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Across our Lizard Centres and in our families’ homes you will find our fully credentialed clinicians practicing what many have now come to refer to as Today’s ABA. This is a groundbreaking approach to Applied Behaviour Analysis that goes beyond traditional models to prioritise compassion, is trauma-assumed, and is oriented around a core set of values.
The benefits of this approach to your child’s care are significant and proven in giving them every opportunity that they deserve to lead an independent and personally meaningful life free of restriction.
At the heart of our commitment is the belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to thrive, express themselves, and lead a fulfilling life.
What is Today’s ABA?
Today’s ABA, also known as Compassionate ABA or Values-Based ABA therapy, is not just a therapy; it’s a philosophy, a way of understanding and connecting with each individual we serve.
Developed and championed by Dr. Gregory Hanley, Today’s ABA is rooted in the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis and incorporates a deep understanding of individual needs, preferences, and life contexts.
The Foundations of Today’s ABA Therapy
Listening and Understanding
Today’s ABA begins with listening—listening to the child and those who know them best. Understanding behaviour precedes attempting to change it. By adopting a trauma-assumed approach, we create a process that brings joy, empowers individuals, and reduces distress and discomfort throughout their journey.
Values Over Procedure
Unlike traditional Applied Behaviour Analysis, at Lizard we ensure our ABA therapy places values at the forefront. Safety, dignity, respect, listening to the learner, and rapport guide every decision we make. We believe that progress toward a learner’s goals should be achieved while upholding these fundamental values.
Our Commitment to Growth
At Lizard, we understand the importance of humility and continuous learning. Today’s ABA is not just a therapy; it’s a commitment to evolving, listening, and adapting in the best interests of those we serve.
What else makes Today’s ABA Therapy stand out?
1. Child-Led: Forget the traditional therapist-led approach. Today’s ABA places the child and family firmly in the driver’s seat. We follow the child’s interests and motivations, building therapy goals around what engages and excites them.
2. Empowering Through Self-Advocacy: Progressive Applied Behaviour Analysis recognises the vulnerability of children. We focus on empowering learners through prioritising self-advocacy skills above all else. It’s about working together with the child so they can discover the voice inside of themselves, to help them understand that it has power, and to help them learn how to use that power to express themselves, influence the world around them, and to make their own choices.
3. Teaching Socially Significant Behaviours: Social significance starts with what matters most to the child. We teach skills that the learner genuinely wants to acquire or skills that enhance their overall quality of life. It’s about shaping behaviours that make a real difference in their daily experiences.
4. Assent-Based Treatment: In Today’s ABA therapy, children have a say. They can opt out of treatment at any moment when they no longer want to participate. Assent-based care is key to creating an environment where children are happy, relaxed, and engaged. Achieving this makes children more likely to willingly participate in their treatment.
How Do We Design Your Child’s Learning Program?
Parental Interview:
Your dedicated Therapy supervisor will sit down to talk with you to make sure they fully understand your child’s current situation, including NDIS goals, likes, dislikes, strengths, and aspirations. There will be an open-ended interview component as well as a functional capacity assessment such as the Vineland completed in this phase.
Comprehensive Behavioural Assessment
Developmental assessment(s) are conducted, results collated, report prepared and discussed with family. Parents and Lizard clinicians contribute to this assessment. If your child has already had a developmental or cognitive assessment, please provide a copy of these reports to your local Lizard team during the intake process. It is important that we gather as much information as possible.
Initial therapy sessions:
These will occur in the location that is the most appropriate for your child given their strengths and learning objectives. Your clinician and the therapy team will begin by working with your child to build a positive relationship and then to build the foundational learning skills your child will use to branch out and learn in new ways.
Parental training and support:
At the beginning of your child’s therapy program their therapy supervisor will work together with you to build a set of individually tailored goals to help you support your child’s learning journey outside of their therapy sessions. In the initial three months you will go through an individually tailored training program to help build your skills to achieve those goals with your child through the use of Applied Behaviour Analysis. At the end of the first three months, progress and need will be re-evaluated to identify next steps in your parent learning process.
Throughout the duration of the autism therapy for children program:
Goals are broken down into teachable components. Procedure sheets are developed and implemented to teach new skills.
Once a new skill is learned, it is generalised across people, places, materials, and language.
Data are recorded every session to allow tracking of skill acquisition, learning rate, mastery, and generalisation.
Data are analysed by your child’s Therapist and BSS to inform decisions about skill and goal mastery. The development of SMART goals, breaking them down into teachable components, teaching for generalization of skills, and data collection and analysis are all key components of a quality Applied Behaviour Analysis program.
Parent meetings:
Included within your child’s therapy program will be periodic meetings with your clinician and the therapy and support team when deemed relevant. During these meetings your child’s progress across the home, school, and therapy environments will be discussed and adjustments may be made to ensure a consistent pattern of learning is taking place.
Every 6-12 months:
Progress is comprehensively reassessed and mapped against the developmental assessment with results expressed as a percentage of skills master in each domain. Results compared to previous development assessment testing results.
About Our Therapy Programs
Each program is family-centred and tailored to the individual needs of your child.
We have a strong focus on involving parents in the design and implementation of our therapy programs. Learning occurs in a child’s natural environment as far as possible, so we deliver our therapy in-home, in school/kindy/day care, or in one of our Lizard Centres.
Our industry-leading programs are founded in evidence-based practice, including Positive Behaviour Supports, Applied Behaviour Analysis and the Skill Based Treatment
Join Lizard on your child’s Journey
If you’re seeking a transformative and compassionate approach to ABA therapy, look no further than Lizard. We invite you to join us on this journey, where we prioritise the unique needs and rights of every individual.
Today’s ABA Therapy is not just a model; it’s a promise to create a positive and empowering environment for growth, learning, and joy. Let’s embark on this journey together, one that leads to a brighter and more inclusive future.
join a Lizard program
If you would like to learn more, please complete our Enquire Now Form or call our friendly Intake Team.
Contact us for more information
Find out how behaviours of concern can be addressed to give your child a better chance to learn. Get our Parent Info Pack and a free phone consultation to find out the range of options available for your child’s unique situation.
Call us on 1300 752 617
Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5pm (AEST)
