour analysts for accreditation, professional development and networking. Parents can join as Affiliate members for a small annual fee.
Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) US organisation which issues credentials for behaviour analysis. Accreditations are valued internationally. Parents looking for ABA consultants are advised to secure those with BCBA or BCaBA qualifications.
PBS Academy A collective of organisations and individuals in the UK who are working together to promote Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) as a framework for working with children and adults with learning disabilities who are at risk of behaviour that challenges.
General ABA info and support groups
The following are general all-rounders, particularly useful for those looking into ABA for the first time and searching for more information.
Child Autism UK Formerly called Peach, this was one of the first ABA charities in the UK. Offers a helpline, support and ABA training, as well as being a service provider for ABA programmes which are typically for young children before they start school.
Scotland ABA / VB Facebook group For those interested in ABA including parents, BCBAs and therapists in Scotland.
Birmingham ABA Autism group A closed Facebook group to unite parents and professionals involved with ABA and autism in the Birmingham region. Also a place to share ideas and experiences. Approval needed to join.
Milton Keynes ABA Autism Group A closed Facebook group run by parents to offer support to each other in this area of Buckinghamshire. Request to join.
ABA Tutors/Parents Closed Facebook group for posting advertisements for home tutors.
ABA Ireland A closed Facebook group for all things ABA-related in Ireland.
ABA Tutors/Families in Coventry A Facebook group for those interested in ABA in this city in the West Midlands.
ABA Scotland Unite A facebook support group for families using ABA in Scotland.
Focus Surrey A Saturday club for those with autism aged two to 16 which also offers a series of talks from guest speakers.
General info (autism, but not ABA)
Autism West Midlands Charity support for those with autism and their families and carers.
Special Needs Jungle Parent-led information website for multiple diabilities, not just autism.
Association for Science in Autism Treatment A US group with information about different therapies and treatments available.
Online discussion boards
ABA consultants and service providers
ABA Autism Journeys A South Yorkshire consultancy run by Helen Chew, BCBA, which also offers Talk Tools programmes.
ABA Matters Based in the West Country, this consultancy offering home and school-based programmes is run by Kelly Taylor-Saunders. Kelly also runs online social skills groups.
Achieve With Autism Consultancy This is a London-based consultancy, although it operates UK-wide, and is run by BCBA Esther Thomas, former Ambitious and UKYAP.
Acorn ABA This is a Midlands-based consultancy, although it operates UK-wide, and it is run by BCBA Sarah Walker.
All Behaviour Consultancy Run by Georgiana Barzey, BCBA, who has clients in London and the South East.
Autism Consultancy Services An international service provider based in London and Riyadh, directed and run by a worldwide expert in the treatment of autism, Dr Christos Nikopoulous BCBA-D.
Autism Fledglings Offering services in South Wales and the South West, this provider has a wide range of workshops, as well as home-programme consultancy and sessions at its therapy centre near Swansea.
Autism Partnership An international service provider with an office in Leeds, which also provides services in London.
Autism Support UK This Bolton-based provider is planning to open an early intervention centre for kids aged 15 months to 8 years.
The Behaviour Change Clinic An ABA/VB provider with offices in Cobham (Surrey) and Bristol, which runs programmes across the country.
Blooming Tree The first ABA clinic in London, with BCBA-managed programmes for younger children running at the well-equipped site either full-time (35 hours) or half-time (15 hours) or at home.
Blossom ABA BCBA Veronica Dunning runs this Wales-based provision, which offers ABA services in Wales and also across the south of England (acc. to availability) plus in Brazil, Portugal and Angola as she works bilingually in both English and Portuguese.
Carbone Clinic Renowned US expert Dr Vince Carbone, BCBA-D, opened a London clinic in September 2017 to complement his New York, Boston and Dubai portfolio.
Caterpillar Centre Due to open in September 2018 in Halifax, this will be a multi-disciplinary centre including ABA services. No website as yet, so email caterpillarcentre@gmail.com for further details.
CEIEC Duncan Fennemore runs the renowned Centre for Educational Intervention in Early Childhood offering home and school-based ABA/VB services in London and the South of England, based in Surrey.
Child Autism UK Formerly called Peach, this was one of the first ABA charities in the UK. Offers a helpline, support and ABA training, as well as being a service provider for ABA programmes which are typically for young children before they start school.
Cooper-Lewis-Kids! This service provider has a therapy room in Northamptonshire and provides services across London and the Midlands. Services can be provided for typically developing children and teenagers in the areas of behaviour, sleep and toileting, as well as those with special needs. Cooper-Lewis-Kids! also offers training for parents and professionals.
Creative Behavioural Solutions This is a London-based company with a team of BCBAs, but they also consult nationwide. Also offers supervision for those wishing to train in ABA.
Daisy Chain Educational Services An ABA/VB consultancy in the Southampton area.
