ABA therapy, supervised by a BCBA.
At home, at school, online and at a centre, in 55 cities across India.
In short
What ABA is
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) teaches skills, and reduces behaviours that get in the way of learning, by looking closely at what happens just before a behaviour and just after it. A programme is designed and supervised by a behaviour analyst, and it is most often used with autistic children and children with developmental delay.
Good programmes today look very different from the ABA of decades ago. They are built around play and the child's own interests, they teach communication before compliance, and they watch closely for whether the child is happy to take part. Autistic adults have raised serious criticisms of older practice, and those criticisms are worth reading before you choose. Read both sides of the debate.
At Special Minds, every ABA programme is designed and supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Behaviour analysis is not a category on the Rehabilitation Council of India's register, so ask any provider, us included, for the supervising analyst's name and check it. Our guides show you how.
ABA with Special Minds
- Every programme designed and supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst
- At home, at school, online and at a centre
- Parent coaching, so the plan works between sessions
- Progress reviewed against measurable goals, with data you can see
- Present in 55 cities across India
Where it happens
ABA where your child already is.
At home
Sessions in your own routines: meals, dressing, play and bedtime, with parent coaching built in.
Find out moreAt school
A school-day plan agreed with the school first, so skills learned in therapy work in class too.
Find out moreOnline and parent coaching
A BCBA coaches you by video to teach skills in your family's real day, anywhere in India.
Find out moreFor toddlers
Play-based early intervention for young children, with parents closely involved.
Find out more
Already have a behaviour analyst? A shadow teacher or special educator can follow their plan at school or at home.
How it works
From first call to progress.
One point of contact, and a BCBA behind every programme.
- 01
A private conversation
On WhatsApp or a call, in English or Hindi: your child, what is hard at the moment, and what you hope will change.
- 02
An ABA assessment
A look at your child's skills, strengths and what gets in the way. It is not a diagnosis; we say plainly if another professional should see your child first.
- 03
Goals written with you
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst writes the programme with you, around skills that matter in your child's day.
- 04
Sessions where your child is
Trained ABA therapists at home, at school with its agreement, online or at a centre, supervised by the BCBA.
- 05
Coaching for the family
You, and the grandparents or helpers who share the care, learn the same strategies, so the plan works between sessions.
- 06
Progress you can see
Progress is reviewed against measurable goals, the data is shared with you, and goals change as your child grows.
Judging a programme
Signs of a good one
- A qualified behaviour analyst designs and supervises the programme, and you can check the credential on the issuing body's public registry.
- Goals are written with you, about skills that matter in your child's life: communicating, playing, self-care, joining in at school.
- Sessions are mostly playful, and your child is generally happy to come. Signs that a child wants to stop are noticed and respected.
- You can watch sessions, see the data and the graphs, and you are taught to use the strategies yourself.
- The plan is shared with the school and with your child's speech and occupational therapists, so everyone works the same way.
Ask questions, or walk away
Red flags
- No one can tell you who designs and supervises the programme, or the credential cannot be checked.
- Parents are not allowed to observe, or data is not shared.
- Punishment, restraint, or withholding food, water, toilet or comfort is part of the plan.
- Crying and distress are routinely ignored, or the child dreads going.
- Targets centre on stopping harmless stimming or forcing eye contact.
- A fixed, large number of hours is sold before your child has been assessed.
The reading list
40 guides on ABA, written plainly
Start with the basics, or go straight to the question in front of you.
The basics
What ABA is, whether it works, how many hours, and when to start.
What is ABA therapy? A plain-English guide for parents in IndiaWhat is ABA therapy? A plain-English guide for Indian parents: the ABC idea, what a session looks like, who delivers it, what it is for and what it is not.11 min- ABA therapy for autism in India: how it works, who provides it and what to expectABA therapy in India explained: who provides it, how to check credentials with no RCI category, home, school or centre, and what the first months look like.11 min
Does ABA therapy work? What the research says, and what it does notDoes ABA therapy work? An honest look at the research on ABA for autism, why results vary between children, and what 'working' should mean for your child.10 min
How many hours of ABA therapy does a child need?How many hours of ABA therapy does a child need? What Indian guidelines say, why intensive ABA is debated, and how hours should fit into a child's whole week.10 min
What age should ABA therapy start? Toddlers, school-age children and teenagersWhat age should ABA therapy start? Early intervention for toddlers, starting at school age, ABA for teenagers, and why goals change but it is never too late.10 min
The debate and the alternatives
The criticism from autistic adults, assent-based practice, and the other approaches families meet.
