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ABA services can meet your child where they need help most, whether that’s in a clinic, at home, or in school.

Clinic-Based ABA Therapy: Learning Skills in a Structured Setting

Many families are surprised when they discover that clinic-based ABA therapy often looks a lot like play, and that’s for a good reason! If you look closely, you’ll see that ABA therapy relies on the heart of successful learning: enjoyment, positive reinforcement, and motivation.

When you step inside the clinic, you’re greeted by friendly faces and a room filled with toys and games. Warm shades of blues, greens, and yellows cover the walls and floors. All across the room, everyday routines like snack time and playtime offer endless chances to learn.  

On the carpet, a child learns to interact with other children by asking for a turn with their favorite bouncy ball. At the snack table, another child requests “more, please” by using his iPad. Over by the sensory swing, another child practices saying “go!” when she wants her therapist to push her. As she swings back and forth, her face lights up.

Throughout the clinic, therapists are using different types of positive reinforcement: praise and high-fives for one child, bubbles for another, and even a game of hide-and-seek. Because everyone’s motivation differs, ABA therapists switch up reinforcers based on what the child likes most in that moment.

While ABA in the clinic setting is a great place to learn and grow, the goal is always for children to take what they’ve learned into their homes and communities.

In-Home ABA Therapy: Building Skills in Everyday Routines

In-home ABA therapy comes in all shapes and sizes to fit each household, but the mission remains the same: learning through enjoyment.

In one household, you might see a child and therapist work through an after-school routine, prepare a snack, or use a visual schedule to complete chores. In another home, the child and therapist sit on the floor playing a card game to practice sharing with siblings, taking turns, or handling the disappointment of losing. You’ll see positive reinforcement throughout the session, whether that’s praise, earning time to play video games, or playing tag with the whole family.  

Ultimately, the goal is to meet families wherever they’re at so children learn skills through ABA that make everyday life easier, more meaningful, and joyful.

School-Based ABA Therapy: Supporting Skills in the Classroom

Sometimes children need extra support beyond what their school can provide. While ABA services aren’t a replacement for academics, they can work alongside educational services. For example, ABA can help a child focus in the classroom during their least favorite class, work through challenging transitions in the cafeteria, or socialize with peers at recess. If a child also receives ABA therapy at home or in the clinic, in-school ABA is a great way to ensure social and coping skills carry over into the child’s outside world.

Just like home- or clinic-based ABA, positive reinforcement is a vital part of school-based ABA. Goals and reinforcement are individualized based on what motivates each child in a way that’s appropriate for the school setting. This might include praise, earning time with a favorite activity, or taking a short break.

Collaboration is the key to successful in-school ABA. When teachers, parents, and ABA therapists sit around a table together to make sure everyone’s on the same page about which behavioral strategies to use and how to provide positive reinforcement at school, the child flourishes. As a child’s skills grow, ABA services will slowly fade into the background, with the final goal of handing over interventions and strategies to school staff so the child can become as independent as possible.

How to Choose the Right ABA Therapy Setting for Your Child

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to ABA. The right setting depends on your child’s individual strengths, needs, goals, and where ABA services will have the most impact.

At Golden Steps ABA, we work with families to understand what matters most for their child and family so we can recommend services based on the child’s individual needs. Our goal isn’t simply for children to be successful during ABA sessions. We want the skills they learn to help them communicate, participate, build relationships, gain independence, and succeed in the places and moments that make up each day of their life.