PDA for Educators: CPD accredited course
Our courses are delivered by training facilitators with valuable lived experience of PDA as PDAers themselves, parents, carers, partners, family members or professionals working with PDA people.
Our CPD accredited PDA for Educators course is designed to deepen the understanding and confidence of education professionals working with PDA learners aged 5–16. Whether you’re based in a mainstream, SEN, alternative provision, or autism-specific setting, this course provides practical knowledge and tools tailored to your educational environment. All participants will receive individual CPD certification. Choose from a 6-hour format with interactive workshops, or a 4 hour session focusing on theory and core concepts.
This training will help participants:
- Understand Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA):
Gain insight into PDA, a unique profile within the autism spectrum that calls for tailored support approaches. - Develop flexible, tailored approaches:
Learn how to create a responsive and personalised framework of support strategies to meet the needs of PDA learners in your setting. - Apply knowledge to practice (6 hour course):
Strengthen understanding through practical case studies and scenarios, helping participants translate theory into real-world support.
Course length
- 6 hour session (whole school training and workshop model)
For educational provisions seeking a whole school training approach, we recommend the following format:
Morning session: PDA overview (3 hours)
An accessible overview covering PDA theory and strategies, delivered in a concise, interactive format to all staff.
Afternoon session: Interactive workshops (3 hours)
Smaller group sessions allow staff to apply learning to real-life case studies and scenarios. Workshops are adapted to suit your school’s priorities and may focus on topics such as:
- Sensory processing
- Distressed behaviours
- Use of declarative language
- Specific challenges identified during the pre-training meeting
Course content
- What is PDA?
- Explores demands and their effects
- Looks at how PDA can feel, and
- Considers helpful approaches (including collaborative problem solving)
- Educational good practice and where to go for help
- Reasonable adjustments
- PDA children as learners
- Ideas for the classroom and demonstrating progress
- Case studies and Q&A
- Trainer-led workshops designed to help staff deepen their understanding of PDA by applying knowledge to practical case studies and real-world scenarios. Workshops can be tailored to focus on topics most relevant to your organisation’s needs. (6 hour course)
Course options available
(please speak to us directly to discuss)
- Flexible delivery options: Available as a single session or as two sessions.
- Delivery format: Offered online or in person, subject to trainer availability and location.
- Custom durations: Alternative session lengths available on request, with adapted content and CPD hours.
- Tailored content: Bespoke content options can be designed to meet specific needs or audience requirements.
- Large group provision: Suitable for groups of 50 or more.
- Ongoing support: Follow-up education consultations available post-training to reinforce and embed learning.
CPD objectives
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Identify the different terminology which could be present in an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) and may indicate a PDA profile
- Explain what Pathological Demand Avoidance is and how it fits within the autism spectrum
- Appreciate what constitutes a demand from a PDA autistic person’s view point
- Understand the importance of trust and how this can be built
- Be aware of what demand avoidance may look like
- Understand what is meant by ‘masking’ and why this can cause confusion between different settings
- Appreciate the effects that PDA can have on the person and how this can make the person feel
- Identify how to adapt their own practice to better accommodate the needs of a PDA person and what reasonable adjustments may be required
- Understand the importance of phraseology and language when supporting PDA learners
- Understand why sensory processing difficulties can contribute to distressed behaviours
- Be aware of the strategies which best support a learner with distressed behaviours
- Appreciate the differences that may be seen in PDA Autistic learners vs other neurotypes
- Understand the ideal school principles which best accommodate PDA Autistic learners
- Find resources and know where to go for further information on the topics covered
- Practically apply the knowledge learned in the session to real world case studies (available in sessions of 4 or more hours)
Fees start from:
6 hour course
| Delivery Format | 0–20 | 21–30 | 31–50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | £1,500 | £2,025 | £3,188 |
| In-person (excluding expenses) |
£1,750 | £2,363 | £3,719 |
4 hour course
| Delivery Format | 0–20 | 21–30 | 31–50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | £1,100 | £1,485 | £2,338 |
| In-person (excluding expenses) |
£1,350 | £1,823 | £2,869 |
Final prices may vary depending upon:
- the number of attendees
- the length and format of the session
- whether a bespoke or tailored session is required
- any additional preparation or content development needed
- delivery method – eg in person, multiple sessions
Additional consultations
Follow-up consultations can be added to your training package at a cost of £200 per session. Each session focuses on the needs of one PDAer and supports up to five professionals in exploring ways to support them in your setting.
Please note
The listed course fee is a base price.
Additional costs for in person training, including travel, accommodation, subsistence, and printing of handouts/resources (based on the number of delegates), will be invoiced separately after the event.
We are happy to provide a prediction of these expenses in advance, upon request.
If extended breaks (e.g. for lunch) are required, session length may need to increase.
Payment terms
- Full payment for the course is required prior to delivery.
- Expenses will be invoiced separately after the event, based on actual costs. Supporting documentation is available upon request.
- If you foresee any difficulty in meeting these terms, please contact us at the time of booking to discuss.
Fee validity and amendments
Please note that the PDA Society reserves the right to amend fees at any time. All pricing provided here should be treated as a guide only.
Once you have received a written quotation from our training team, fees quoted will remain valid for a maximum of 4 weeks.
How to book
To make a booking or request further information, please complete our enquiry form.
To discuss options for individual training on our public courses contact us at training.support@pdasociety.org.uk.
For assistance with our E-learning contact us at training.support@pdasociety.org.uk.
Important note: our email replies can sometimes be filtered into junk/spam/social/promotions folders – please check yours if you haven’t heard back from us within three to five working days.