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.

Level 1: The Safe House Framework^® for Health Professionals: A step-by-step guide to neurodiversity affirming practice

This foundational training combines professional expertise and lived experience, offering a unique, transdisciplinary approach to neurodiversity-affirming care. 

Be equipped and supported as you help make the world a kinder, more inclusive place for neurodivergent children. 

Discover the 8-stage process of building a Safe House in this eLearning activity which includes 15 video lessons and 7 case studies illustrating key concepts. 

Through this holistic, nuanced, and detailed program, you will gain:

• A deep understanding of the mindset, knowledge, and skills required to practice neurodiversity-affirming care,

• A personalized implementation plan and a practical toolkit to use immediately,

• The confidence and competence to build an affirming professional practice from the ground up,

• Ongoing peer support and accountability through monthly online sessions, and

• Access to a private community of like-minded professionals for continuous connection, sharing ideas, and receiving support.

Completed as a stand-alone eLearning activity or as part of the Mastery Series, this activity is CPD approved by the APS for 8.0 hours. 

Related activities

• Level 2: Apply The Safe House Framework^® 6.0 CPD hours

• Level 3: Masterclass: Critical thinking for the affirming clinician 5.0 CPD hours

• Or enrol into the Mastery series (Levels 1, 2, and 3) and save $500!. 19.0 CPD hours

• Group enrolments? Email [email protected]

Register now and transform your approach to neurodiversity!

Level of learning

Foundational/Intermediate. This activity is targeted to those new to the topic and those with 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

Upon completion of this eLearning activity, participants should be able to:

1. Foundations: Describe the principles that form the foundation of The Safe House Framework^®, identify the problematic features of some traditional interventions for autism, explain how some traditional interventions are harmful for autistic children, and list the core features of neurodiversity affirming practice.
2. Floorplan: Describe autism using affirming language, identify the experiences that often occur alongside autism, dispel the myths and stereotypes, explain the role of strengths, and list the factors that play a part in identity.
3. Walls: List the roles and responsibilities of an autistic child’s team, describe the essential qualities of a neurodiversity affirming practitioner, define what it means to be trauma-informed, and explain the importance of a trauma-informed approach.
4. Windows: Identify the common stress behaviours in autistic children, explain why the term ‘challenging behaviour’ is unhelpful when used in relation to autistic children, and explain the role of the autonomic nervous system, and its effect on behaviour.
5. Door: Explain how relational safety produces neurodiversity affirming care, and recognise, describe, and create relational safety.
6. Roof: Identify the protective systems and people in a child’s world, describe advocacy and self-advocacy, and create a plan for teaching a child to self-advocate.
7. Build: Identify the type of information that belongs in a support plan, outline the steps for constructing a support plan, and create a support plan for a specific child using the My Safe House template.
8. Landscape: Identify your sphere of influence, evaluate the level of knowledge and skill in your communities, and create an action plan.

Presenter(s)

Valli Jones

About the presenter(s)

Valli Jones is a clinical psychologist and autistic woman. Valli holds endorsement in the area of Clinical Psychology, is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society.

Valli currently operates a private practice on Queensland’s Gold Coast, serving mostly neurodivergent children, teens, and families. In the past, Valli has worked with neurodivergent folk across a range of contexts, including residential services, community settings, and schools.

Valli is passionate about helping families, educators, and health professionals, better support autistic children and young people. Recognising the critical importance of a holistic, collaborative, and respectful approach to working with neurodivergent people, Valli published ‘Embracing Neurodiversity with The Safe House Framework®, a transdisciplinary framework for neurodiversity affirming care. Bringing together the wealth of knowledge gained through decades of education, training, clinical practice, and lived experience, The Safe House Framework® is step-by-step guide to providing truly neurodiversity affirming care.

Valli is motivated by a vision of communities where all children experience what it’s like to feel safe and understood.

Website/s

https://courses.embracingneurodiversity.co/