Guiding principles and aims

The VB service has a number of guiding principles. The first five principles are those which underpin the philosophy behind the successful 'Carbone Clinic' in New York. Treetops staff have trained with Dr Vincent Carbone and his associates in order to apply these principles.

Our seven guiding principles

• We believe every learner has the potential to develop skills beyond their current level and should be free of behaviours and activities that cause injury, pain or limit opportunities for full community involvement.
 
• We will teach functional communication skills and other skills that will lead to rewarding personal relationships, well-being, vocational productivity and self-determined daily activities.
 
• We rely on the literature of the science of applied behaviour analysis and its underlying assumptions to guide our analysis of learner needs and our recommendations of effective treatment and instruction.
• Functional communication is the foundation that supports the development of skills in all areas and therefore B.F. Skinner's analysis of verbal behaviuor and the supporting empirical work guide our treatment and instructional recommendations.
 
• The choice of instructional methods will be guided by reliable data which are gathered and analysed on a schedule sufficient to make informed decisions.
 
• We recognise that parents/carers are the child's first educators and that their expertise in their child is of paramount importance to us.
 
• The link between home, school and external agencies are crucial to fully support the all round development of the child.

Aims

• To provide quality ABA services to children with ASD or difficulties in social communication, offering a curriculum that recognises children as individuals and allowing each of them to reach their full learning potential.
• To provide a safe and secure environment where children have the confidence to develop new relationships and experience new learning opportunities.
• To foster the partnership between home and school, including (where appropriate) programme development in both settings and in the community.
• To teach socially significant behaviours, enabling the children to integrate as fully as possible into the curriculum.