A behavioral assistant is someone who works with school-aged children and teenagers who have behavioral or social skills issues. The exact role of a behavioral assistant in a school is determined by the school’s policies as well as the individual needs of each student receiving assistance. The assistant may also be expected to work as a teaching assistant in some cases. Other factors to consider include whether the assistant will work with students in a separate program for students with special needs or in regular classrooms.
Some children may require extra help at school in behaving appropriately and interacting with classmates and teachers due to intellectual disabilities, mental health issues, or social immaturity. These individuals are employed by many schools to assist these students in developing appropriate behaviors and social skills. Depending on the structure of the educational system in which he or she works, the assistant may report to a special education teacher, a school behavioral specialist, or another school administrator.
If a child is identified as having behavioral issues, educational professionals such as teachers, school psychologists, and social workers may collaborate with the child and his parents to develop a behavior improvement plan. Bad behavior may be punished with time-outs or specific penalties, while good behavior may be rewarded with special privileges. Depending on whether the child follows his behavior plan, the behavioral assistant may assume primary responsibility for observing the child’s behavior and awarding or enforcing discipline. A behavioral assistant may also serve as a teacher’s aide in some schools, providing supervised instruction in regular school subjects or assisting students who require extra assistance with their schoolwork.
The requirements for becoming a behavioral assistant vary by school and legal jurisdiction. Someone who takes on the role of this type of assistant may be required to complete a certification course before working in a school, as well as continuing education classes to keep their certification current. He or she will almost always be required to have a high school diploma, and some jurisdictions may require the assistant to have completed some college, while others may require a degree or significant experience working with children. A behavioral assistant will usually have to pass a background check in addition to their educational credentials before being allowed to work with students.