Early Action For Autism Run by two BCBAs and one BCaBA, this provider offers services for children up to age five at its Haywards Heath centre in West Sussex, plus outreach if appropriate. Training can also be provided.
First Bridge is a new centre in Chelsea, London, due to open in 2020 offering ABA as well as SLT and OT.
The Footbridge This Surrey consultancy offers ABA, play therapy and yoga.
Hand in Hand ABA A Kent-based consultancy run by Victoria Meader, BCBA.
HeadStart An ABA and SALT provider, led by group of BCBAs, serving London, Birmingham, South East, Midlands and South Wales
Hummingbird An ABA provider led by veteran BCBA Rosie Whitaker - formerly of Forest Bridge school - serving Leeds and West Yorkshire.
Keys for Learning A Scotland-based provider offering ABA/VB programmes, workshops and building specific skills, such as toilet training or eating.
Little Talks Autism Consulting BCBA-led learning and behaviour support for children aged 2-12. Little Talks provides services in home, school and nursery in North-East England and Edinburgh.
Love ABA Former ABA school headteacher Lesley Love has set up a clinic. Lesley is based in Essex but will travel to London and the surrounding areas.
Open Avenues ABA, PBS and Behaviour Support service covering Birmingham, Northampton, Coventry, Warwick, Leicester, Luton, Milton Keynes and surrounds.
PEAT Northern Ireland A parent-led charity offering home programmes, advice and training.
Piece of Mind Therapies Run by Rochelle Gray, who is both a BCBA and Speech and Language Therapist, this provider offers therapies across London and some areas of Kent. Rochelle has experience in home and school-based programmes and has also worked in an ABA school. She has also worked in the Middle East.
Reach for the Stars For children aged two to six years, this is a not-for-profit organisation in Cardiff, Wales.
Roots Autism Consultancy ABA consultants based in Leicestershire and providing services to families and schools within the Midlands and surrounding areas.
Skybound Therapies Based in Pembrokeshire, this provider offers ABA, social skills interventions, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. Holds training courses at the office, but delivers services to homes and schools across the country and overseas.
The Sunflower Autism Consultancy Julia Gudinchet holds a Masters Degree in Autism Studies and is training to be a BCBA. The consultancy is in Bromley, Kent. Julia works with ages up to 18 and has lived in Switzerland and is therefore fluent in French.
Sure Steps ABA Kent-based BCBA Julia Underwood provides services to families and schools. She covers the South East area, including London.
Tomorrows Voices BCBA Adele Norman and team provide clinic services to families in the Stockport area; charitable part-time funded places to follow.
True Colours Behavioural Services Based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, this provider supports both children and adults with autism and is run by BCBA Krys Sanderson.
Finding tutors
ABA VB Community A message-board site for people to post their requirements for tutoring or services as a professional.
ABA Tutor Finder A useful website where you can search using your postcode to find tutors with listings of how far they are from you and how much they charge.
ABA training
Simple Steps Autism is an online tool for parents and professionals to learn about ABA, and features video tutorials, advice and training. It was created with four top BCBA-D professionals (Prof Mickey Keenan, Prof Karola Dillenburger, Dr Stephen Gallagher and Dr Neil Martin) and the parent-led Northern Ireland charity PEAT.
Child Autism UK See above under "General ABA info". Offers training for parents and tutors.
Autism Partnership See above "ABA consultants and service providers". Provides introductory workshops for parents.
Blue Sky Training focussing on Pivotal Response Therapy, based in Stirling, Scotland, plus London.
PEAT Northern Ireland Training courses for parents and professionals across various sites in Northern Ireland.
BeyondAutism This charity, which runs two ABA schools in London, offers training for professionals and parents.
Jigsaw School This school in Surrey offers introductory and advanced workshops for professionals and prospective parents.
Catesbi A Tayside provider of training to professionals and parents.
D.ESCAL8 Run by BCBA Des Cooke in Wales, this firm provides training in Positive Behaviour Support for those dealing with challenging behaviours, including families and professionals.
Charities offering ABA grants or bursaries
Please contact directly for the most up-to-date information.
Autism Parent Empower Parent online resources, West Sussex - ABA, nutrition and family wellness
The Playhouse Foundation Bursaries available, means-tested, Hampshire
The Giving Tree Foundation Means-tested full bursaries London and Birmingham
Week on the Street and Active for Autism Grants for ABA and other therapies, Wales
The Fred Foundation ABA funding available
The Blossom Development Trust A small, Southampton-based ABA funding charity
The Joe Noakes Trust Funding available for Norfolk/Suffolk/Essex/Cambs families of limited means and with a child under the age of five
Petra Ecclestone Foundation Petra's Place is a nursery and therapy centre that offers a range of therapies and interventions, but not ABA directly. However, therapy is informed by Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). It is open to families in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Daisy Chain Educational Services
Bursaries have been available, means-tested and consultancy only in Southampton for children 2-4, but contact for further information.
