Working with & supporting PDA children - healthcare (CPD Accredited)

A trainer led, CPD accredited, course aimed at improving the knowledge of healthcare practitioners who work with and support autistic children with the PDA profile of autism (whether formally diagnosed, self-identified or exploring the profile). Conventional autism approaches are often ineffective and counter-productive for PDA people and the course will explore alternative approaches that include creating a partnership based on trust: flexibility and collaboration.

This course is being offered with a recording of the live session available for 7 days after the course. To access the recording you will be registered via your ticket details for our training hub and will receive an email how to access the recording after the course, usually within 3 working days. This will provide access for 7 days from release.

Please note the question and answer session will not be recorded to protect delegate confidentiality.

This course is suitable for healthcare practitioners, therapists and counsellors supporting PDA young people aged up to 16 years.

Although this session does not specifically discuss identification and diagnosis procedures, we do look at the 'Practice Guidance' published in January 2022 that was produced by collating the professional practice and experience of a multidisciplinary group of professionals working in the NHS and private practice. Clinicians who might be finding a presentation perplexing particularly where the young person doesn't respond to conventional interventions or traditional techniques, may find this course helpful in exploring whether a PDA profile of autism could be an underlying factor and therefore help to signpost a way forward.

The session aims to highlight the importance of correct identification and, offers awareness of how the PDA profile may appear within an assessment environment, identifying behaviours that may be seen and sharing approaches to build effective relationships that will help support the young people in your care.

Number of CPD certified hours: 4 hours

This course will look at:

• What is PDA?
• Is PDA controversial?
• Demands, demand avoidance and the effects
• How can PDA feel
• How caregivers can feel
• Practice guidance - identifying & assessing PDA
• Helpful approaches
• Why the right diagnosis & support is important - case study
• Resources & signposting
• Q&A including an interview with a PDA Adult

Location, date & time:

This is an online programme (via Zoom), to be delivered on 30th September 2025 - 9.30am-1.30pm.

We recommend that you join 5-10 minutes prior to the start to ensure your technology is working correctly as we will be unable to delay the start due to the number of delegates we anticipate attending. All delegates will need access to the chat function.

Ticket price:

£105 per delegate payable in advance (plus Eventbrite fees) - to attend the live session

£110 per delegate payable in advance (plus Eventbrite fees) - to attend the live session plus access to a recording of the training for 7 days

The course fee for both includes a certified CPD certificate that will be forwarded after the session following confirmation of attendance/viewing of the recording.

Tickets purchased are for individual use and log in links are not to be shared. We are a small charity and receive no funding to run our courses and rely on this income to cover costs.

Refunds and transfers are available up to 7 days prior to the start of the first session.

If you wish to transfer your place to another person please email training.support@pdasociety.org.uk

After booking, please remember to check your e-mail (messages may be forwarded to your spam/junk folder) for a confirmation receipt from Eventbrite sharing a link for registration. Eventbrite will also send reminders prior to the course taking place.

Please note:

• Group prices available for 5 or more tickets. Please contact us with the number of tickets you would like for a quote.

• We are unable to refund tickets (Eventbrite fee is non-refundable) within 7 days of the event taking place or make transfers to a different course within 24 hours of the start date.

• If you require more than 10+ tickets please do contact us as an in-house programme may suit you better.

• If you have any additional needs that may require assistance during the session, please do let us know at the time of booking, in order that we can discuss arrangements in advance. Thank you.

• All content and slide decks shared as supporting materials are copyright PDA Society and are for personal use of the course attendees only. They may not be replicated or shared outside of the training session or be used to provide training delivered outside of the PDA Society

• FAO iOS users: In Oct 2023 Apple issued new App Store Guidelines that limits registrations for paid online events on the Eventbrite Attendee app. This means that while attendees can view paid online events on Eventbrite’s iOS app, attendees may need to purchase their ticket from a web browser on desktop or mobile. Please use the Event URL below to purchase your ticket if you are unable to do so via the Eventbrite App. This is out of our control however we do apologise for any inconvenience caused by the changes to Apple’s guidelines. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1407171972249

• The PDA Society reserves the right to substitute published speakers should unforeseen circumstances arise. Any education, legislation or healthcare practices discussed are related to England and delegates joining from other locations will need to consider their own local education, legal and healthcare requirements.

• Safeguarding children and adults at risk is a priority for the PDA Society and is a fundamental practice within our charity. Information shared with us will be treated confidentially unless there is a cause for concern in relation to safeguarding. If you share information that leads us to believe that a child or adult at risk is suffering significant harm or is likely to do so, then we will need to report our concerns to the relevant authorities. If you have any questions in respect of this please direct them to training.support@pdasociety.org.uk

• The PDA Society is able to deliver this online course to individual organisations and also have a variety of programmes available for parent/carers and professionals working within education and social care.

If you would like further information about this course or other courses that we offer please contact our training team via email: training.support@pdasociety.org.uk