Compassionate Collaboration: Building Caregiver Buy-In, Not Compliance
Presented by Leanne Page
When
Fri, Nov 6, 2026, 12:00 PM EST
Caregiver non-participation in behavior intervention plans is frequently attributed to resistance or lack of motivation, yet growing evidence points to relational and communication-based variables as primary drivers of caregiver disengagement. This session presents a structured, evidence-informed framework, CARES (Check-in, Acknowledge, Reflect Together, Explore Options, Set the Next Step), for building caregiver collaboration grounded in the therapeutic relationship. Drawing on the behavioral conceptualization of the therapist as a discriminative stimulus for client behavior (Follette, Naugle, & Callaghan, 1996), the framework emphasizes that practitioner behavior directly influences caregiver responsiveness, positioning the therapeutic relationship as a mechanism of behavior change rather than a secondary consideration. Participants will examine how divergent stakeholder perspectives and the practitioner's own learning history can function as barriers to a strong working alliance, and will be introduced to the concept of task agreement, the explicit, ongoing clarification of roles, goals, and expectations between behavior analyst and caregiver, as a means of sustaining collaboration beyond the initial intake. The session also addresses practical strategies for adapting behavior plans to align with caregiver values, routines, and realistic capacity, with emphasis on evidence-based communication techniques that reduce caregiver defensiveness and promote active participation. Participants will leave with an applied framework for increasing caregiver buy-in and follow-through across diverse family contexts.
Attend live and your CEU certificate is issued after the session.
See all upcoming live CEUs →About this CEU
Behavior plans only work if caregivers actually use them, and too often the plan that looks perfect on paper falls apart at home. That's often because every caregiver is standing on a different part of the beach ball, seeing the situation from their own angle, and a plan that ignores that rarely survives contact with real life. This session introduces the CARES framework (Check-in, Acknowledge, Reflect Together, Explore Options, Set the Next Step), a five-step approach for building genuine caregiver buy-in instead of surface-level compliance. You'll learn evidence-based communication strategies that strengthen the caregiver relationship, plus how to adapt behavior plans to fit each family's real values, routines, and capacity, so collaboration actually sticks.
What you'll learn
- 1Participants will describe evidence-based communication strategies that promote collaboration with caregivers.
- 2Participants will demonstrate how to adapt behavior plans to align with caregiver values, routines, and realistic capacity.
- 3Participants will be able to use the CARES framework for increasing compassionate collaboration with caregivers.
OpenCEU is supported by advertising from third-party sponsors. Sponsors are clearly labeled, have no influence over course content, instructors, or CEU decisions, and never appear on certificates. The BACB does not sponsor, approve, or endorse OpenCEU sponsors or their products.