Continuing Your Child’s Growth at Home
Our children work hard at our clinics, developing new skills that can make their day-to-day lives easier. When you know more about how ABA therapy works, it’s easier to support their growth after they leave the clinic at the end of the day. That’s why we developed the ROOT Caregiver Training program to help caregivers apply the concepts of ABA therapy at home.
Just like a tree is supported by its roots, your child is supported by you. We wanted to create a program that celebrates the strong foundation our families provide and helps give them a deeper understanding of ABA therapy. That's why we called this program ROOT, which stands for Reinforcing Outcomes and Ongoing Training.
What are the goals of the ROOT program?
You know your child better than anyone, and ROOT combines that knowledge of your child with the expertise of your child’s BCBA to work toward goals that matter to your family. During caregiver guidance sessions, our three main goals are to:
1. Increase your understanding of ABA therapy and how it works.
2. Give you strategies you can use outside of therapy.
3. Build your confidence in responding to a variety of situations.
What happens during a ROOT session?
• Weekly Wins – Your child's BCBA shares celebrations and progress your child has made in the past week.
• Key Concept – You are introduced to a new ABA therapy concept.
• Putting it into Practice – Your child’s BCBA will accompany you onto the clinic floor so that you can observe this concept in action.
• Caregiver Check-in and Extension – You will talk to your child’s BCBA about how to apply this concept at home.
• Final Thoughts – Your child’s BCBA will review data showing your child’s progress, discuss any other topics you want to bring up, and answer any questions to have.
What kinds of things will I learn?
The program starts by teaching ten basic ABA therapy topics, which can help you better understand the concepts behind ABA therapy. You’ll also get more familiar with the terminology that your child’s BCBA and RBTs use and learn some key strategies you can implement at home.
After you master the basics, the ROOT curriculum becomes even more individualized. You and your child’s BCBA can choose additional courses based on your child’s needs and your family’s priorities. That might mean more lessons about things like potty training, improving sleep, making mealtime easier, increasing communication, or building social skills.
Our ROOT program gives you a deeper look into your child’s time at Bloomwell, gives you a place to ask questions, teaches strategies your child’s team is using, allows you to practice new skills, and provides some one-on-one time with your child’s BCBA. While your child may spend part of their week at Bloomwell learning with us, you are the person who knows them best. Our goal is to give you a better understanding of their time at Bloomwell and the tools you need to support their progress at home.
ABA therapy isn't only about what your child can do inside a treatment room. We want children to be able to use their growing skills during the moments that make up everyday life, at home, at school and out in their community. Caregivers are an essential part of making that happen, and the ROOT program helps set up families for success after they leave the clinic!
