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Dave Collyer
MemberWe are looking for an experienced therapist to work with our son in Victoria, BC.
Candidates MUST be available between the hours of 9am and 3pm. End goal is to advocate for the candidate to be hired by the District post haste (transitioning from our home program into the school system as our son's ABA Special Educational Assistant).
Criminal Record Check required.
Current First Aid certification an asset.
University or college course work in Child Development, SW, Psych or related fields also an asset.
Ideally candidates will possess a depth of experience working within the field of ABA Autism Therapy BUT we are willing to consider and train (within our home program) those who are new or newer to the field.email: drcollyer (*at) shaw (*dot) ca
Dave.
Member[This post has been removed because it is part of a thread containing posts that violate FEAT BC Discussion Group rules.]
Member[This post has been removed because it is part of a thread containing posts that violate FEAT BC Discussion Group rules.]
Member[This post has been removed because it is part of a thread containing posts that violate FEAT BC Discussion Group rules.]
MemberHi Alicia,
Welcome. You might get more of a response if you post an email address. I think some people might be "shy" about posting critiques of Consultants on line in a public forum.
Anyway… the "overwhelmed" feelings will start to subside after time… to reoccur later… to subside again… kind of the like the tide coming in and out. It's OK…. just float along with it. You will be OK.
MemberHi folks,
I hope everyone is seeing this conversation as a set of issues to be talked about and not as personal attacks it's how I am viewing them.
1.Observation: From my perspective "Hewko" is NOT the touchdown our collective initial hopes and hype made it out to be. Reality – it is a single ruling focused on remediating the issues found in the Hewko's situation. It is NOT a new law or statute. It is not a Charter revision entrenching rights. It is a single example of Tort Law that might be utilized and should lend great weight to your case should one litigate or perhaps during an appeals process under Section 11 of the school act. IMO Hewko can also be utilized as a back ground or context when discussing issues and negotiating with your local district. Alone it is not a guarantee. Alone it means next to nothing as Districts entrench and react to litigation threats by simply withdrawing from the discussion (they know what litigation costs don't even go there unless you mean it and have a big war chest of CASH). As such it is FAR better IMO to talk with your districts. Develop policy just as Surrey and Victoria districts have done. Work in partnership. Work with the child as the centre of the discussion (as Dave Chan suggests dur how quickly that point is lost once the other factors and political agendas come into play refocus the discussion on the child or children ). Amazing things can be done. Just undertook to hire a short term replacement for our son's SEA who was injured falling after-hours. So far no roadblocks and only assistance. Process based on policy should completed soon. Aron, our son, remains the focus of the discussion.
2. Question: What has changed since Victoria and Surrey worked to develop policy? From my perspective not much and every thing. Every thing has changed as now there is a formal process to bring ABA into the schools in these two districts. It has been acknowledged and demonstrated as possible and workable. Huge! Massive! Celebrate this. Having made this point also recognize that not much has changed within these two districts prior to policy development parents had to negotiate on a case by case basis advocate, negotiate, appeals, and even litigate. Guess what you can still do that in Surrey and Victoria. EVERY decision made at the school or district level is appealable. If they shut you out and you feel that you have a valid argument that the school based plan is not appropriate you can go there. Appeal. Same as before Justice Koenigsberg made her ruling in 2006 on that note no revolution in services in any district that I know of as a result of Hewko. 5 years and counting. Surrey and Victoria where else? Nanaimo has a job description posted but not much going on (??? ). North Van had some grumblings about VB-ABA happening I think… anywhere else working things out?
3. Question: When you hire a new therapist what do you look for? Do you look for experience, depth of knowledge, education, good references (which will ultimately express depth of experience and knowledge). I know I do and… well…I suspect and hope that the school boards do the same sort of thing, and from my perspective the "1000 hours" is an effort to capture exactly that – experience and knowledge. As an aside here in Victoria (and I think in Surrey) the "1000 hours" is also enhanced by a skills evaluation matrix which is completed by the Consultant and Parent.
Can the 1000 hours issue be a problem? YOU BET… During the hiring process for the 2010-11 school year our "candidate" for our son's SEA worker was lacking hours. She frankly was excellent but lacked "time in the field". We negotiated a variance on policy by satisfying the District that she had the requisite skills and knowledge. We also undertook to have any "growing edges" addressed by having both our consultant and program coordinator available when needed and as needed to offer support at the school. In our conversations we came to the 1000 hour issue.. and addressed it for what it is an effort to capture skills and knowledge if there are other avenues to ensure that the requisite skills exist then I found the District was willing and able to flex re policy. Focus was on Aron.
4. re Choice and 1000 hours. I get it I do we faced the same issue and found a way to address it. I do see the value in the "1000 hour" threshold though. It is simply an effort to capture "excellence". Once an employee of a district the SEA remains an employee. Families move on. The employee has a right to remain. Labour Laws… what do we want? An SEA who is in the system as a family new to ABA referred a home based therapist to the school system… when… they were new to ABA and unable to tell the difference from a skilled ABA practitioner vs. a really great baby sitter? There has to be some criteria. If not 1000 hours what? What should the criteria be? A referral from a parent who lacks knowledge (they exist… here and there… lol). I know when we first began ABA with Aron I hired poorly in two cases… once for a consultant and once for a therapist. They seemed to know what was what… and I knew not much even with a degree in Psych. that focused on Behavioralism. If not 1000 hours… WHAT criteria do you think the District should adopt? I simply do not see any District simply accepting just any old person the parent suggests… not gonna happen IMO in a systematic way. I don't want it to happen. Excellence is what is needed. Capture it for me. If not 1000 hours … what?
