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PEAT NI - Parents Education as Autism Therapists

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PEAT NI - Parents Education as Autism Therapists

This is the official page of PEAT - The only Northern Ireland autism charity providing Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) by those qualified to do so.

11/12/2025

In the New Year, PEAT will be offering another series of FREE parent training sessions. Please see the poster below. More information will follow. If you are interested in attending, please like this post, comment below, or send us a PM.

😀😃😁

07/12/2025

😢no words are needed. We couldn’t agree anymore. We, as a society, need to do more to help PEOPLE like Ewen and their families.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1592781211735885?fs=e&fs=e

06/12/2025

🎄 Supporting Your Autistic Child in the Run-Up to Christmas 🎄

Christmas can be a magical time, but it can also bring big changes in routines, busier environments, and lots of sensory demands. For many families we support, this time of year can feel exciting and overwhelming — for both parents and children.

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) offers simple, practical tools that can help make the lead-up to Christmas calmer, more predictable, and more enjoyable for everyone. Here are a few ways ABA strategies can support your family:

✨ 1. Preparing for Changes in Routine
Visual schedules, countdown calendars, or simple “first/then” reminders can help children understand what’s coming next — especially when routines look different during December.

✨ 2. Practising One-Step Instructions Ahead of Busy Days
Teaching and reinforcing simple instructions like “put on your shoes,” “come with me,” or “hold my hand” can make outings like Christmas shopping or school plays much smoother.

✨ 3. Building Tolerance for New Sensory Experiences
Christmas often means new lights, smells, and sounds. Gradually introducing these at home — while reinforcing calm, curious behaviour — can help children feel more comfortable when they encounter them outside.

✨ 4. Handling Excitement and Overwhelm
ABA strategies can teach children ways to communicate when they need a break, want help, or feel “all done.” This reduces frustration and helps parents respond quickly and supportively.

✨ 5. Creating Opportunities for Connection
Every time your child follows an instruction, shares, plays, or communicates, you have the chance to praise, celebrate, and reinforce those moments. These small interactions build confidence and strengthen your relationship.

✨ 6. Encouraging Independence
Activities like helping wrap a gift, setting the table, or choosing a decoration are wonderful opportunities to build independence while keeping Christmas fun and meaningful.

🎁 Christmas should feel joyful, not stressful. ABA isn’t about changing your child — it’s about understanding them, supporting them, and giving both you and your child tools to navigate exciting times like this with confidence and connection.

30/11/2025

🌟 Why Teaching Simple One-Step Instructions Matters in ABA🌟

When we teach children simple one-step instructions like “touch your nose,” “stand up,” “give me a high five,” or “point to the banana,” we’re actually building big foundational skills in a very small, fun, and achievable way!

These simple instructions help children learn to:

👀 Attend to the person speaking
👂 Listen to what they hear
🧠 Discriminate between objects, actions, and body parts
🤝 Follow directions successfully

But there’s something even more important happening during these moments…

💛 Parents get the chance to reinforce their child’s success.

Every time your child follows a simple instruction, you get to celebrate them—whether that’s with praise, a smile, a high five, or a fun activity. This reinforcement increases the likelihood that your child will follow more instructions later on in natural situations like getting dressed, brushing teeth, or preparing for school.

And the benefits don’t stop there.

✨ These small teaching moments become opportunities to strengthen your relationship.

Your instruction becomes a pathway for your child to earn your acknowledgement, connection, and positive attention. Over time, this builds trust, confidence, and more joyful interactions between you and your child.

So when you practice simple one-step instructions at home, you’re not just teaching skills—you’re building communication, confidence, connection, and lifelong learning habits.

🌈 Small steps. Big progress. Beautiful relationships.

17/11/2025

🌟 Creating a Safe Environment: Why It Matters 🌟

When we think about supporting children who show behaviours of concern, it’s natural to jump straight to strategies and interventions. But before that, there’s one essential ingredient we can’t overlook:

✨ A safe and secure environment. ✨

Before starting behaviour intervention, it’s important to make sure your home is set up in a way that keeps your child—and everyone around them—safe. This might mean:

🔒 Locking away certain objects or substances
🚪 Using locks on specific doors or cupboards
🏡 Adding gates or barriers in the garden to prevent absconding
🧰 Removing or securing items that could be dangerous

This isn’t about restricting your child—it’s about protecting them so they can learn and grow without unnecessary risk. Safety is always our number one priority.

When the environment is safe:

✔️ Your child is less likely to put themselves in danger
✔️ You feel less stressed and more confident
✔️ Your home becomes calmer and more predictable

And here’s the best part:
A safe, low-stress environment creates the perfect foundation for ABA-based strategies to work. When everyone feels secure, we can more effectively understand the function—the “why”—behind behaviours of concern, and begin teaching new, positive skills.

💛 Safety first isn’t just a precaution—it’s a gift we give our children and ourselves. Once the environment supports safety, ABA-based interventions can truly shine.

13/11/2025

🗣️💬 ABA & Functional Communication: Teaching Skills That Reduce Behaviours of Concern 💬🗣️

When a child has trouble communicating their needs, it can often lead to frustration — and sometimes, behaviours like hitting, kicking or throwing items. But here’s the good news: using ABA, we can teach children functional communication skills that empower them to express themselves in positive, effective ways. 🌟

👂 Behaviour is communication — even the challenging ones. This might be a child’s way of saying:
• “I need a break.”
• “I’m frustrated.”
• “I don’t want to do this.”
• “I need help.”
• “I want that toy!”

📌 In ABA, we identify why the behaviour is happening (the function) — and then teach a clear, appropriate way to communicate that same need.

