Developing professional qualifications and training for European Behaviour Analysts Erasmus Project

Project Title

Developing professional qualifications and training for European Behaviour Analysts

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Recognition, transparency, certification; Disabilities – special needs; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Background:
Behaviour Analysis is the science that underpins more or less all evidence-based educational, developmental, and psychosocial interventions used to support persons with and without disabilities(16,113,114). However, in Europe there are no recognised qualifications for Behaviour Analysts and misrepresentations of the science are rife(70, 103,115).

In stark contrast in USA/Canada, Behaviour Analysis has a long history and is enshrined in law (17,18,19). Behaviour Analysts are certified/licenced and Behaviour Analysis-based interventions are viewed as ‘Gold Standard’(106), funded via health care or education systems(18,116,119,120). Research has shown optimal and statistically significant outcomes for those who have availed of these interventions(8–11).

This is important because, in Europe, more than 3.5% of the population have disabilities, including autism(96,105). Rising rates of disability are associated with increased costs to society, un- or under-employment, worsening of mental health, and lower quality-of-life for affected individuals and their families (116). That means that at least 10-18 million Europeans and their families could benefit directly from well-qualified Behaviour Analysts; of course, many more could benefit indirectly.

Yet, qualifications in Behaviour Analysis are not available in Europe(24) and this requires urgent redress(121).

Objectives:
The over-riding priorities of this project are to achieve transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications for Behaviour Analysts in Europe, tackling skills gaps, shortages, and skills mismatches, and thereby supporting persons with special needs and/or disabilities. The project also will benefit educators and other professional staff through enhancing their skills and qualifications, thereby improving mobility and employability. This will be achieved through setting professional standards (referenced to European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and 6 National Qualifications Framework (NQFs), creating competency frameworks (for entry-level and for Masters level EuroBAs), and developing an online multilingual/cultural entry-level course.

Participants:
Participants will be educators, therapists, teachers, psychologists, and others in health and social care professions, as well as parents of young children with disabilities and adult self-advocates with disabilities, who seek behavioural supports, and who, without the project’s Intellectual Outputs, are at risk of falling prey to charlatans, who are ill-trained and try to sell costly miracle ‘cures’(118).

Description of activities:
Our strategic partnership will develop new qualifications in Behaviour Analysis with comprehensive standardisations(11) referenced to the EQF and partner country NQFs(75), competency profiles for entry-level and Masters level, and an online entry-level course. These qualifications will focus, not on one single method of intervention, but rather on the scientific theoretical and practical basis of the full range of evidence-based effective procedures(13).

Methodology:
We bring together a highly skilled strategic group of Higher Education partners who have a proven track record of successful working together in various separate successful EU funded projects over more than 10 years(29,31,39). The lead UK (Northern Ireland) partner and the UK team around him are the common denominator of previous partnerships and as such, this new partnership is well established and competent in the necessary methodologies of establishing professional standards, competency profiles, and course development. We have included a number of new partners to ensure additional expertise in Mental Health, Clinical Psychology, Special Education, and Technology.

Results/outcomes:
New qualifications, European Behaviour Analyst (EuroBA; entry-level and Masters level) will be available with (1) well-defined standards for Europe and Partner Countries, (2) two levels of competence profiles, and (3) an entry-level course that meets European standards of training(33,75). The qualification and resources will be adapted to 6 European cultural and linguistic contexts(49,76).

Impact:
The work will have very wide-ranging impacts, on professional training, qualifications, disability interventions, employment, physical and social mobility, mental health, quality of life, and financial cost to society.

Potential longer-term benefits:
By developing new qualifications in Behaviour Analysis and making available an entry-level course, educators and other professionals will be empowered with new knowledge, skills, and expertise, enhancing their employability and mobility. They also will be in a position to explore further professional pathways, such as Masters level training in Behaviour Analysis(32). People with disabilities will have access to well-trained behaviour analysts, which will benefit their skills development, employability, mobility, quality of life, and mental health.

Project Website

http://www.facebook.com/EuropeanBehaviourAnalyst

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 360121 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER & Country: UK

Project Partners

• STOCKHOLMS UNIVERSITET
• Masarykova univerzita
• PANTEIO PANEPISTIMIO KOINONIKON KAI POLITIKON EPISTIMON
• THE QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST
• ERASMUS UNIVERSITEIT ROTTERDAM
• IESCUM
• Neuro Hero Ltd