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[Deleted User]

Warning this is LONG ;-)

Hiring and Keeping your team:

I just wanted to add some of my experiences that will hopefully benefit some of you out there who are new to the game.

Staff turnover is a horrid part of the struggle. YOu think when you start that once you have a program, life will be easier – the reality is the fun is JUST beginning!!

Now you have people who contract to you, you have staff to oversee, meetings to run, schedules to make (the bain of my existence!!!) and paychecks to write. Yes, plainly put, it sucks but welcome to your life, here is some tips that I have learned the hard way :-)

Avoid sweet young women who love playing with children. THey are sweet and have great intentions but usually have great difficulty with behavioural interventions. ABA isn't always fun and games, particularly in the beginning.

Don't avoid hiring men. I know there has been some discussion about concerns of hiring men. If you are concerned about this with men on the team, you should also consider the sexual predators and can be women too. Video tape sessions, use a baby monitor at all times, whatever it takes but don't prejudge men. A large majority of children with autism are male. Boys need male role models. When you consider that our therapists are a large part of our child's life, it makes sense that they work with males. I've heard many a story from my consultant about boys in grade 3-6 who cross their legs like girls and use high pitched voices. We teach our children to imitate from the world around them but we must remember that they do not always understand social cues and that they may not realize it is not cool to sit and talk like a girl. We need to expose them to guys so that they act like guys. And as for our girls, it is important that they are used to working with males because the day will come where they will have a male teacher. Generalization should occur across the sexes as well is my point. Enough said.

Where to find both male and female therapists? Universities are your best bet. Anyone can learn to play with a child. Almost anyone can learn the basics of discrete trial. HOwever it takes an intelligent person to understand the complexity of discrete trial, the principles of ABA and most importantly to understand that knowing the basics of ABA does not make you an expert. I have seen too many therapists with minimal training think that they know it all and that they can make programming decisions or worse create their own interventions. ONly the intelligent ones understand how little they truly know. I can not emphasize that enough!!!

I should point out that there are lots of intelligent people who are not or have not gone to University. THey can be hard to find. Advertising at universities increases your chances of finding intelligent people.

Another bonus to recruiting from academics is a pool of people who may have a better grasp of data collection, science and who may be interested in this line of work not for the money but for the experience.

WHen interviewing, always ask people about their long term goals. Where do you plan to be in one year, in five years. If they plan to be working in marketing in one year, it may not be worth it to train them to have them leave soon.

Network with others in your area. This is especially true if you share the same consultant or consulting group. You don't want to overlap too much with some one else's team but by working together you can share some quality therapists who are looking for more work.

Look for energetic people. THey should be bubbly and alive. AVoid people who say they have a lot of experience but seem lifeless. Energetic people are reinforcing, walking dead are not. Energy is more important than experience.

Always search for new therapists. I am constantly looking and recruiting. When I meet someone who seems perfect for the job I tell them about what we do. If I am not in need, I pass them on elsewhere. Do the same. WHat comes around goes around.

don't be afraid of green.

As for managing your team:
divide up your responsibilities. One parent I know has one therapist in charge of photocopying, one in charge of updating materials etc.

We follow a model where we have one sr. therapist who is in charge of keeping materials current, photocopying or letting me know what needs to be copied, updating programs based on consultants requests, moving programs along through various steps.

Look for possible leaders. Give them responsiblity, don't forget to pay them for it.

Therapists need to be reinforced too. Give them raises regularly. It doesn't have to be huge, its the point that matters. Don't start out paying too high or you won't be able to do this. We've given .25 cent raises with the explanation that we know they are worth so much more but this is all we can afford. Tell them how great they are. Tell them how much you appreciate them. Listen to their feedback. Try to keep current with what is going on in their lives.

Therapists have lots of reasons for quitting, here are a few that are common:
-feeling as though their opinion does not matter. Try to open to what they have to say. Sometimes it might not be justifiable or sometimes its just not in lign with what is going on. But listen, don't be defensive and then calmly explain why it is not going to work or take it into consideration.
-not feeling like what they are doing is making a difference. If a therapist is commenting on this review what is happening on your team. Are programs moving along? Is your consultant on top of things? Is the therapist a skilled therapist or does the problem lie there? If so, then their leaving is for the best. If not, they something is stagnant on your team.
-They don't enjoy the work. Its not for everyone, good riddance if it is not for them.
-they are moving on in life, marriage, pregnancy, grad school, joining the rat race. Life happens. If you are in touch with their lives you can see most of this coming. Start recruiting asap.
-Here is a hard one for us parents to accept – we are difficult to work for. Sometimes we are. are you nice to your team? see my notes about reinforcing. I share your pain about opening up your house, the constant schedule, the difficulties of having a child with autism – I have two of em and two teams so trust me I KNOW – but don't take it out on your team. Be pleasant as much as possible, remind your team that you appreciate them but that this is your private space and hopefully they will respect that. Don't argue with your therapists unless they are way off base. Try to listen to their views. Explain rationally why an idea won't work.
-Dont' treat your team as if they are babysitters or daycare. If they are, your team is not really an ABA team. ABA and daycare are not the same thing. Treat your therapists as professionals. This is not to say that you can't have them do outings or activities with your kids. THose are good things but pay them as therapists and expect them to act as therapists by incorporating principles of ABA into these activities.

