Overview
Are you interested in enhancing your professional practice and transforming your approach to supporting neurodivergent young people?
The Safe House Framework® is designed specifically for psychologists and professionals who work with neurodivergent young people. This innovative framework offers a holistic approach to neurodiversity affirming practices. It integrates the latest evidence, best practice guidelines, human rights principles, and a wealth of lived experience. Learn how to create inclusive environments that celebrate differences, minimise barriers, and foster psychological safety.
The shift to the neurodiversity paradigm is underway, and the demand for skilled professionals capable of providing effective, affirming care is growing. Don’t let your practice lag! Equip yourself with the mindset, knowledge, skills and tools needed to provide truly affirming care.
The training covers:
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The foundational knowledge required to understand the autistic experience, and the principles that underpin the neurodiversity affirming approach to care.
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A practical, step-by-step guide to implementing affirming practices in your work with neurodivergent clients, and addressing their often complex needs.
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Introspection and reflection exercises designed to facilitate a paradigm shift, enhancing your competence and confidence when working with diverse neurotypes.
Level 2: Apply The Safe House Framework®
This is the second activity in the program and is comprised of three eLearning workshops that provide the advanced guidance to implementing The Safe House Framework® .
It builds on learnings gained from Level 1: The Safe House Framework® for Health Professionals: A step-by-step guide to neurodiversity affirming practice.
- Workshop One: Redefining Realities: Dominant & divergent narratives
Challenge the traditional 'disordered' narrative and explore the power dynamics that have shaped the neurodiversity movement. Participants will be invited to critically engage with societal and professional narratives, fostering a more inclusive and affirming approach to neurodivergent individuals.
- Workshop Two: Embodying the personhood of an affirming practitioner
Look inward and reflect on your own role in neurodiversity-affirming practices. Discover how self-awareness can enhance your therapeutic relationships and empower you to show up with greater empathy, respect, and understanding.
- Workshop Three: Becoming a Safe House: Implementing the framework
This practical workshop brings together key elements of a neurodiversity-affirming framework, including informed consent, co-design, goal-setting, and self-assessment. Learn how to create safe, supportive spaces where neurodivergent children and families can thrive.
This activity is CPD approved by the APS for 6.0 hours.
Related activities
Register now and transform your approach to neurodiversity!
Level of learning
Intermediate. This activity is targeted to those who have some previous learning on the topic.
Target audience
This activity is suitable for psychologists in all career stages, general practitioners, and allied health professionals including speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dieticians, and social workers.
APS CPD-Approved
This activity has been assessed against the APS Standards for CPD activities and approved for its education quality. Learn more about the APS CPD Approval process.
Professional competencies for psychologists
The Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) has released new professional competencies for psychologists which come into effect on 1 December 2025.
Psychologists practising in Australia have always been required to be adequately trained to work with sensitivity and respect with the diversity of clients, colleagues, and other people that a psychologist is likely to encounter in their day-to-day work. Information on the professional competencies is available on the PsyBA website.
This program addresses Competency #7: Demonstrates a health equity and human rights approach when working with people from diverse groups: Understands neurodiversity, strengths-based, trauma-informed, and positive approaches to supporting people with developmental disability. Demonstrates the ability to adapt psychological practice and make reasonable adjustments for people with disability, including understanding of alternative and augmentative communication.
Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes focus on understanding and differentiating between dominant narratives and counter-narratives, particularly in the context of autism.
Participants will analyse and evaluate these narratives, propose key features of effective counter-narratives, and define values and biases while explaining bias as a cognitive strategy. They will also identify personal implicit biases and discuss the role of values in clinical decision-making, recognizing their own professional values and demonstrating inclusive practices.
Additionally, they will communicate The Safe House Framework™ to clients, collaborate on therapeutic processes, develop an effective personal workflow, and engage in self-appraisal through reflection and feedback.
Collectively, these outcomes promote critical thinking, self-awareness, and collaborative practice in therapy.