ADHD Ireland – ADHD Understanding for Educators

#BrainLifeGoals Project Grant Winner 2020

ADHD Ireland is Ireland’s leading ADHD support charity. ADHD Ireland addresses the challenges that individuals with ADHD and their families deal with on a daily basis. We want to move from face to face training to provide online psychoeducational supports to teachers, empowering them to cope with ADHD in the classroom, enabling improved life outcomes for students with ADHD, even in this time of uncertainty.

The ADHD Understanding for Educators Programme is the Only ADHD training in Ireland. It is developed especially to educate on coping skills for the obvious hyperactive and impulsive challenges faced in the classroom, but educators are also made aware of the underlying and often late diagnosed issues of ADD, (particularly in girls). In Ireland, it is estimated that the number of children and adults suffering from ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is approx. 60,000 children (with less than 50% having been diagnosed) and approx. 170,000 adults (with circa 10% having been diagnosed).

When it comes to children with ADHD, statistically every teacher in Ireland will on average have 1 child with ADHD at any given time. When training to qualify as a Teacher, it is estimated that only about an hour is given throughout their qualifying years to understanding and managing children with ADHD. Children with ADHD do not fall under the umbrella of being afforded SNA (Special Needs Assistance) Workers. This will not change, demand for this classroom coping skills knowledge was needed before Covid-19, is needed now and will be required more than ever after this pandemic passes.

Course Content:

The training will address and share Practical Tools, Resources and Approaches to best empower and support people with ADHD. At these sessions, educators will get information on ADHD and how it might present in children. ADHD related symptoms and learning problems will also be examined. Educators are introduced to techniques, interventions, and strategies to enhance outcomes and ensure success for children experiencing behaviour consistent with ADHD in the classroom. As well as providing practical approaches to benefit the child, the ADHD Ireland Team will also offer whole class and whole school strategies.

Project Plan – To Educate:

200 Montessori staff
200 Primary & SNA’s
200 Secondary school teachers and SNA’s