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Why Choose ABA Group Therapy?

OCTOBER 30, 2024

As a parent, finding the right therapy for your child can feel overwhelming. You want something that meets their unique needs while supporting their growth in meaningful ways. At Surrey Place, we understand these concerns, and that’s why we offer ABA Group Therapy – a suite of services that foster growth in a supportive, social environment.

We caught up with our Autism Director, Dr. Nancy Freeman, to learn more about the key benefits of ABA Group Therapy and answer some common questions from families.

What is ABA Group Therapy?

Dr. Nancy Freeman: ABA Group Therapy offers children a structured, engaging environment to build essential life skills. It’s more than just learning – it’s about building relationships, improving social interactions, and gaining confidence through peer engagement.

What’s the difference between individual ABA therapy and group ABA therapy?

Dr. Freeman: In our individual ABA therapy, children work with one of our dedicated therapists in one-on-one sessions. This individualized interaction is for children who are not yet group-ready to work on skill domains in a completely customizable service, allowing them to work on goals at their own pace.

Our ABA Group Therapy sessions, on the other hand, are offered in small group environments and are great for children and teens who learn well in social settings. Regardless of what you choose, your child will be building essential skills and growing in confidence and independence.

What are the benefits of ABA Group Therapy?

Dr. Freeman: There are many benefits of group therapy! Some of the key ones include:

  • Social skill development – Children interact with peers, learning valuable social skills like turn-taking, listening and responding, and problem-solving. These skills help foster positive relationships both in the group and beyond.
  • Confidence-building – Our small group settings provide a safe space for children to practice new skills and build their confidence. Over time, they’ll gain confidence as they learn to successfully navigate social situations with their peers.
  • Fun and engaging learning – Our ABA Group Therapy sessions are designed to be interactive and fun, ensuring that our children stay motivated and engaged throughout the sessions.

What types of group services are available within ABA Group Therapy?

Dr. Freeman: We offer a wide range of fun and engaging group services for different ages that are designed to meet your child’s needs and developmental goals. Currently, for the winter season, some of our group services include:

  • Children’s Friendship Training where kids can practice making friends, building good sportsmanship and navigating conflict and disappointment;
  • Coding & Robotics where children explore creative science ideas, learn to solve problems independently, identify multiple solutions and explain findings to a group of peers; and
  • Getting Ready for Group where children learn how to make requests for preferred items, self-regulate during transitions, and begin to participate in activities with peers.

Explore the full list of group services at www.surreyplace.ca/services/autism-services/aba- group-therapy/.

How long has ABA Group Therapy been in practice?

Dr. Freeman: ABA group services have a long-standing history. These services are grounded in the evidence-based techniques of Applied Behaviour Analysis, which has over 60 years of peer-reviewed studies demonstrating its effectiveness.

How do I know if ABA Group Therapy is right for my child?

Dr. Freeman: Every child’s needs are unique and we’re here to help you figure out what might be the right fit. If your child could benefit from structured, peer-based learning in a nurturing environment, ABA Group Therapy may be the perfect solution. We’re here to support you and your family every step of the way!

Learn more and explore our ABA Group Therapy today!

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By 2 months

Has your baby had their hearing screened? YES NO

By 6 months

Does the child?

Startle in response to loud noises? YES NO
Turn to where a sound is coming from? YES NO
Make different cries for different needs (hungry, tired)? YES NO
Watch your face as you talk? YES NO
Smile/laugh in response to your smiles and laughs? YES NO
Imitate coughs or other sounds such as ah, eh, buh YES NO

By 9 months

Does the child?

Respond to their name? YES NO
Respond to the telephone ringing or a knock at the door? YES NO
Understand being told no? YES NO
Get what they want through using gestures (reaching to be picked up)? YES NO
Play social games with you (Peek-a-Boo)? YES NO
Enjoy being around people? YES NO
Babble and repeat sounds such as babababa or duhduhduh? YES NO

By 12 months

Does the child?

Follow simple one-step directions (sit down)? YES NO
Look across the room to a toy when adult points at it? YES NO
Consistently use three to five words? YES NO
Use gestures to communicate (waves hi/bye, shakes head for no)? YES NO
Get your attention using sounds, gestures and pointing while looking at your eyes? YES NO
Bring you toys to show you? YES NO
Perform for social attention and praise? YES NO
Combine lots of sounds together as though talking (abada baduh abee)? YES NO
Show an interest in simple picture books? YES NO

By 18 months

Does the child?

Understand the meaning of in and out, off and on? YES NO
Point to more than 2 body parts when asked? YES NO
Use at least 20 words consistently? YES NO
Respond with words or gestures to simple questions (Where's teddy? What's that?)? YES NO
Demonstrate some pretend play with toys (gives teddy bear a drink, pretends a bowl is a hat)? YES NO
Make at least four different consonant sounds (p ,b, m, n, d, g, w, h)? YES NO
Enjoy being read to and sharing simple books with you? YES NO
Point to pictures using one finger? YES NO

By 2 years

Does the child?

Follow two-step directions (Go find your teddy bear and show it to Grandma.)? YES NO
Use 100 to 150 words? YES NO
Use at least two pronouns (you, me, mine)? YES NO
Consistently combine two to four words in short phrases (Daddy hat. Truck go down.)? YES NO
Enjoy being around other children? YES NO
Begin to offer toys to other children and imitate other children's actions and words? YES NO
Use words that are understood by others 50 to 60 per cent of the time? YES NO
Form words or sounds easily and without effort? YES NO
Hold books the right way up and turn the pages? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 30 months

Does the child?

Understand the concepts of size (big/little) and quantity (a little/a lot, more)? YES NO
Use some adult grammar (two cookies, bird flying, I jumped)? YES NO
Use over 350 words? YES NO
Use action words such as run, spill, fall? YES NO
Participate in some turn-taking activities with peers, using both words and toys? YES NO
Demonstrate concern when another child is hurt or sad? YES NO
Combine several actions in play (puts blocks in the train and drives the train, drops the blocks off.)? YES NO
Put sounds at the beginning of most words? YES NO
Use words with two or more syllables or beats (ba-na-na, com-pu-ter, a-pple)? YES NO
Recognize familiar logos and signs involving print (Stop sign)? YES NO
Remember and understand familiar stories? YES NO

By 3 years

Does the child?

Understand who, what, where and why questions? YES NO
Create long sentences using five to eight words? YES NO
Talk about past events (trip to grandparents house, day at child care)? YES NO
Tell simple stories? YES NO
Show affection for favourite playmates? YES NO
Engage in multi-step pretend play (pretending to cook a meal, repair a car)? YES NO
Talk in a way that most people outside of the family understand what she/he is saying most of the time? YES NO
Have an understanding of the function of print (menus, lists, signs)? YES NO
Show interest in, and awareness of, rhyming words? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 4 years

Does the child?

Follow directions involving three or more steps (First get some paper, then draw a picture and give it to Mommy)? YES NO
Use adult type grammar? YES NO
Tell stories with a beginning, middle and end? YES NO
Talk to try and solve problems with adults and with other children? YES NO
Show increasingly complex imaginary play? YES NO
Talk in a way that is understood by strangers almost all the time? YES NO
Generate simple rhymes (cat-bat)? YES NO
Match some letters with their sounds (letter b says buh, letter t says tuh)? YES NO