UK Young Autism Project’s fully-staffed core programmes provide a centre of excellence in treatment and the clinical training and development of staff.
Tutor
Tutors work directly with the children on a 1:1 basis in the child’s home and/or shadow the child within a nursery or school setting. A tutor is part of a team which typically includes another tutor, senior tutor, consultant, and the child’s parents. We employ all ABA tutors working on our Fully-Staffed Core Programmes. The most likely candidates are usually, but not exclusively: psychology or education graduates; undergraduate psychology (or other field) students completing a professional placement year; graduate students completing a clinical placement or work experience alongside their studies and research. We also employ some tutors with a child care qualification, good A-level grades, or similar background.
An applicant does not need to have special credentials or previous experience to be a good tutor. We believe that all the procedures we employ can be mastered by most people. Dependability and open-mindedness are important characteristics in an applicant.
All new tutors receive extensive hands-on training, working directly with a trained member of staff. New tutors also receive training in the theory and research of the UCLA model of EIBI. ABA tutor training and quality control meets a consistent standard that was originally developed as part of the UCLA multi-site Young Autism Project.
Tutors receive ongoing training and supervision via weekly team meetings for each child they are working with, direct supervision sessions from a senior tutor and consultant, and a number of additional training seminars.
The organisation promotes career development; talented tutors will have the opportunity to progress to become senior tutors.
UK Young Autism Project has been directly involved in the creation of the UK ABA Education Competencies Framework.
Senior Tutor
Senior tutors oversee tutors on a child’s team on our Fully-Staffed Core Programmes, and conduct their own teaching sessions, as well as receiving on going training themselves via team meetings and consultant supervision. The senior tutor also works closely with the child’s parents, who are an important part of the team.
Senior tutors have the opportunity to develop their theoretical knowledge via a series of classes across one year, supervised by a senior member of staff. Those senior tutors that are more experienced have the opportunity to gain substantial sponsorship from UKYAP to complete a MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis.
A senior tutor may have the opportunity to progress to train to become a consultant, which requires a broad experience of working with different types of learner and a number of years of close supervision from UKYAP consultants and directors.
Consultant
A consultant is responsible for designing and overseeing a child’s programme to ensure their particular needs are met. Supervising tutors and senior tutors and providing ongoing training forms a major part of the role, as well as working closely with the child’s parents.
The consultant receives regular direct supervision and feedback from a more senior consultant, or a director, for each child they work with on the Fully-Staffed Core Programme. This means they continue to develop skills and benefit from sharing of ideas across the organisation. Consistency and maintenance of approach is also ensured.
Consultants attend a development and planning meeting once every six months in which they may receive additional specific training and are able to contribute ideas to the overall development of the company.
Those consultants that are Board Certified Behaviour Analysts (BCBA) receive funding from UKYAP to maintain their continuing education units (CEUs).
Additional training and supervision at UKYAP
Our clinical and research director, Professor Svein Eikeseth, is based at Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway. He visits UKYAP three times per year for several days per visit. During this time, he visits children to provide supervision and feedback, provides training seminars for staff, and oversees research projects.
Some senior tutors and all consultants have the opportunity to attend a staff meeting with all senior staff once every two months. During this time, clinical issues and company policies and procedures are discussed.
Annual safeguarding training is conducted by UKYAP, for all staff members.