Supporting Children with Autism
A Holistic Approach to
Behaviour Consultation
For over a decade, I have had the privilege of supporting families in the autism community, working as a behaviour consultant and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in British Columbia.
Throughout my journey, I have witnessed tremendous growth in both the field and the children and families I support. My approach has evolved to focus on the foundational skills that help children with autism thrive and engage in meaningful ways with their families and communities.
I have brought all that I know to the team we have here at Your Behaviour Gal Consulting Inc. They have all trained and been mentored through this lens and I am excited to continue to expand services!
Now let’s dive into how our approach is a little different….
A Shift in Perspective: Moving Beyond Traditional Assessments
When I first entered the field, I was taught to place a strong emphasis on structured assessments, believing they were the key to understanding a child’s needs. However, I quickly realized that while assessments are valuable tools, they are not always the best approach. Families usually come to us with a completed Autism Diagnostic assessment report, Speech and Language report and maybe even an Occupational Therapist report. There is SO much valuable information in these that this is our starting point.
We also know, that many autistic children struggle to complete structured assessments, and the process can consume significant funding and resources before even getting to the actual teaching.
At Your Behaviour Gal Consulting Inc., we take an ongoing assessment approach, which prioritizes natural observation, meaningful interactions, and collaboration with families and professionals to ensure we are diving right into strategies and progress. This helps with staying within budget, as families in British Columbia currently have access to $22,000 per year if the child is under 6, and then $6,000 after that.
Our assessments are informed by various tools but are primarily guided by real-world contexts. This method provides a more accurate understanding of each child's strengths, challenges, and learning styles, ensuring that interventions are truly individualized and effective.
Overtime, we create a Learning Support Plan that includes all of this information and more. Having a document that will guide and help educate others is invaluable!
Rethinking the Behaviour Interventionist Model
Traditionally, many families in British Columbia have been told to hire a Behavior Consultant, who will then help you find a Behaviour Interventionist (BI) to work one-on-one with their child. While this approach can be beneficial in some cases, from personal and professional experience I have found that it may not always be the most effective way to achieve long-term progress. With a lot of money spent up front training someone who has minimal experience and may or may not leave within a few months can result in a lot of wasted time and money.
Instead, our team focuses on embedding learning opportunities throughout the child's day by working closely with parents, caregivers, daycare staff, school teams, and other professionals to implement teaching strategies immediately. By taking a collaborative approach, we ensure that skills are generalized across multiple settings, fostering greater independence and adaptability in each child.
The Power of Relationship-Based Learning
At Your Behaviour Gal Consulting Inc., we prioritize relationship-based learning, recognizing that children learn best in environments where they feel safe, supported, and understood. Our focus areas include:
Building strong relationships based on mutual trust and respect. Through understanding our client’s interests and values we then guide teaching from here.
Developing communication skills, including vocal and non-vocal forms of expressions to ensure they feel heard. This supports emotional regulation and reduction in stress responses.
Encouraging play-based learning, which remains essential at all ages, including adolescence. The research suggests that children learn much better through play and this supports social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that build executive function skills! Cool right?!
Fostering autonomy and independence, allowing children to take an active role in their learning is crucial to the success and generalization of skills. We do not approach with an agenda, but with a curiosity and general guidelines to help structure support for families and the child to ensure we are moving towards the long-term goals.
We design learning experiences that are flexible and natural and usually not as linear as may one think, reducing pressure on the child to “perform.” Our approach starts with engagement through play and everyday interactions, and we introduce more structured teaching methods only when needed.
The Role of a BCBA: Beyond Behavior Management
As a BCBA, I often describe my role as an air traffic controller—helping families navigate and coordinate the various services and professionals involved in their child’s care. Beyond behavior support, our team collaborates with specialists in areas such as:
Toileting and self-care
Feeding challenges and food selectivity
Counseling and mental health support
Psychological assessments and diagnoses
Medical guidance from doctors and specialists
Our goal is to ensure that families receive comprehensive, well-rounded support, addressing the diverse needs of each child.
Final Thoughts
Supporting autistic children and their families requires a thoughtful, collaborative, and individualized approach. At Your Behaviour Gal Consulting Inc., we are committed to providing high-quality, relationship-based, and family-centered support that fosters meaningful progress.
If you are looking for personalized guidance to help your child develop essential skills and navigate their world with confidence, reach out to us today—we are here to help!
Nicole & Team
This article does not constitute medical advice. Consult your sleep specialist provider for direct support to help implement these strategies and rule out possible medical considerations as well as individualize supports to you and your family.