The situation

When we first met “Mia”, our involvement began with family guidance and support at home. 

Rather than focusing solely on Mia, we worked alongside her family to understand the barriers she was experiencing and develop practical strategies that could be used consistently in everyday life. 

What we did

Building skills together

Our aim was to give Mia the skills she needed to become more independent while giving her family the confidence and strategies to support her. 

Together, we focused on communication, independence, regulation, engagement and reducing barriers to learning, adapting our approach as Mia developed. 

Over time, the skills she built and the consistency around her enabled Mia to make significant progress – including reaching an important milestone: successfully accessing a mainstream school. 

Back to school

Taking support into school

Starting school did not mean that the strategies that had helped Mia succeed at home needed to disappear. 

Our role evolved into school outreach, working directly with Mia’s teacher and LSAs to help them understand her individual needs and provide continuity between home and school. 

Through observation, modelling, coaching and ongoing collaboration, we support the school team to use consistent approaches while adapting them naturally to the classroom environment. 

The goal is not for Mia to rely on an ABA Pathways practitioner throughout her school day. Instead, we aim to build the skills and confidence of the adults already around her, helping them create an environment in which she can participate as independently as possible. 

The outcome

Today, Mia is accessing mainstream education, with her family, school and ABA Pathways working together to help her access as much of the school day, learning and wider school experience as possible. 

Her journey demonstrates that outreach can be about more than supporting one young person – it is about creating consistency around them and empowering the people who support them every day. 

What Mia’s family have to say 

“ABA Pathways have been an invaluable source of support for our family. Their outreach is exceptional, and the care, understanding and encouragement they provide have made such a difference to both us and our daughter. 

They truly feel like part of our family, and our daughter absolutely loves spending time with them. 

We couldn’t recommend them more highly.“