Legal help and advice - free
SOS!SEN Independent telephone helpline offering advice and infornation on SEN matters. Also offers useful workshops and advice clinics in Surrey (Thornton Heath, Hampton Court), London (Waterloo), Buckinghamshire (High Wycombe), Hampshire (Aldershot), Kent (Gravesend), Manchester and Oxford.
IPSEA Gives information about SEN matters, with an advice line and training.
Legal help and advice - affordable
Advocacy and Mediation Consultants Founded by renowned expert Fiona Slomovic, who will help you negotiate with your Local Authority and support you through a tribunal.
SEN SAS Run by Sunil Chothi, this independent advisory service operates in London and outside counties. Sunil regularly helps with families needing ABA in an EHCP.
Suggested reading
Here's our list of books that feature ABA, complete with links to buy on Amazon (although here might not be cheapest - but you can see the front cover and reviews):
By Sarah Pounder
A true story about a British mum's fight to get her son's educational needs met via ABA.
Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family's Triumph over Autism
By Catherine Maurice
The book that started many of us on our ABA journey, by a US mum.
A Parent's Guide to Coping with Autism
By Sarah Ziegel
This book is by a mum with four autistic boys and 14 years of ABA under her belt.
A Seat at the Table: Families Affected by Autism (digital book)
By Karola Dillenburger, Mickey Keenan and Stephen Gallagher
A look at the UK market and the reasons why ABA is being denied to parents.
The Loving Push: How Parents and Professionals Can Help Spectrum Kids Become Successful Adults
By Temple Grandin and Debra Moore
A guide about preparing your child for life as an adult, with steps on building motivation and what to avoid. Includes eight real-life stories told by people with ASD.
The Complete Guide to Autism Treatments
By Dr S Freeman
This book looks at over 30 autism approaches and assesses them according to their evidence backing.
Tales from the Table: Lovaas/ABA Intervention with Children on the Autistic Spectrum
By Margaret Anderson
Five young boys with ASD and their home ABA programmes.
The Verbal Behavior Approach: How to Teach Children with Autism and Related Disorders
By Mary Lynch Barbera
The parent of an autistic child and a BCBA explains the VB approach.
Motivation and Reinforcement: Turning the Tables on Autism
By Robert Schramm
A guide to home-based ABA/VB programmes.
By Ron Leaf and John McEachin
A collection of ideas and programmes for building skills, as well as strategies for dealing with challenging behaviours.
By Eileen Lamb
Written by an autistic mum to a severely autistic boy who has found ABA to be helpful.
Video clips
ABA is tailor-made for and individualised to each child's needs. These sample videos show how different each child's programme is:
Jack Riley:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5xxKC5xNMGo&feature=share
Sean and helping prevent self-injury:
http://www.skyboundtherapies.co.uk/aba-self-injury-seans-story/
Eli Allen, hf autistic young man who had ABA talks about his experience.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd4cqn0PWxk
Colin Butler, who now speaks 12 languages.
http://www.wach.com/m/news/story?id=1139777
Alex Lowery - hf autistic young man talks about how ABA helped him
https://www.facebook.com/AlexLoweryspeaksaboutautism
Advice by Temple Grandin to parents.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152953349082780
ABA4ALL video/Jack Skiing!
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=771307006280448
ABA Maths
https://www.facebook.com/joanne.cockayne.9/videos/977199882331421/
ABA and turn taking
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8O53Zz8g-cs&feature=youtu.be
Jane Asher - longstanding President of the NAS, in her advisory role to the Association of Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT) talks of the need for evidence-based therapies
Part-1
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jxQUwZFTBCg&feature=youtu.be
Part-2
Part-3
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yJhjg0vGK7k
Official documents that mention ABA
To our delight, UK professional bodies are increasingly issuing guidance mentioning ABA. Take a look at these, as you might find them handy when talking to educational and medical professionals who might not be particularly open to ABA.
Transforming Care: Model Service Specifications - Supporting Implementation of the Service Model
From NHS England, this is a resource for commissioners to develop service specifications to support implementation of the national service model for people with a learning disability and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges, including those with a mental health condition.
Contains many references to ABA and behaviour analysis eg page 9, 16, 18 etc.
See pages 9, 14 and 16.
The British Psychological Society: Working with Autism - Best Practice Guidelines for Psychologists
See page 24 and 33 in particular.
See page 6: "Behavioural interventions may be considered to address a wide range of specific behaviours, including those that challenge, in children and young people with ASD, both to reduce symptom frequency and severity and to increase the development of adaptive skills."