- Is ABA therapy harmful? The criticism from autistic adults, and how good programmes respondIs ABA harmful? What autistic adults criticise, in their own terms, how today's practice and the BACB Ethics Code respond, and how a parent can tell.12 min
Assent-based ABA: what kind, child-led practice looks likeAssent based ABA explained for parents: assent vs consent, the signs a child wants to stop, how play and choice shape sessions, and what to ask a provider.10 min
ABA vs speech therapy vs occupational therapy: which does my child need first?ABA vs speech therapy vs occupational therapy: what each does, how a developmental paediatrician decides what comes first, and how to run all three together.10 min
ABA, ESDM, Floortime, TEACCH and PECS: the main autism approaches comparedABA vs Floortime, ESDM, PRT, TEACCH and PECS: what each autism approach emphasises, how they combine, what Indian guidance says, and how to choose.10 min- ABA beyond autism: ADHD, developmental delay, Down syndrome and behaviour that gets in the wayABA therapy for ADHD, developmental delay and Down syndrome: where behavioural approaches help, what parent training involves, and when ABA is not the fit.11 min
How ABA teaches
The methods you will see in sessions, explained.
- Discrete trial training (DTT): what happens at the table, and whyDiscrete trial training explained for parents in India: how a DTT trial works, which skills it suits, when it is overused, and how to keep it playful.11 min
- Natural environment teaching: play-based ABA in everyday lifeNatural environment teaching explained: how play-based ABA builds skills at mealtimes, bath time and the park, following your child's own interests at home.10 min
- Reinforcement in ABA: how rewards work without becoming bribesReinforcement in ABA explained for parents: how rewards work, the difference between a reinforcer and a bribe, natural rewards, fading and token boards.10 min
- Prompting and prompt fading in ABA: helping without making a child dependentPrompt fading in ABA explained: the main prompt types, most-to-least and least-to-most, avoiding prompt dependence, and what a shadow teacher should do.10 min
- Task analysis and chaining: teaching brushing, dressing and packing the school bag step by stepTask analysis in ABA explained: breaking brushing, dressing, handwashing and packing the school bag into steps, and when to use forward or backward chaining.10 min
Understanding behaviour
Why a behaviour happens, and what a good plan does about it.
- Functional behaviour assessment: finding out why a behaviour happensA functional behaviour assessment finds out why a behaviour happens: the four common reasons, what the behaviour analyst does, and what parents can add.11 min
- Behaviour intervention plans: what a good one containsWhat a behaviour intervention plan should contain: prevention, replacement skills, calm responses, safety, data and review, plus a checklist for parents.11 min
- Recording behaviour at home: ABC notes for parentsABC data collection for parents: how to note what happens before, during and after a behaviour at home, what to leave out, and how to share your notes.10 min
- Why behaviour can get worse before it gets better: extinction bursts explainedAn extinction burst is a short rise in a behaviour once it stops working. Why it happens, why only the behaviour analyst should plan for it, and safety first.10 min
- Functional communication training: teaching a child to ask instead of hit or screamFunctional communication training teaches a child to ask for what a behaviour was getting them, using words, signs, pictures or a device, at home and school.10 min
Communication and social skills
Requesting, play, friendship and every form of communication.
- The verbal behaviour approach: mands, tacts and teaching a child to askThe verbal behaviour approach (verbal behavior ABA) in plain English: mands, tacts, why requesting comes first, and how it fits with speech therapy.11 min
- Pivotal response treatment (PRT): motivation-led ABA explainedPivotal response treatment (PRT) explained for parents: the pivotal areas, child choice, natural rewards, how parents use it at home, and its limits.10 min
- Social skills in ABA: play, turn-taking and friendship, without forcing eye contactABA social skills done well: play, turn-taking and friendship on your child's terms, why forced eye contact and masking are not goals, and recess at school.10 min
- Generalisation in ABA: when skills learned in therapy don't show up at home or schoolGeneralisation in ABA explained: why skills learned in therapy don't show up at home or school, how good programmes plan for it, and what families can do.10 min
- ABA, AAC and non-speaking children: PECS, devices and the right to communicateABA for a non-verbal child: how AAC, PECS and speech devices fit with ABA, why every form of communication counts, and why the SLP leads AAC decisions.10 min
Finding and choosing a programme
Credentials, questions, red flags and fees.
- How to find a qualified ABA therapist in IndiaSearching for an ABA therapist near me? How families in India find qualified ABA, check a behaviour analyst on a public registry and judge the first meeting.11 min
- BCBA, RBT, IBA, QBA: ABA credentials explained for Indian familiesBCBA in India, RBT, IBA and QBA explained for parents: who issues each ABA credential, the BACB residency rule, how to check a registry and what else matters.10 min
- Questions to ask an ABA centre before you sign upThe questions to ask an ABA provider or centre before you sign up: the analyst, goals, methods, data, your role, school, fees in writing and how it all ends.9 min
- Red flags in an ABA programme: when to ask questions or walk awayABA red flags parents in India should know: distress ignored, no observation, punishment, no data shared, hours sold upfront and credentials you cannot check.10 min
- ABA therapy cost in India: what drives the fee and how to plan for itABA therapy cost in India, explained without guesswork: what you pay for, why fees differ, questions to ask, packages, budgeting and schemes worth checking.10 min
School and settings
Home, centre or school, and carrying the plan into the classroom.
