One of the biggest challenges parents often face is managing their child behaviour. Especially for parents of children with autism (ASD), behavioural challenges can be even greater due to the child’s skill deficiencies (i.e communication). For parents who want to be able to manage their child’s behaviour, help them gain the developmental skills they need to regulate their own behaviours, as well as teach them new skills, behavioural therapy techniques can prove very effective. https://childmind.org/article/managing-problem-behavior-at-home/ Behavioural therapy techniques are based on Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), an evidence-based intervention, especially for children with ASD. (Dillenburger, Keenan, Gallagher, McElhinney, 2009). ABA is a therapy based on the science of learning and behaviour. It applies our understanding of how behaviour works to real situations. The goal is to increase behaviours that are socially significant and helpful and decrease behaviours that are harmful or affect learning. ABA therapy interventions often aim to Increase language and communication skills, improve attention, focus, social skills, memory, and academics and decrease problem behaviours https://www.autismspeaks.org/applied-behavior-analysis-aba-0 Although ABA therapy is and should be provided by certified and experienced therapists, parent involvement in the treatment process has been found to be a factor that increases the likelihood of positive outcomes for the child (Crockett and Fleming, 2007). According to Gresham et al. (1999) ABA services for children with autism that include parent training result in greater outcomes for the child as compared to services without ABA parent training incorporated into the treatment. Giving parents of children with ASD useful parenting tools and knowledge, can lead to greater self-confidence, increase the chances of positive treatment outcomes, acceptance of life challenges and even generalisation of effective parenting skills to other children of the family. https://www.abaparenttraining.com/ ABA parent training could also result in better relationship dynamics between parents when they are both on board with implementing similar strategies with their child. Additionally, even families that do not run an ABA therapy programme, could greatly benefit from a parent training based on the principles of ABA as it can give them the knowledge they need to manage their child’s challenging behaviour, teach them important skills such as self-help skills, communication and social skills and pre-academic skills. The project has the following objectives: The project will bring together 6 European organisations to accomplish the following objectives: • To deliver training courses to directly train parents in behavioural techniques and, also, to deliver these courses to a target group of adult education trainers, in order to amplify and perpetuate the ripple effect of those courses • Design, test and publish an innovative training package for adult education trainers that will train the target group (parents) to acquire sufficient knowledge and understanding about ABA and parenting techniques based on the science of behaviour INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS/ACTIVITIES: The project will develop the following outputs: IO1: P+ Curriculum IO2: P+ trainer Manual IO3: P+ parent’s guide IO4: P+ app IO5: E-learning platform Two training activities will take place: C1: Training activity for the trainers: "Adult Education Trainers' P+ training" C2: Training activity for the parents: P+ parent training 6 Multiplier events (1 in each partner country) and 1 final International conference will contribute to the dissemination of the project's outputs and results. 2 Learning-Teaching-Training (LTT) activities: short term training event for adult education trainers (C1) and 1 short term training event for parents (C2) will be carried out resulting in trainers’ professional development, and parents’ parenting skills
The project is aimed to contribute to the training of parents of children with autism through non-formal education in ABA therapy. Using the learning tools we have developed, we want to teach parents how to create a real team with specialists in the recovery and social integration of their children. Parents' familiarity with ABA therapy is a positive aspect of the relationship dynamics between parents, with better outcomes for children when both agree to implement similar strategies for their own child. For parents, accessible, easy-to-read materials with concrete examples, have been developed to help them manage their child's challenging behaviour and teach them important skills such as self-help, communication and social skills. Therefore, targeting parents of children with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, the international cooperation within the project contributed to the development and presentation of a comprehensive training programme through a comprehensive educational tool.
Currently one of the greatest challenges that parents of children with disabilities face is managing their child's behaviour. Especially, for parents with autistic children, the behavioural challenges can be even greater due to multiple disabilities. Therefore, following the analysis of needs, it was found that parents need sustained and constant support from specialists in managing their children's behaviour. By developing educational alternatives for parents, they will be helped to acquire the skills they need to be able to support their children, to regulate their own behaviour and to learn therapeutic techniques, which can be very effective in the process of social integration of children. Both internationally and nationally, there is a sustained and growing effort to contribute to the growth and support of children with autism. In Romania, for example, the battle is even more difficult without the government support towards research and therapy costs. Many organisations, along with parents, are struggling to provide much-needed therapy to children.