Parent information sessions
CAHDS offers a series of a parent information sessions.
These sessions are for parents or carers who have children or young people who are experiencing significant attention difficulties, including a diagnosis of ADHD. Information sessions are collaborative and invite discussion from participants.
All sessions are stand alone and people can attend any or all the sessions.
Session times
The parent/carer sessions are held from 10am – 12.30pm at Perth Children’s Hospital prior to the beginning of each school term in February, April, July and October.
CAHDS will send an email of the timetable of available sessions for the following three months.
Register
If you are interested in attending any of these sessions, you will need to register with CAHDS.
Once the sessions are full, they will be closed for the cycle. An email will be sent when this happens. There are no waiting lists for sessions.
Information session topics
Family self-care and stress management
This session looks at the impact stress and the challenging behaviours of ADHD can have on the family, including:
- The importance of family self-care
- The positives and challenges of caring for children with ADHD
- The body’s response to stress
- Stress management strategies
Participants will come away with a better understanding of the importance of self-care and how you can realistically achieve this in your family.
Understanding your child’s behaviour
This session helps parents/carers look at behaviour management from a different perspective, including the reasons for behaviour and impact of other factors on children’s behaviour. It encourages discussions guided by topics such as:- What is meant by behaviour?
- What is the behaviour communicating?
- What are the goals of misbehaviour?
- The use of punishment versus the consequences
At the end of the session, we hope you will gain a better understanding of the reasons for your child’s behaviour so you can help them achieve their goals and meet their needs now and into the future.
Siblings
This session provides siblings of children or young people with ADHD a better understanding of what ADHD is and the impacts that it has on the family.
It also helps them identify strategies to help when they are feeling overwhelmed.
Sensory processing for children with ADHD
This session helps parents and carers of children with ADHD who:
- Fidget or struggle to sit still
- Are very easily distractible
- Are easily upset by noise, activity or touch
Parents and carers will gain a better understanding of their child’s unique sensory processing patterns as well as an awareness of sensory strategies that will help support their child’s self-regulation.
Communication
Presented by Speech Pathologists, this session provides information on ADHD-related communication difficulties (verbal, written and social) and their impact, both diagnosed and undiagnosed.
Developmental language difficulties or disorders, and specific learning difficulties or disorders, are common in individuals diagnosed with ADHD but are often undiagnosed. Difficulties can lead to, or be a part of, attentional, behavioural, emotional and academic problems.
Medication and ADHD
Presented by a Psychiatrist, this session provides information on commonly prescribed medications for ADHD.
Executive functioning
Executive functioning is a group of mental processes that helps us perform our daily activities such as planning and organising your day, and overcome difficulties through tasks and problem solving.
This session aims to:
- help parents understand what executive functioning is
- outline types of executive function
- look at what can impact on being able to use these skills effectively
- help you identify if your child is struggling with their executive functioning
- identify some general strategies to help your child with their executive functioning
ADHD and sleep
Sleep difficulties are common for children and adolescents with ADHD. They often have difficulty in getting to sleep, and staying asleep, amongst other sleep difficulties.
The ADHD and Sleep workshop aims to help parents with:
- Providing an understanding of sleep and what might interfere with a good night’s sleep
- Behavioural strategies to help with sleep
- Identifying resources and services that can help with complex sleep difficulties