Video observation
A trained pair of eyes on the moment, and nothing more than that
Some behaviors are almost impossible to describe in words, and a 30-second video says everything. Send us one and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst writes down what they observe in it. No advice, no plan, no verdict on your parenting. Just a careful description of what is happening, which is often the thing that has been missing.
What you get
A BCBA watches your footage and writes down what they observe: what happened before the behavior, what your child actually did, what followed, and which patterns are visible in those few minutes.
What you do not get
It is not advice, a recommendation, a plan, a diagnosis, or treatment. You will not be told what to do. A behavior analyst who has never met your child cannot responsibly tell you that, and we would rather hand you a clear observation than a confident guess.
We're finalizing the consent, privacy, and security framework with legal counsel before accepting a single video. That's on purpose. Parents trust us with footage of their children, and we'd rather launch later than launch loose. In the meantime, you can preview the sign-up experience in an interactive demo.
The exchange
Access is an exchange rather than a giveaway. You grant the research permission (B), your footage joins the research corpus, and in return a BCBA gives you their observation. You are not paid for this, and you are not charged for it.
The permission in question is Behavioral research: “My child’s footage, with identifying details removed and my family referred to by a code rather than a name, may be included in datasets licensed to universities and nonprofit or public research institutions for research into child development and behavior. Those institutions pay the Institute a licence fee and are barred from selling anything built on the footage. I understand I am not paid for this grant.”
The resource library and every course stay free and unconditional. Those never depend on granting anything.
How it works
- I
Grant the research permission
The service runs on an exchange. You allow your footage into the research corpus under the research grant, and a BCBA gives you their time in return.
- II
Record a real moment
Capture a short video of the behavior as it actually happens, including the minute before it starts if you can. No production values, no staging.
- III
Receive an observation
A BCBA writes down what the footage shows: antecedent, behavior, what followed, and the patterns visible in those minutes. A description, stopping where the evidence stops.
Questions parents ask
Will the BCBA tell me what to do about the behavior?
No, and that limit is the point rather than a shortcoming. You receive an observation: what happened before the behavior, what your child did, what followed, and the patterns visible in those minutes. You will not receive recommendations, a plan, or instructions. A behavior analyst who has never met your child, never spoken to your care team, and has only a few minutes of footage is not in a position to tell you what to do, and we would rather give you a clear description than a confident guess. What you do with the observation is yours to decide, ideally with the people who know your child.
Is this therapy, diagnosis, or clinical advice?
No. It is an observational readout for your own understanding, and it is educational rather than clinical. Nothing in it diagnoses your child, evaluates anyone, or creates a provider relationship. It does not replace your BCBA, pediatrician, or any licensed clinician, and if you have a care team already, the observation is meant to be something you can bring to them rather than something that stands in for them.
Why do I have to grant the research permission to use it?
Because the service is an exchange rather than a giveaway. Your footage joins the research corpus that funds and justifies this work, and in return a BCBA spends real time watching it and writing up what they see. You are not charged money and you are not paid money. We would rather describe that honestly than advertise it as free and collect the footage quietly. The resource library and every course stay unconditionally free whether you use this service or not.
Is the review anonymous?
The BCBA works without your name attached and writes to the situation in the footage rather than to an identity. Exact handling, retention, and deletion timelines for observation footage will be published in the privacy policy before the service opens.
What kind of video is useful?
Ordinary phone footage of a real moment: a transition that fell apart, a mealtime standoff, a meltdown, a homework battle. One to five minutes that includes the lead-up is the most useful thing you can send, because the minute before the behavior is where the pattern usually shows itself. Staged demonstrations and recap-to-camera videos cannot be observed meaningfully.