It’s not something any of us like to think about, but there’s a chance you and your special needs child might reach a point where you can no longer care for them. Whether it’s because you’ve reached an advanced age and need assistance yourself, their needs are beyond what you can meet, or they’ve aged to a point where they need more independence. No matter what the reason, group home behavioral therapy could be the right choice. At Compass Behavioral & Developmental Consultants, we provide in-clinic therapy but we also understand the need for group home therapy. Keep reading to learn more about group home therapy to see if it’s right for your child with autism.
What is a group home?
Before we get too deep into the logistics of how therapy works, let’s explore what a group home actually is. A group home is simply a home in a residential area where people with similar needs reside with 24-hour assistance from professionals. Whether the home is for troubled teens or those with special needs, the concept is basically the same.
Children with autism might be placed in a group home if their therapy requirements exceed that which the parents can provide. This could be children with extensive needs or those whose parents can’t physically provide for them and their basic needs.
What is home behavioral therapy?
In addition to helping with daily activities and social activities, group homes will provide home behavioral therapy services. This is to ensure that the child is continuing to get the therapy that they need to function in the world around them. Home behavioral therapy takes the concepts that are taught at a clinic and teaches them at home. This means that they can learn how to help around the house by doing dishes, cleaning up rooms, vacuuming, and so forth. A major benefit of home therapy is that it teaches essential skills in the environment where they’re used every day.
How does group home behavioral therapy work?
Group home behavioral therapy can be seen as a hybrid of traditional in-home therapy services as well as in-clinic therapy. The child will get the same therapy as they would in a clinical setting while living in a group home. The home provides a more practical setting for the application of behavior and skills than a clinic would.
For example, a child might be learning the concept of washing dishes in a clinic. They might use toy dishes in a small sink to wash then dry them. When he or she gets home, a parent might not ever ask for help washing the dishes. Eventually, the therapist and the child will move on from practicing this skill to something like folding clothes. Then a few weeks down the road, the parent asks the child to wash the dishes because they know this was a skill learned in therapy. If they’re not able to make the connection between the dishes at home and the dishes at school, it might seem like the skill was never learned.
A group home teaches the same skills that are being learned in a clinical setting in a residential setting. This makes them more applicable and more easily retained.
Is group home therapy effective?
Because of its practical application and teaching setting, group home therapy can be effective. However, in general, group homes have been shown to have a negative impact on children and their ability to form attachments. While it might sometimes be necessary, a group home will take a child away from their family.
Contact Compass today
At Compass, you can give your child with autism the benefits of group home behavioral therapy by providing in-home therapy. Contact us by giving us a call or sending a message to your nearby location to learn more about our services and how we can help your child thrive.
