What Happens During the ABA Intake Process?

Starting ABA services can feel like a big step.

Families may wonder what happens after they reach out, whether their child needs to attend meetings, how we decide if services are a good fit, how the waitlist works, and what happens before therapy actually begins.

At Progressive Steps, our intake process is designed to help us learn more about your child and family, determine whether our services may be the right fit, and make sure we are able to recommend a service option that is appropriate, meaningful, and clinically responsible.

This post walks through what families can expect from the first phone call to the start of services.

Step 1: Free Phone Consultation

The first step is a free phone consultation.

This call gives us a chance to learn more about your child, your family’s needs, and what type of support you are looking for. You do not need to know exactly what service your child needs before reaching out. Many families contact us because they know something is hard, but they are not sure what the next step should be.

During the phone consultation, we may ask about:

• Your child’s age

• Your child’s strengths and interests

• Your main concerns

• Communication skills

• Daily routines

• Behaviour or safety concerns

• Previous or current services

• Whether you are looking for 1:1 ABA, centre-based services, group programming, parent coaching, or another type of support

• Your general availability

• Funding or practical considerations

The goal of this call is to determine whether Progressive Steps may be a potential fit and what next step makes the most sense.

Sometimes, after this call, we may recommend moving forward with a screening meeting. Other times, we may suggest that another service, provider, or support may be more appropriate.

Step 2: Screening Meeting

For families looking for centre-based services or group programming, the next step is usually a screening meeting.

This meeting helps us learn more about your child in person and determine whether the service you are interested in is likely to be a good fit.

For group programming, this screening meeting often includes a tour of Progressive Life Centre with your child. This gives your child a chance to see the space, and it gives our team a chance to observe how your child responds to the environment, transitions, group expectations, and different areas of the centre.

For group services, we are looking at whether your child has the prerequisite skills needed to participate safely and meaningfully in that particular program. This does not mean your child needs to be independent or “perfect” in a group. It means we need to determine whether the group setting is appropriate for their current needs, support level, and safety.

For 1:1 services, the screening meeting is a chance for us to get to know your child better. We may look at things like:

• What your child enjoys

• How they communicate

• What helps them feel comfortable

• How they respond to new people or spaces

• What types of activities they are drawn to

• What session setup may be the best fit

• Whether a centre-based, play-based, structured, naturalistic, or blended approach may be most appropriate

The screening meeting is not about testing your child or expecting them to perform. It is about getting to know them and making thoughtful decisions about fit, support needs, and next steps.

Step 3: Completing Intake Documents

If you are ready to start services after the screening process, the next step is completing the intake documents.

Completing the intake documents lets us know that your family is ready to move forward and would like to be placed on our waiting list.

We do not place clients on our waiting list if they are not ready to get started should a space become available. This helps us manage the waitlist fairly and responsibly, and it allows us to offer available spaces to families who are prepared to begin services.

The intake documents give us important information about your child, family, consent, funding, scheduling, medical or safety considerations, and service needs.

Step 4: Waiting for the Right Clinical Fit

Once your intake documents are complete, your child may be placed on our waiting list.

When a spot becomes available, we do not simply match families based on who is next on the list. We also consider clinical fit.

This means we look at:

• Your child’s needs

• The type of service being requested

• The therapist’s experience and availability

• The clinical team’s capacity

• Your family’s availability

• Scheduling needs

• Behaviour or safety considerations

• Whether the available team is an appropriate match based on the information we have

Our goal is to invite families into services when we have a therapist and clinical team that are likely to be a good fit and have availability that lines up with your availability.

This helps us start services in a way that is more thoughtful, organized, and supportive for everyone involved.

Step 5: Invitation Into Services

When a spot becomes available and we believe we have an appropriate clinical match, your family will be invited into services.

At this point, we will confirm that you are still interested and available to begin. We will also discuss the proposed schedule and next steps.

If the schedule, service model, and team fit work for your family, we will move forward with the next stage of the intake process.

Step 6: Intake and Goal-Setting Meeting

Before services begin, we schedule an intake and goal-setting meeting by Zoom with your child’s designated clinical supervisor.

This is an important meeting. It helps the clinical supervisor learn more about your priorities and gives you a chance to ask questions before sessions begin.

During this meeting, we may discuss:

• Your child’s strengths, interests, and needs

• Your family’s goals and priorities

• Current concerns

• What meaningful progress would look like

• Initial therapy goals

• Service recommendations

• Your child’s proposed schedule

• Who is on your child’s clinical team

• Each team member’s role

• Relevant policies

• Communication expectations

• What to do if you have questions or concerns

• Any final information we should know before starting

In most cases, children do not need to be present for this meeting. This allows parents and caregivers to speak openly about goals, concerns, history, funding, scheduling, and any sensitive information.

When we are working with teens who can act as their own consent source, we may ask them to be involved in the intake process. In those cases, we also review similar information with them during their first session so they understand what services are for, who is involved, and how they can participate in the process.

Step 7: Confirming the Start Date

After the intake and goal-setting meeting, we confirm the start date.

Families are provided with relevant contact information and any final details needed before services begin.

This may include:

• Your child’s start date

• Session schedule

• Location details

• Clinical team contacts

• Communication expectations

• What to bring, if anything

• Any important reminders before the first session

Once these details are confirmed, your child is ready to begin services.

What If My Child Has Challenging or Unsafe Behaviour?

Families sometimes worry that their child’s behaviour will be “too much” or that they will be judged during intake.

If your child engages in aggression, self-injury, elopement, property destruction, intense refusal, or other unsafe behaviour, it is important to share that information early in the process. This helps us plan safely and determine what level of support, staffing, assessment, and clinical oversight may be needed.

Sharing this information does not mean your child will automatically be excluded from services. It helps us make responsible decisions about fit, safety, and support.

In some cases, we may recommend 1:1 services, a behaviour assessment, parent/caregiver coaching, or a different service option before group programming is considered.

Why We Use This Process

Our intake process is designed to help us make thoughtful decisions.

We want to make sure:

• The service is appropriate for your child

• The setting is a good fit

• The clinical team has the right experience and availability

• The schedule works for your family

• Goals are meaningful

• Safety needs are understood

• Families know what to expect before starting

• Clients are not placed on a waitlist until they are actually ready to begin

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This process helps us avoid rushing families into services that may not be the right fit.

Questions You Can Ask During the Process

Families are encouraged to ask questions at every step.

You may want to ask:

• Which service do you think would be the best fit for my child?

• Is my child ready for group programming?

• What prerequisite skills are needed for this program?

• Would 1:1 support be a better starting point?

• How long is the waitlist?

• How do you decide which therapist or clinical team is the right fit?

• What does the screening meeting involve?

• Does my child need to attend the intake meeting?

• What happens if our availability changes?

• How will goals be selected?

• Who will be on my child’s team?

• How will we communicate once services begin?

  
  

Your questions are welcome. A good intake process should help you feel more informed and comfortable, not more confused.

Final Thoughts

The ABA intake process at Progressive Steps is more than paperwork. It is a step-by-step process that helps us learn about your child, understand your family’s needs, determine whether our services are the right fit, and prepare for a thoughtful start to therapy.

From the free phone consultation to the screening meeting, intake documents, waitlist, clinical matching, goal-setting meeting, and confirmed start date, each step has a purpose.

Our goal is to make sure families feel informed, respected, and ready before services begin.

If you are considering ABA services and are not sure where to start, the first step is a free phone consultation.