See page 23: "Access to support from staff trained in applied behaviour analysis-based technologies (eg Picture Exchange Communication System, discrete trial training, task analysis, prompting, fading or shaping) to build independence in adaptive, communication and social skills should be considered for children with ASD."
This guide looks at the effectiveness of interventions. While not saying the words ABA, it looks at prompting, modelling and reinforcement, as well as PRT, DTT and behavioural interventions.
LEAs and NHS Trusts that employ ABA professionals
Does your LA try to fob you off by saying they don't do ABA? Below is a list of where BCBAs or other ABA professionals (such as those with an MSc in ABA) are being employed out of the public purse. ABA is now actually becoming a part of the establishment and not "something just for Americans or wacky" as some doubters will tell you. So please give this list to your LA and let's help spread the word:
Note: LAs - we've not included those which simply house ABA schools, as these may be operated by independent charities (not state-run, albeit vast majority of kids there will be state-funded). NHS Trusts - usually these are in CAMHS or for challenging behaviour services, or in adult autism and/or learning disability services, often under the banner PBS.
Note: Other boroughs are employing firms such as Child Autism UK, Beam, All Behaviour Consultancy, Skybound, Dimensions and many other ABA firms or solo practitioners extensively on the public purse to provide ABA at home or in schools (or both) but usually on contract, not an in-house basis. They like to keep it fairly quiet though, in case (in the immortal words of one rather more honest senior LA bod we talked to) "everyone will move here if they find out we do ABA!"
Halton - LA and NHS service for challenging behaviour: BCBA is the principal manager in a team hosted by Halton Borough Council serving a range of local commissioners including the host borough, St Helens and Halton CCGs, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton local authorities. Six behavioural analysts and three assistant behaviour analysts.
Leicestershire - LA service to train school shadows run by BCBA, called Autism Outreach
Richmond/Kingston Upon Thames - state ABA mainstream unit Peartree overseen by BCBA who also consults for the LA on other ventures. Also NHS Trust is using ABA with adults.
Hillingdon - CAMHS LD team employs BCBA (part of CNWL NHS)
Harrow - CAMHS LD team employs BCBA (part of CNWL NHS)
Westminster - CAMHS LD team employs BCBA (part of CNWL NHS)
Southwark - LA employs ABA professional, a BCBA, in charge of its autism outreach service
Conwy - BCBAs in big local state school Ysgol Y Gogarth
Gwynedd - Employs an ABA professional to oversee ABA provision in a couple of its state special schools
Devon - LA employs a BCBA to oversee some ABA programmes
Medway - state school Dane Court uses ABA
Thurrock - ABA professionals in big local state school Treetops. Also Corbets Tey uses BCBA consultants. Plus more ABA schools planned e.g. free school Chatten
Windsor and Maidenhead - BCBAs employed in big state (free) ABA school Forest Bridge
Leeds - state (free) school Lighthouse employs ABA-trained staff
Herts - NHS CAMHS "PALMS" service employs several BCBAs
Hounslow - NHS Trust employs ABA staff
Havering - NHS Trust employs ABA staff
Harrow - BCBA employed by LA to oversee ABA programmes
South London and Maudsley - NHS Trust employs ABA staff. National Autism Unit using Positive Behaviour Support approach
Oxford - NHS Trust employs behavioural therapists for challenging behaviour using Positive Behaviour Support
Shropshire - BCBAs employed by LA for autism service
Yorkshire - Kings Mill state special school employs visiting BCBA consultants
Wolverhampton - now provides ABA as part of its official outreach service
Central Birmingham - LA employing an ABA professional in large state special school, Calthorpe
Bristol - LA and NHS Trust together commission PBSS (Positive Behaviour Support Service) with BCBAs
North Somerset - BCBA oversees school-based ABA programmes with opportunities for school TAs to train as RBTs in pilot project
Belfast, N Ireland - three Education and Library boards (similar to LAs) - North Eastern, Western and South Eastern - have approved some limited ABA input to kids' schooling
Liverpool - Council has asked ABA providers to complete a survey to gauge the interest for children and young people with SEND in educational settings. A step forward!
Alder Hey CAMHS also offers ABA.
Gloucestershire - LA employing PBS practitioners for challenging behaviour. MSc in ABA required in latest job ad, Nov. 17, BCBA 'desirable'.
London's Brent
State special schools Manor and Avenue offer ABA to pupils.
London's Kensington and Chelsea
CAMHS employs Behaviour Analysts to work with children.
Berkshire - NHS Trust employing Behaviour Therapists to work with people with learning disabilities
Sussex - NHS Trust employing Behaviour Support Practitioners to work with people with learning disabilities
Kent and Medway - NHS Trust employing Behaviour Therapists to work with people with learning disabilities and autism. Services expanded to include PBS for those without additional needs for emotional and behavioural distress.
Essex - Behaviour Advisers recruited for the social care team for children and adults.