Children Services: Training and Workshop Catalogue

This interactive workshop presents an introduction to basic behaviour principles. It provides participants with specific applications of these principles in classroom, home, and/or community settings to strengthen appropriate behaviours and to create a positive learning environment for the person served. It also offers a functional approach to understanding problem behaviours by focusing on the context in which the behaviour occurs.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand what is behaviour
2. To understand the dimensions of behaviour and four-term contingency
3. To understand the basic behaviour principles of reinforcement and punishment
4. To understand the functions of behaviour
5. To understand how to identify effective reinforcers
6. To learn how to apply behaviour principles in the community

This interactive workshop builds on information covered in Back to the Basics:  An Introduction to What Drives Behaviour. The main focus of this workshop is learning how to teach new skills. It provides participants with knowledge and practice in breaking down skills (task analysis) into teachable units, different teaching procedures, prompting strategies, and using differential reinforcement to strengthen acquisition and maintenance of new skills. Additional teaching resources will be explored, such as use of visual supports, role-play, and video modeling.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand how to choose socially significant goals
2. To understand how to break down steps of a skill (i.e. task analysis) into teachable units
3. To understand how to implement teaching procedures (i.e. total task, forward, and backward chaining)
4. To understand different prompting and prompt fading methods
5. To understand how to use differential reinforcement

This workshop presents an introduction to positive parenting strategies. It offers a functional approach to understanding problem behaviours common in children with developmental disabilities, and emphasizes proactive strategies that prevent them from occurring. Problem behaviours are examined in a functional manner, and the development of strategies based on a functional understanding of the behaviours is discussed.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand how problem behaviours develop
2. To develop an understanding of the function of behaviour
3. To develop a basic understanding of how reinforcement works
4. To understand how to promote the development of adaptive skills and a positive environment for children

This interactive workshop provides an in-depth look into what is autism spectrum disorder, and explores the challenges in the areas of social communication and social interaction, restricted repetitive behaviours, and sensory reactions. Participants will engage in various activities that explore challenges in these areas and to understand how it impacts the individuals we support. The workshop also focuses on why problem behaviour(s) occur and the functional strategies that can be applied.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand the diagnosis of autism
2. To understand the impact of the behaviour excess and deficits in their daily lives
3. To understand problem behaviour and functional strategies to address it

This interactive workshop provides an overview of information presented in Back to the Basics:  An Introduction to What Drives Behaviour on understanding behaviour. In this workshop, participants will learn how to understand and reduce challenging behaviours. Techniques to teach persons served socially appropriate alternative behaviours using evidence-based practice will be explored.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To review the functions of problem behaviours
2. To assess and gather information about the problem behaviour(s) and the context in which it occurs
3. To learn to identify and select appropriate strategies to target the problem behaviour(s)
4. To develop an individualized function-based behaviour support plan

This workshop provides an overview of the phases in the behaviour escalation cycle, ways to de-escalate behaviour and how to re-engage the individual. Participants will also learn what appropriate steps can be taken to prevent escalation of problem behaviours. It also provides participants with an opportunity to identify their own triggers and be aware of their own behaviour escalation cycle.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand the behaviour escalation cycle
2. To identify ways to de-escalate behaviour
3. To understand when and how to re-engage the individual after an escalation cycle
4. To understand ecological antecedent strategies and supportive strategies

This interactive workshop will focus on the understanding and application of Functional Communication Training (FCT). It provides participants with the practical application of identifying functional replacement behaviours to prevent and minimize problem behaviours. This workshop also focuses on how to use visual communication supports related to functional communication training. Basic principles of behaviour will be reviewed in the context of functional communication training.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand how to assess the function of problem behaviour
2. To understand how to identify and teach alternative replacement behaviour
3. To understand how to use visual communication supports to facilitate FCT
4. To understand how to gradually thin reinforcement

This interactive workshop will focus on the development and implementation of social narratives. Participants will get the opportunity to develop their own social narrative. This workshop also focuses on the use of visual supports as a communication system and an overview of communication devices and electronic applications. Participants will receive active training in applying visual supports as a way to communicate.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To develop and learn how to implement social narratives
2. To learn different ways to use visual supports as a communication system
3. To gain an understanding of how to use communication devices
4. To gain an overview of different communication apps (i.e. Proloquo2go, TouchChat)

This interactive workshop will focus on using direct instruction to teach social skills in a group environment. Participants will receive active skills training in using direct instruction teaching techniques in the community. It also focuses on teaching self-regulation during social interactions. This workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to learn how to structure and organize a social skills group out in the community. The implementation of group contingencies will also be demonstrated.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand the difference between social skills and social competence
2. To understand and apply direct instruction to teach social skills in the community
3. To understand how to use other teaching strategies (i.e. social narratives, incidental teaching, peer learning, video-modeling)
4. To understand how to foster generalization of social skills
5. To understand how to reinforce individuals in a group setting (i.e. group contingencies)
6. To learn how to structure and organize a social skills group in the community

This interactive workshop will focus on behaviour based intervention strategies and plan development to increase appropriate behaviour and reduce anxiety. Participants will systematically learn how to develop behaviour based intervention plans to address anxiety, focusing on assessment methods, data collection, ABC’s of behaviour, and identifying effective reinforcers. A detailed case example will be reviewed.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand the difference between general anxiety and an anxiety disorder (or anxiety that causes impairment)
2. To understand the difference between anxiety-related behaviours and socially mediated behaviours
3. To learn how to assess anxiety-related behaviours (defining behaviours, collecting data, identifying environmental factors)
4. To understand how to identify effective reinforcers
5. To understand different behaviour strategies and reinforcement procedures to develop a systematic behaviour plan

This interactive workshop will provide an overview of stress and the related signs and symptoms. Both generic and focused strategies to manage stress will be explored through the use of multimedia and several group exercises. Participants will learn how and when to use specific relaxation exercises, with a focus on Autogenic Training and Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR).

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand stressors and identify signs and symptoms of stress
2. To understand generic tips for managing stress and the benefits of regular exercise
3. To learn about and practice Autogenic Training
4. To learn about and practice the four parts to teaching Progressive Muscle Relaxation (including how to tighten and relax the different muscle groups)
5. To understand the importance of reinforcement and when to use relaxation exercises