Courses & events for parents & carers
We offer various training options for parents and carers, including live courses which we deliver on various dates throughout the year and on behalf of other organisations such as autism charities and support groups. We also host Q&As and provide pre-recorded webinars and videos on various topics.
Further details are available below or, to quickly navigate to a specific training option, please use the following links:
Live courses
Our live courses are delivered either in-person or online via Zoom by our training facilitators who have valuable lived experience of PDA as parents, carers, partners, family members and PDAers themselves.
Each course we offer includes the following general content:
- what is PDA?
- demands and their effects
- how PDA can feel
- helpful approaches (including collaborative problem solving)
- signposting to resources & support
These themes are then developed with additional material included depending upon the course – detailed below.
Please note: any legislation/diagnostic approaches discussed are related to England unless stated otherwise. Parent/carer programmes are also available covering the Welsh education system, please ask for details.
Courses we’re currently offering for parents and carers include:
Understanding PDA for parents/carers
5.5-6 hour programmes (delivered in-person on one day or online via 2 sessions)
Suitable for parents and carers of PDA children (whether formally diagnosed, self-identified or exploring the profile) up to age 18 years. Families with young people aged 18 years+ are very welcome to join the course but due to time constraints we’re unable to cover more specific adult approaches and ideas. Delegates are requested to watch a 20min introductory webinar prior to attending the training.
Additional material: anxiety, rewards/praise/sanctions, siblings, diagnosis, transition to adulthood, and education.
Tickets for upcoming public course dates are available below.
What is PDA? for male parents and carers of PDA children and adults
2.5-3 hour programmes
This course is suitable for all male and non-binary people who are the parent or carer of a PDA person (whether formally diagnosed, self-identified or exploring the profile) and will be delivered by trainers and a guest speaker with lived experience of PDA. They’ll share an overview of PDA, consider what demands are and their effects, explore PDA demand avoidance, share approaches that might be beneficial, and signpost to additional resources.
We recognise that the majority of our training is attended by people who identify as female. This session may be beneficial for people who would appreciate the shared perspective of our male trainer and guest speaker as PDA parents and wish to access our training with other male and non-binary people.
Tickets for upcoming public course dates will be announced here soon.
Working with & supporting PDA young people and adults
3.5-4 hour programmes
Suitable for parents and carers supporting PDA young people and/or adults (whether formally diagnosed, self-identified or exploring the profile).
Additional material: teenagers & adults; distressed behaviours; individual needs; inclusive support.
Tickets for upcoming public course dates are available below.
Introduction to PDA
1 hour programme for support groups only.
Please email training@pdasociety.org.uk to make a booking enquiry.
Q&A Live events
Our online Q&A Live sessions invite guest speakers to answer questions about PDA and specific topics live via Zoom. 2-3 weeks after the live session you will be registered for our training hub and receive access to the recording for 30 days. Questions can be submitted at the time of booking and/or via the Zoom chat function on the night.
It may not be possible to answer all questions depending on the numbers attending and the amount of questions asked. Also it won’t be possible to answer specific questions on personal situations within these Q&A sessions – if you require support please contact our enquiry line.
Q&A Live: Planning for your future – Wills and Trusts with Irwin Mitchell
Monday 23rd September 2024
Q&A Live: Deputyship and Consent with Cathie Long
Wednesday 23rd October 2024
Q&A Live: Burnout
Thursday 21st November 2024
Q&A Live: Holidays and Special Occasions
Thursday 5th December 2024
Q&A recordings
We have replays of our past Q&A sessions, where guest speakers answer questions about PDA and specific topics, available to purchase for 30 days by clicking or tapping on the images below.
Already purchased a Q&A recording? Please sign in to the PDA Society training hub (using the same login method used to make the purchase) to access the recording via your dashboard. For further information about using the PDA Society training hub, please refer to our user guide.
Post identification support
Supporting male parents and carers
The importance of diagnosis
Selective mutism
Navigating distressed behaviours Pt. 2
Education Other Than At School
Safer PDA Panel Guidance
Emotionally based school avoidance
Effective Provision for PDA Learners
Navigating distressed behaviours
Transitions into college and work
Eating Disorders (Lived Experience)
LGBTQIAP+
Sensory Processing
Eating Disorders (Ellern Mede Group)
Understanding social care
Balancing needs within the family
Gaming
Neurodivergent parenting
Sleep
Q&A holidays and special occasions
Teenage years including puberty and personal hygiene
Education in conversation with Jilly, Libby & Kym
Looking after ourselves as caregivers
See all Q&A recordings
Recorded Webinars
In addition to our live training opportunities we are pleased to now offer recorded webinars exploring a variety of topics.
These are available to purchase for £10 each and that will provide you with access to the webinar for 30 days.
PDA approaches – an overview
See all recorded webinars
FREE webinars
The following pre-recoded webinars, videos and podcasts which may be of interest to parents and carers are free to watch by clicking or tapping on the images below.
Introduction to PDA
What is PDA?
Q&A: What is PDA for parents & carers
Demand Avoidance of the PDA Kind
PDA & school avoidance
PDA & masking
Best practice – the PDA community’s voice
Best practice – the professional voice
See all free webinars
To discuss options for individual training on our public courses or if you would like assistance completing this form please email training@pdasociety.org.uk
Please note: Our emails can sometimes be filtered into junk/spam/social/promotions folders – please check yours if you haven’t heard back from us in your inbox within 3-5 working days.