- Home-based, centre-based or school-based ABA: which setting suits your child?Home based ABA therapy, a centre or school? The trade-offs for Indian families, from commutes and flat space to joint families, and how to choose with a BCBA.10 min
- Online ABA and parent coaching: can remote supervision work?Online ABA therapy in India: how parent coaching by video works, what a BCBA can and cannot do remotely, which children it suits, and its real limits.10 min
- Shadow teacher and ABA: carrying the behaviour plan into the classroomShadow teacher ABA support: an educator, not a therapist, carrying your child's ABA plan into class as the analyst directs, with the school's agreement.10 min
- Sharing your child's ABA plan with school: what to send, and to whomABA in school starts with sharing the plan well: a one-page summary, consent, the inclusion coordinator and class teacher, and the same words everywhere.10 min
- From ABA centre to mainstream school: planning the moveMoving from ABA to mainstream school: the readiness skills that matter, choosing and visiting schools, a transition plan and fading the shadow teacher.10 min
Families, progress and money
Parent training, the whole household, progress reports and paying for it.
- Parent training in ABA: why it matters and what a good programme teachesABA parent training for Indian families: why coaching parents matters, what a good programme teaches, how practice with feedback works and realistic goals.11 min
- ABA-informed strategies parents can use at home, safelyABA at home, safely: first-then, real choices, specific praise, visual schedules and catching good moments, plus the points where parents should stop and ask.10 min
- One plan for the whole household: ABA in joint families, with grandparents and helpersABA in a joint family: helping grandparents, relatives and helpers respond the same way, short scripts that work, respecting elders, and bilingual homes.11 min
- Reading an ABA progress report: goals, graphs and the questions to askHow to read an ABA progress report: goal types, baselines, mastery criteria, graphs, maintenance and generalisation, red flags and questions to ask at review.10 min
- Is ABA covered by insurance in India? Money, schemes and your child's rightsABA insurance in India: what IRDAI's 2024 circular says on disability cover, why outpatient cover is not guaranteed, Niramaya, Disha, RBSK and your rights.11 min
Questions families ask
What is ABA therapy?+
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) is an approach that teaches skills, and reduces behaviours that get in the way of learning, by looking closely at what happens before and after a behaviour. A programme is designed and supervised by a behaviour analyst and is most often used with autistic children.
Does Special Minds provide ABA therapy?+
Yes. Every programme is designed and supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and delivered by trained ABA therapists, at home, at school with the school's agreement, online with parent coaching, or at a centre. We do not provide diagnosis, speech therapy or occupational therapy.
How do I know the programme is supervised by a real BCBA?+
Ask us, or any provider, for the supervising BCBA's name, and check it on the Behavior Analyst Certification Board's public registry, which shows certification status and any reportable disciplinary action.
Is ABA regulated in India?+
At the time of writing (October 2026), behaviour analysis is not a category on the Rehabilitation Council of India's register. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act 2021 names behavioural analysts as an allied-health profession, but no national register for them is yet in operation, so checking a provider's credential yourself matters.
Can someone living in India become a BCBA?+
At the time of writing (October 2026), the BACB accepts new applications only from residents of the US, Canada and Australia. People already certified can currently keep their certification, and the BACB allows remote supervision within its Ethics Code.
Is ABA right for every autistic child?+
No single approach suits every child. ABA is one of several, alongside speech therapy, occupational therapy and developmental approaches. Your child's developmental paediatrician or psychologist can help you decide what to start with.
Can a shadow teacher follow an ABA plan at school?+
Yes, with the school's agreement and under the analyst's direction. The shadow teacher uses the same prompts, rewards and responses as the plan and records data for the analyst; they do not write the plan or run the programme.
ABA therapy in your city
We are present in 55 cities across India. Choose yours for the neighbourhoods we cover and the languages on offer.
- Agra
- Ahmedabad
- Amritsar
- Bengaluru
- Bhopal
- Bhubaneswar
- Chandigarh
- Chennai
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
- Coimbatore
- Dehradun
- Delhi NCR
- Dhanbad
- Ghaziabad
- Guwahati
- Gwalior
- Hubballi-Dharwad
- Hyderabad
- Indore
- Jabalpur
- Jaipur
- Jamshedpur
- Jodhpur
- Kanpur
- Kochi
- Kolkata
- Kota
- Kozhikode
- Lucknow
- Ludhiana
- Madurai
- Mangaluru
- Meerut
- Mumbai
- Mysuru
- Nagpur
- Nashik
- Noida
- Patna
- Pimpri-Chinchwad
- Prayagraj
- Pune
- Raipur
- Rajkot
- Ranchi
- Solapur
- Srinagar
- Surat
- Thane
- Thiruvananthapuram
- Tiruchirappalli
- Vadodara
- Varanasi
- Vijayawada
- Visakhapatnam
Start here
Tell us about your child.
A private conversation first. We will say plainly whether ABA is the right place to start, and how it would work for your family.
Start a brief