5. re Instructional Control. Again, it is a function of the programs in place and the skills the practitioner possesses. A strong candidate can establish instructional control quickly. This is very different then "learning on the job". The skills, knowledge and experience captured in 1000 hours should be strong such a practitioner will learn the nuances of the programs quickly, adapt and adopt strategies while the consultant ensures instructional fidelity across environments. YES there will be a testing period which is always such awesome fun but this is not "learning on the job".
6. re Home Based Therapists the sad part is when the become School Based therapists they are NO LONGER our employees. They take direction from the classroom teacher, principal, and or non enrolling Spec Ed teacher. It is key to work with these people to see that the IEP is developed so as to include School ABA programming. It is no longer a hone program it is a school program in our situation SCHOOL programs now come home not the other way around. Trippy. :0)
Have a good one.
MemberHi folks,
Ducky, I don't think anyone has anything "against" Hewko. I am sure we all found that particular legal decision to be very encouraging. My caution to parents is to know the limits of the decision and the implications for using it when talking with school based admin..
re "How does 1000 hours of someone else's child help with someone totally different? "
From my perspective the person with 1000 hours will arrive with knowledge and skills developed under supervision. They will be able to quickly adopt and adapt to the specific program your child works in. We have had therapists that work with our son who also have four or five clients. They follow the programs that are specific to each child and they do so quickly. My point is that it is the program that serves to establish instructional control… not the person. Yes the therapist needs to establish themselves as credible in the eyes of the child but this can be established relatively quickly (after a testing period).
re. Instructional Control – yup. We agree. It is key. Ideally there will be a seamless transition from home to school with the key Therapist transitioning from home to school. However, I also think it is possible for a skilled ABA SEA (should the district have such a person) to quickly establish Instructional Control if he or she implements programs designed by a qualified consultant and supervised by said consultant in the school environment. This is different from on the job training to establish skills and theory. It is similar to having a new therapist join your team who has skills developed over the years of work he or she has done with other families. We have had a number of such workers join our teams over the years and they quickly fit in with the wrinkles our son's program presents and quickly establish instructional control (after a week or so of our son "TESTING" them).
re. "1000" hours. On top of ensuring that potential candidates have skills… It actually serves a covert purpose – the districts using this standard simply do not have skilled ABA therapists with this level of experience. This opens the process up for hiring of home based therapists. :0) It will, one day, be possible that the districts will have therapists on staff with this level of qualification. In such a situation the "infra-structure" gap the Justice refers to in Hewko will have been bridged which may also be a good thing.
I do get your point and hope… you would like to have the option or choice of selecting from your home based team whom will work with your child at school. I do think that this will be a particularly difficult option to see districts accept and adopt as policy – not that it cannot be done – just that getting it done will be a challenge. There is a responsibility on the part of the School System to ensure that their staff meet certain criteria (CRC which we all should do, minimal skill sets working with children etc). Perhaps some sort of half way point might be easier to work out. One in which the District allows the parent to "nominate" a candidate who would then be screened by the District for credentials and skills, and if meeting them would be accepted. Issues will continue to arise though with union postings and seniority. In each case of the District hiring from our home team the posting has gone "external" (open to anyone with the qualifications to apply to) as no internal candidates meeting the job description criteria have been on staff. Once posted externally our home based therapists can apply and each time they have been hired. We are about to attempt a mid-late year repeat as our son's SEA (previously our home program's therapist) has injured her elbow (off the job). It will be an interesting situation as the wheels turn slowly.
re. "poaching" of therapists. Happens all the time. A private school hired away a super super super lead and our son's school based SEA. So sad to see her move on BUT it was in her best interest to seek out new situations so she could continue to grow and develop skills. (We miss you A.O. – lol) We've also lost therapists to other families over the years… it is part of life. Shrug. Move on. Find and train another. Oh heh… we've lost 5 therapists to the dreaded Masters in ABA programs. We train 'em they move on to graduate work to become consultants. Good for us all in the long run but a real drag to find another and another and another super awesome therapist to replace them with. Sad-Happy moments.
Anyway, this forum formate does not lend itself well to "debates". So slow. No immediate feedback so you can check w the other person about what they meant or intended to say. Hope things work out for you. Know that to bring ABA into the schools have succeeded in the past (Surrey, Victoria, Nanaimo, possibly North Shore). Each has it's own wrinkles and issues but ABA is happening in schools and is being successful at addressing needs. It can work. It is working. Keep on keeping on.
D.
MemberCan we please upgrade this forums software? EDIT options at least? Bring it up to at least the year 2000 forum BBS software?
MemberDang this forum board is archaic… no edits… blarg!
My point below… these arrangements were worked out with two District Admin Spec Ed Staff over the last two years. They are formalized and now reflect district policy. It has been a long process rooted back with some of the original FEAT members about 17 years ago who did need to battle.. who have had those people with whom they developed relationships with retire only to start the fight again and again going thru section 11 appeals etc… Now… it is POLICY. There is a formal process for developing a school based ABA program that reflects the home program… coordinated by the consultant hired by the parents in partnership with the District Staff and local school based staff.
Member"I am sorry but I do not agree with you all about a good District person because frankly the system has to change. Suppose there is a good person or two…..What if that good person moves on or retires? Who's listening then? "
Again take another look Ducky. The process has been formalized. Job description exists and is part of the CUPE local contract. Hiring policy and procedures are in place. Evaluation process for Consultant credential evaluations are in place.
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