Few parents are professionally geared to aid kids born in need of special education. This need not be daunting and frustrating for them now that there is P.L.A.I. BEHAVIOUR CONSULTING, says its founder and director DIANNA HIU YAN YIP, M.Ed., BCBA.
“I started P.L.A.I. in June 2012, when I moved back to Hong Kong with the mission to bring my expertise and experience to support families of kids with special education needs here and nearby regions,” says Dianna Hiu Yan Yip, founder of P.L.A.I.
“There is a lack of service for children and families with special educational needs (SEN) here. When I moved back, there was less than 10 board certified behaviour analysts (BCBA) here. There are numerous centres, that provide behavioural intervention without any qualified professional on board. The quality still varies,” says Yip.
Flexible Structure
“In P.L.A.I., we aim at providing services that fit our clients’ needs. We work hard on supporting our staff’s professional development through supporting their education to become certified. Most of the services in Hong Kong provide mainly centre-based services and child-centred services. At P.L.A.I., we provide intervention in the child’s natural environment and we are family-centred. We believe that our job is to support families in a way that reduces their stress level. We tailor our services for each family that we support, from the child’s highly individualized intervention to a session time that works best for the family, though it may not be the most convenient for us. We also have a focus on using positive behaviour support (PBS) for behaviour management,” Yip explains.
“Our family-centred approach allows more flexibility in our services to fit our clients’ needs. We believe that family should be able to enjoy normal family life while receiving quality support. We encourage families to participate in family activities, like going on vacation and attending birthday parties and by having a flexible billing system,” says Yip.
Role of Educators
“’Passion’: At P.L.A.I., supporting families is not our job, but our mission. We believe that we are making a positive change, making a difference in someone’s life when we go to work. I truly swear by it and I really try to create a culture where all my staff share my belief (and I think they do!). Because of it, we don’t mind spending extra time and effort to help. I think my clients can see that and appreciate that.”
“‘Trust’: This goes in many levels.
- We trust that all children can learn. It is our job to find the best way for them to learn. If they are not learning, there is more we can do as educators. We will never blame the child but improve ourselves;
- We trust that the parents are the expert of their children. We listen to what our clients have to offer and we capitalize on it. This builds a strong alliance between us and our clients and empowers our clients and;
- We trust our staff. We work as a team. Though we have different positions, there is no hierarchy. We enjoy open communication and we are like a family in P.L.A.I. This trust empowers my staff to give their most to our clients and to our company.
“‘Luck’: I believe that we are very lucky to have such an amazing team. They are the reason why we can do what we are doing. Without them, P.L.A.I. will not be possible. I am also lucky to have many community partners (NGOs, principals, etc.) to support my work. Most importantly, I am very lucky to be able to work with these beautiful children and wonderful family. They make me smile every day,” concludes Yip.
For additional information, please visit www.plaiconsulting.com
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