🎯 Functional Communication Training (FCT) teaches your child:
✅ To ask for help
✅ To request a break
✅ To say “no” or “finished”
✅ To ask for a preferred item or activity
✅ To express feelings in safe ways

This can be done using words, pictures, gestures, or AAC devices — depending on your child’s strengths and needs.

🧩 Example:
If a child throws toys when frustrated, we can teach them to hand you a “help” card or say “help please.” Once they learn that this works, the behaviour of concern naturally decreases.

💡 The goal isn’t just to stop a behaviour— it’s to give the child a better way to be heard.

Parents play a huge role in this process! With simple, consistent strategies, you can teach and reinforce these communication skills at home — and reduce stress for both you and your child. 💛

06/11/2025

🧸🎨 Using ABA to Teach Play: Helping Children Learn, Imagine, and Connect 🎨🧸

Did you know that play is one of the most powerful ways children learn? Through play, kids explore their world, express their creativity, build relationships, and develop vital life skills.

For many autistic children, play doesn’t always come naturally, and that’s okay. With the right support, play can be taught — just like any other skill — using the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).

🌟 Why is play important?

🧠 It builds imagination and creativity
🗣️ It strengthens communication and social interaction
🤝 It teaches sharing, turn-taking, and cooperation
🎯 It supports problem-solving and flexible thinking
❤️ It creates joyful connections with family, peers, and the world

🎲 How ABA Helps Teach Play:

✅ Breaking it Down – breaking play into small, manageable steps (e.g., picking up a toy, pretending to feed a doll, building with blocks).
✅ Modeling and Prompting – Therapists (and parents!) model how to play and gently guide the child to participate.
✅ Reinforcing Engagement – Positive reinforcement encourages participation and builds motivation to keep playing.
✅ Expanding Play Skills – As children grow more confident, ABA helps them move from simple cause-and-effect play to more imaginative or cooperative play.

🎉 Even a short moment of pretend play, like giving a teddy bear a “drink” or making superhero sounds l, can open the door to imagination, emotional expression, and fun.

And yes — parents can absolutely do this at home! With support from ABA professionals, you can learn to build play into your everyday routines in a way that feels natural, meaningful, and joyful.

Play isn’t just about passing time — it’s how children practice life. 💛

01/11/2025

Did you know that PEATs Founder Professor Mickey Keenan recently celebrated his 40 year anniversary at Ulster University? In the picture below, left to right, is Dr Dean Reid, Dr Scott Graham (PEAT Committee Members), Professor Mickey Keenan, Keelan Hall PhD Researcher and Dr Jonathan Todd.

All students of Professor Keenan.

Go on, give Professor Mickey Keenan a like

30/10/2025

Over 10 years ago, in collaboration with the Centre for Behaviour Analysis (at QUB from 2010 to 2025) and Belfast City Airport, PEAT launched this high-flying initiative.

This video is a bright example of what can be achieved when people unite with the sole aim of improving the lives of others. Thomas’ face says it all.

29/10/2025

Yesterday PEAT attended the launch of Foodstock’s new Education and Empowerment Centre at King Street in Belfast city centre

In the picture below (left to right) is Paul Doherty (founder of Foodstock), Dr Stephen Gallagher (Chairperson of PEAT) and Danny Diamond (PEAT Family Member)

25/10/2025

🌟🧩 ABA: Supporting Autistic Children Across All Areas of Life 🧩🌟

ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) is more than just a therapy — it’s a comprehensive approach that helps autistic children build meaningful skills across many domains of their everyday life. Whether at home, at school, or out in the community, ABA can empower children to grow, connect, and thrive. 💪❤️

Here are just a few of the ways ABA can help:

🚽 Toileting – Teaching independence in bathroom routines using step-by-step strategies, reinforcement, and patience.

😴 Sleep – Helping families establish calming nighttime routines and reduce bedtime struggles or night waking.

🗣️ Communication – Whether it’s verbal language, sign language, or AAC, ABA supports functional communication to help children express needs, wants, and feelings.

🧼 Daily Living Skills – From brushing teeth to getting dressed and helping with chores, ABA teaches real-world independence through small, achievable steps.

🧠 Schoolwork & Learning Routines – Building attention, following instructions, and developing academic readiness in a structured, motivating way.

🤝 Social Interactions – Supporting children in learning how to play, take turns, share, join groups, and connect with peers and family members.

💬 Every child is unique — and ABA is tailored to meet their individual strengths, needs, and goals. Through positive reinforcement, structured teaching, and close collaboration with families, ABA can create lasting improvements in quality of life.

ABA empowers children to become more independent, more connected, and more confident in their daily world. 🌍💛

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Our Story

PEAT is a not for profit, non-funded autism charity in Northern Ireland established to provide evidence-based practice for autism to those families who wished to access our training and support. Despite the absence of government funding the PEAT charity has helped numerous families bridging the gap in autism services through all communities in NI, encouraging inclusivity for all children and young people on the autism spectrum (& suspected).

We serve individuals of all ages across the autism spectrum, from those most severely impacted to those with Asperger’s/high functioning autism. We provide a wide range of services including family support, individual intervention, training, social skills programmes, and playdays. Our support benefits not only the child with autism but also the entire family who are impacted. We provide a broad array of workshops and training to families, educators, childcare providers, health professionals, and community groups. No other autism charity in Northern Ireland offers our range of services and support for the autism community.

PEAT is providing invaluable services in empowering children/young people to reach their full potential and providing support for their families. Over the last two decades PEAT has given families the tools to develop, promote and sustain life skills to empower all our children towards the goal of independence.