Working with and supporting PDA children in education: CPD accredited
All 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 PDAers.
This introductory course is aimed at education settings that would prefer an overview rather than more in-depth training with specific approaches based on support needs. It is often used as a starting point for ‘whole school’ training.
Course aims
- Enhance understanding of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA):
Gain insight into this lesser-known profile within the autism spectrum, which requires distinct support strategies. - Develop flexible, tailored support strategies:
Learn how to build a responsive framework of practical approaches for working with PDA learners — whether in mainstream, SEN, or autism-specific settings.
Who is this course for?
This introductory-level training is ideal for:
- Education settings seeking an accessible overview of PDA
- Use as a starting point for whole-school professional development, this course lays the groundwork for more in-depth, interactive training through follow-up sessions and workshops.
Course length
- 2 hours
- Custom durations available on request
Course content
- What is PDA?
- Explores demands and their effects
- Looks at how PDA can feel
- Considers helpful approaches (including collaborative problem solving)
- Educational good practice and where to go for help
- Q&A (depending on length of course booked)
Course options available
- 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.
CPD objectives
- Explain what Pathological Demand Avoidance is and how it fits into the Autism spectrum.
- Be aware of what demand avoidance may look like.
- Appreciate the effects that PDA can have on the person and how this can make the person feel.
- Understand the importance of trust and how it can be built.
- Appreciate what constitutes a demand from a PDA autistic person’s point of view.
- 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.
- Be aware of the approaches which best support a pupil with distressed behaviours.
- Understand why traditional methods of education can be ineffective for a PDA child.
- Appreciate the differences that may be seen in PDA Autistic learners vs other neurotypes.
- Understand the ideal school principals which best accommodate PDA Autistic leaners.
- Find resources and know where to go for further information on the topics covered.
Fees start from:
| Number of delegates | 0–20 | 21–30 | 31–50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | £800 | £1,130 | £1,700 |
| In-person (excluding expenses) |
£1,050 | £1,418 | £2,231 |
Additional consultations
Follow-up consultations can be added to your training package at a cost of £200 per session or can be booked individually for £230.
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
Please note
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
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.