Teaching safety skills to children with ASD at a young age is of utmost importance. However, preliminary research suggests that caregivers of children with ASD may not be comfortable teaching these safety skills themselves due to a lack of knowledge or experience.
As an associate professor at Brock University and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D), I have been working with a community clinician and graduate students to empower caregivers to teach safety skills to their children.
All young children are at risk around household chemicals, but those with autism may need extra training to keep themselves safe.(Shutterstock)
The model involves: (1) instructions, (2) modelling, (3) rehearsal and (4) feedback. First, the trainer provides verbal and/or written instruction on how to complete the skill, and a brief rationale. Next, the trainer models the skill by provides an accurate demonstration.
The trainer then provides the learner with the opportunity to practice the skill and offers feedback in the form of descriptive praise if the learner completes the skill accurately. If the learner does not complete the skill accurately, the trainer offers corrective feedback.
The first step to teaching safety skills is to select the behaviour you would like to teach (for example, what to do when lost). The next step involves outlining the instructions to use when implementing BST.
It is important that instructions are clear and concise. We recommend breaking the skill down into three or fewer steps. For example, when we teach children what to do if they become lost or separated from their caregiver, we teach them to: (1) call out for caregiver, (2) find a worker, (3) tell the worker they are lost.
Once you have determined the instructions, ensure that you have all of the materials required — for example, props. Also, ensure the environment adequately facilitates learning for your child by eliminating any distractions.
Follow these five steps
The following training steps can be applied to teaching a variety of safety skills.
Provide instructions relevant to the skill to your child. For example: “Sometimes when we are at the grocery store, we can get separated, which can be scary. If this happens, I want you to do three things. First, call out for me in a loud voice. Next, if I do not respond, find a worker. Then, tell the worker, ‘I’m lost.’”
Model the skill for your child, by first getting their attention, and then demonstrating all three steps in a mock scenario: “Let’s pretend we are in the store and I get separated from you.”
Ask your child to practice the three steps.
Provide feedback based on their performance, for example if your child calls out for you but in a quiet voice, you can say: “I like how you called out for me, but remember to use a loud voice.”
Continue rehearsal and feedback until you are confident that your child can perform the skill.
Practise in a natural environment
It is also important to eventually practice the skill in the environment where the skill will be needed, such as in public settings.
Teaching safety skills in public settings could safe a child’s life.(Shutterstock)
For example, can the child perform the skill if separated in a grocery store? As a safety precaution have someone “under-cover” to also watch the child and to see if they engage in the appropriate steps.
If the child does not engage in the appropriate steps, provide feedback and repeat until everyone is confident.
If caregivers practice teaching basic safety skills using the steps of BST at home with their child, it may help to keep them safe if dangerous situations arise.
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