BCBA vs. RBT: Who Will Work With My Child?
When your child starts ABA therapy, you'll hear two titles again and again: BCBA and RBT. Both people play an important role, but they do different jobs. Here's a clear, simple guide to who's who on your child's care team.
What is a BCBA?
A BCBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. BCBAs hold at least a master's degree, complete supervised fieldwork and pass a national certification exam given by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). In ABA therapy, the BCBA is the clinical lead for your child's program.
What a BCBA does:
- Completes your child's assessment and gets to know your family's goals
- Writes the treatment plan and chooses the skills to work on
- Reviews data regularly and adjusts the plan as your child grows
- Supervises and trains the RBTs working with your child
- Leads parent training so you can support skills at home
What is an RBT?
An RBT is a Registered Behavior Technician. RBTs complete at least 40 hours of training, pass a competency assessment and a BACB exam, and must work under the ongoing supervision of a BCBA. The RBT is usually the person who spends the most one-on-one time with your child.
What an RBT does:
- Works directly with your child during therapy sessions
- Follows the treatment plan the BCBA designed
- Uses play, practice and positive reinforcement to teach new skills
- Records data on every session so the BCBA can track progress
- Shares observations with the BCBA and your family
How they work together
Think of the BCBA as the architect and the RBT as the builder. The BCBA designs the plan; the RBT carries it out session by session. The BCBA checks in on sessions, reviews the data and coaches the RBT, so your child's program keeps improving.
Who will I talk to as a parent?
Both. Your RBT is a great person to ask about how today's session went. Your BCBA is the person to talk to about goals, progress, the treatment plan and any concerns. You're an important part of the team too — what you see at home helps shape your child's plan.
Questions to ask your care team
- Who is my child's BCBA, and how often will they observe sessions?
- How will progress be shared with me?
- How can I take part in parent training?
- Who do I contact if I have a question between sessions?
Getting started
At Avant-Garde Behavioral Therapy, every child's program is led by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. If you have questions about how ABA therapy works or who will be on your child's team, call us at (954) 708-1661 or visit our Get Started page.