Supporting neurodivergent children and youth: Improving access and treatment outcomes in mental health, educational and residential settings

Dates: February 5 and 12, 2024
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET

This training is suitable for:
Mental Health Professionals: psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers
Medical Professionals: nurses, psychiatrists, pediatricians, family doctors
Direct Service Workers: drop in workers, shelter and hostel workers, child and youth workers, youth justice workers
Educators: teachers, ECE, school administration, support staff

Level of training: Intermediate/advanced

Client age category: For professionals who work with clients aged 0 to adulthood.

COVID-19-related content:

• Children with pre-existing diagnosis such as ADHD and ASD have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic
• Review research on the impact of the pandemic on children and youth with preexisting psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diagnoses
• Provide tools for clinicians helping families who have experienced deteriorating mental health during the pandemic to get back on track through: reestablishing expectations and daily routines, catching up on lost or lagging skills, and addressing interfering behaviours

Trigger Warning: Case studies may explore clients who have experienced or engage in violence, inappropriate sexual behaviour or placement in foster care and residential settings.

Description:
Individuals experiencing neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum and attention hyper activity disorder, are more likely to struggle with their mental health and be diagnosed with comorbid psychiatric conditions.

This webinar will explore techniques for supporting children, youth and their families who are neurodivergent and have experienced barriers in accessing support and experiencing positive outcomes in mental health, educational and residential settings. Participants will be given the foundation to supplement psychotherapeutic treatment modalities with behavioural learning principals, helping children, youth and their families move from talk to action and to address cognitive and behavioural challenges that interfere with their goals.

Learning objectives:

• Explore diversity, complexities and comorbidities within neurodivergent populations such as those with ASD and ADHD
• Acquire practical strategies to help clients use what they learn in therapy to improve their daily lives
• Understand applications for functional behaviour assessment to address behaviours that interfere with individuals’ goals and positive outcomes
• Acquire practical strategies to affirm, engage and accommodate children with learning differences such as ADHD, LD and ASD during therapy sessions
• Learn strategies to interact mindfully and regulate their own emotions and responses when supporting challenging and complex clients