Training Feedback- Report 10th June 2025 - Second Event

ND Connect Team
Jun 10
3 min read

ASN Parent Feedback CPD Event Report

10th June 2025 - Second Event

Executive Summary

The Neurodivergence Connect session held on 10th June 2025 received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. This second event in the series successfully delivered valuable insights to educators working with children who have Additional Support Needs (ASN). The session focused on practical strategies shared by parents, with particular emphasis on communication approaches, de-escalation techniques, and home-school collaboration.

Participation Overview

Total Participant who respondeds: 15 educators

Primary teachers
ASN specialist teachers
Nursery staff
Support staff across various educational settings

The diverse range of participants indicates strong cross-sector engagement and recognition of the program's value.

Key Findings

1. Impact on Understanding of Family Experiences

Participants reported significant improvements in their understanding of the daily challenges faced by families with ASN children. Key insights included:

Morning routines matter: Educators gained appreciation for how home experiences directly impact school readiness
Ripple effects: Better understanding of how seemingly small incidents can affect an entire day
Parent expertise: Recognition of parents as knowledgeable partners with valuable lived experience
Whole child perspective: Importance of considering home life when supporting children in educational settings

"Much better insight into the challenges faced and the impact of seemingly incidents on the day ahead." - C Skinner

2. Practical Strategies Identified

The most frequently mentioned practical applications included:

Communication and Language Approaches:

Low-demand language strategies
Careful phrasing to minimize anxiety
Understanding how rephrasing questions can cause overwhelm
PDA-specific communication techniques (using "I wonder if..." instead of direct requests)

Routine and Environmental Strategies:

Implementation of "BIG movement" activities before the school day
Communication passports for maintaining consistency between home and school
Visual timetables and "now and next" boards (with awareness of when these are/aren't appropriate)
Morning communication protocols

De-escalation Techniques:

Recognition of early warning signs
Strategies to prevent escalation rather than react to it
Understanding the importance of processing time

3. Perspective Changes and Learning

PDA Awareness: Multiple participants noted learning about Pathological Demand Avoidance for the first time
Magnitude of Impact: Better understanding of how "small" incidents can have significant consequences
Language Consciousness: Increased awareness of how instructional language can be perceived as demands
Home-School Communication: Enhanced appreciation for morning communication importance

4. Confidence Levels in Parent Partnership

Confidence Distribution:

Very confident: 1 participant (7%)
Somewhat confident: 10 participants (67%)
Neutral: 4 participants (26%)

The majority of participants feel somewhat confident working in partnership with parents, indicating room for growth while acknowledging the foundation has been established.

5. Future CPD Needs

Participants identified several areas for continued professional development:

Topic-Specific Requests:

Different ASN conditions and their specific needs
Sensory support resources and equipment
De-escalation strategies
Supporting neurodivergent parents
Play-based pedagogy for autistic children

Format Preferences:

Continuation of parent-led sessions
Q&A prioritization
Topic-specific sessions
Classroom-specific examples

Systemic Support Needs:

More time for parent communication
Reduced administrative burden
Training for large class management with ASN pupils

Challenges Identified

Several systemic challenges emerged from the feedback:

Time Constraints: Difficulty finding time for meaningful parent communication, especially in morning routines
Class Size: Large classes making individualized support challenging
Administrative Burden: Paperwork demands reducing time available for direct child support
Resource Questions: Uncertainty about sensory equipment provision and home-school sharing
Balancing Needs: Managing ASN support while considering impact on other learners

Notable Quotes

"It's fantastic that you are creating a supportive community and I will be recommending to colleagues and those I work with." - LT

"A great idea that has taken off because of a clear need for adults working in a school establishment to have more information that will benefit all involved with the young people in our classrooms." - C

"The clarity of their explanations and the willingness to share their time and personal experiences with us is amazing and very much appreciated." - L

Areas for Attention

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive across all participants, indicating strong program effectiveness and participant engagement. All respondents provided constructive feedback and expressed interest in continued participation, demonstrating the program's success in meeting educator needs.

Conclusion

The June 10th CPD session successfully achieved its objectives of improving educator understanding of ASN family experiences and providing practical strategies for classroom implementation. The strong positive response and requests for continuation demonstrate the program's value and necessity.

The feedback indicates educators are hungry for this type of parent-led professional development and are ready to implement learned strategies. The program is successfully building bridges between home and school, creating a more informed and empathetic educational community. The foundation established through these first two events provides an excellent platform for continued growth and impact.

Report prepared based on feedback from 15 participants in the ASN Parent Feedback CPD session held 10th June 2025.