EVENT DETAILS

2nd and 9th March 2026, from 13pm - 16pm, at Online Virtual Classroom (Adobe Connect).

EVENT INFORMATION

DIR® Floortime is a ‘D’, developmentally-based framework that helps educators, clinicians, and parents understand their intervention (...)

EVENT DESCRIPTION

(...) within a developmental context together with consideration of the unique ‘I’, individual strengths and challenges of each child with autism, and the ‘R,’ relationships, which form a central role for learning and crucial affective exchanges between parents and their children and within the relationships of the learning and clinical environments of the child.

Anticipated Outcomes
Participants will:
- Describe the key concepts of the DIR framework and the importance of a relationship-based intervention
- Define the social emotional developmental levels inclusive of communication and developmental language levels therein
- Identify markers at these levels
- Consider the inclusion of DIR goals within the framework of support plans
- Have an appreciation of Individual differences in children who present with relating, the communication challenges and the importance of interdisciplinary working
- Identify and Outline principles of Floortime in support of the child and family.

Course Content:
D refers to 'Developmental' which represents the developmental nature of this model, supporting the child's social, emotional, cognitive and language development.
The course explores six developmental milestones essential to learning.
Participants leave with an understanding of the developmental levels and the importance of being aware of healthy foundations and gradual building blocks for integrated learning to take place within the child's educational environment.
I refers to Individual differences, which the child brings to learning.
Each child has individual differences in his/her cognition, learning, language, sensory processing and motor/physical characteristics.
The 'I' is explored from the standpoint of the unique features we witness in each individual child.
R refers to the Relationship-based approach and the importance of relationships.

Dr Stanley Greenspan & Dr. Serena Wieder report that it is through relationships that the children learn when the caregiver is aware of the child's developmental level and individual differences to provide meaningful, experiences to support his overall learning.

This course is provided by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in conjunction with Denise Wilson MSc Occupational Therapist, Play Therapist and ICDL DIR® Floortime Training Leader. An NCSE Certificate of Attendance is available to participants. Participants will require permission from their Board of Management to attend.