And finally do a search for postings by Nancy Walton because she has posted some in the past about training new people on an ongoing basis and her ideas were awesome!

HOpe this helps

Michelle (mother of Breanna and Griffen)

[Deleted User]

Lisa Graham, could you please drop me a line as I may have some useful info for you in regards to your post (By Lisa Graham (Graham2) on Thursday, September 12, 2002 –
02:34 pm:)
.

alexbarclay@shaw.ca

[Deleted User]

FROM FRUSTRATED TO TEARS

A special thank you to Dave for taking the time to add some light to my day. It is a comfort to know that I'm not the only one out there.

[Earl Friesen]

This message is for Parents of Autistic children who have or will have their children attend school in the Surrey School district.

Please pass this on to anyone relevant that may not get messages via FEAT postings.

Autistic Children in Surrey would benefit from better-trained SEA’s in Surrey.

One way we can move toward this is by presenting our needs to the Surrey Support Centre (Special Needs).

I would be willing to participate and contribute to this and other ideas.

We will need support from each other to provide better resources for our children and other children who will be entering school.

Please contact me, email is best and I will continue to pursue this together with the group of respondents.

Hope is eternal.

Earl Friesen
Q's Dad

[David Bridges]

Nenad Ivanovic and Mr. or Mrs. Qualizza:

Sorry to use this board for this purpose, but I really need to get in touch with you regarding
someone who has applied for a therapist position.

I've tried leaving messages but there has been no response.

Please call me at 604-913-3343 or 604-306-7429. Or you can email me at dbridges1@shaw.ca

Thanks for your help,

Dave Bridges

[Deleted User]

In response to frustrated.

We have found the turnover of therapists difficult as well. We employ only one therapist now as well as a housekeeper/babysitter to assist in running the household throughout the day. This allows us (parents) to work as therapists too. Though this arrangement is not for everyone we have found it more productive, cost effective, and better for our child as we are somewhat more effective than the staff we had previously.

[David Bridges]

Just a note to commiserate with Anonymous. We have a WONDERFUL team now; very loyal and hardworking. But there really isn't any solution to the high turnover (other than careful screening). You have to remember that the cohort group we recruit from:

a. usually are students,
b. do not consider this a lifetime vocation, and,
c. are young and therefore their lives are subject to a great deal of change.

All this plus the fact that the pay and benefits are low/non-existent adds up to a high turnover rate.

I'm sure none of this is news to you. I've been through this before and felt like wringing a few necks from time to time. Now I just try to create the best working atmosphere that I can for our 'staff', and accept the limited control that I have over these things.

I find it helps to approach my child's program as if it was a business, with staffing issues, morale, politics, etc.: the 'business', if you will, of his well-being.

Take care. Things usually work out in the end.

In sympathy,

Dave B.

[Mayfawny Goertzen]

EXPERIENCED ABA THERAPIST REQUIRED – LANLEY CITY

Looking for a caring, reliable, devoted experienced ABA therapist to join our team.
REQUIREMENTS:
– available 2-3 shifts/week
– attend bi-weekly team meetings
– weekend shifts bi-weekly
If you know of anyone who would like to work with my 6 year old daughter please send them my way.
Thanx for your help,
Mayfawny
email derber101@hotmail.com

[Deleted User]

FRUSTRATED TO TEARS – DOES ANYONE CARE ?

I am so tired of hiring therapists, taking the time to train them ONLY to have them leave my daugher's team. I wish there was a company that did the hiring of the therapist for us. It seems that everyone is having the same problem I am.

I am not a very good manager and I would never apply for such. This was just thrown in my lap and it's been a real burden on me. Does anyone know of a SENIOR THERAPIST or someone who could help me ?

Desperate Mom !!!!

[Melodie Pilloud]

Hello Lisa, I saw your post this morning…Please call Surrey Memorial Hospital, they are now doing what Sunny Hill is and in way less the time. But you will have to get a child psychologist as well. But if it helps you to get your diagnosis faster I think you should try it. Hope you don't mind my 2 cents. Best of luck, Melodie (Ty's mom)

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