On 3rd November 2026, practitioners from across Ireland and the UK joined us online for Neuro-Affirming Practice in Action: The Parents Plus ADHD Programme. Speakers from Parents Plus, Gloucestershire NHS and North Dublin CAMHS shared how they support families in a neuro-affirming way. Below are short summaries and the recordings of each segment.
1. Welcome and Opening Reflections
Prof. John Sharry, Clinical Director, Parents Plus
John opened by describing neuro-affirming practice as respecting and understanding each person’s individual differences rather than a one-size-fits-all approach that expects families to fit our services. Good practitioners keep adapting, listening and getting curious about what each family needs, especially when things are not working. This creates a parallel process – as facilitators tune into parents, parents are supported to tune in to their own children, whose needs are often misunderstood in systems built for sameness. John also acknowledged that many practitioners are neurodivergent themselves and welcomed this as a real strength.
2. What Practitioners Are Telling Us
Fred Ehresmann, Senior Trainer, Parents Plus
From his training and supervision work, Fred shared some of the changes he is noticing. Practitioners are questioning their own assumptions and enjoying being more agile and adaptable. Questions that once began “what do you do when parents are difficult?” are being reframed, giving a fresh lens on engagement. And practitioners recognise they are modelling a way of being rather than a strategy, which asks them to be present and sensory aware. Many say they now enjoy their work with parents even more.
3. Shared Growth through Pause, Tune In and Plan
Lisa Whitlock, Parents Plus Trainer and Parenting Coordinator, Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust
Lisa described the programme as a space where parents and facilitators learn alongside one another. Across eight sessions, Pause, Tune-in and Plan covers themes of understanding ADHD, strengths, connection, regulation and prevention planning. She highlighted self-care for parents, many of whom arrive stressed and may never have experienced co-regulation themselves. She also highlighted the shift from “how do I stop this behaviour?” to “what need might be driving it?”. Facilitators model the same approach, adapting topic by topic. In Lisa’s words, facilitators bring the framework, and sometimes cake, but parents bring the wisdom.
4. Delivering in Gloucestershire: Practitioner and Manager Perspectives
Urszula Przybysz-Pereira and Sally Powell, Parenting Programme Team, Gloucestershire CAMHS
Urszula, who has facilitated the groups since 2022, described parents arriving feeling lonely and hopeless. Through group Support, listening and honest sharing, she sees them lift as they realise they are not alone, and many go on to form their own WhatsApp groups, meeting for coffee and keeping the connections long after the programme ends.
Sally offered a manager’s perspective, grounding the offer in NICE guidance and the NHS 10 Year Plan. With no increase in funding, referrals to the service’s parenting groups rose from 500 to 700 a year in 2024/2025. 86% of parents reported a positive effect on family life, and 98% had a sense of being included and a positive experience of attending. The service is needs-led rather than diagnosis-led, and strong annual reporting on outcomes and take up, including parents’ voices, keeps commissioners on board.
5. Bringing the ADHD Programme into North Dublin CAMHS
Therese McCarthy, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, North Dublin CAMHS
Therese described the ADHD Advanced Nurse Practitioner pathway, developed to reduce long waits, with parent support at its core. Since 2023, her colleague John Campbell O’Brien has led an initiative, funded by RCSI, to provide the PP ADHD programme to parents in their service. 134 parents have attended the programme and a further 80 reached through a waitlist initiative funded by the HSE. Online groups in the late afternoon suit working parents across their large catchment area. Calls before and after sessions support those who feel anxious about groups or worried about literacy. Parents particularly valued connecting with others, understanding their own child more fully, and the five-to-one praise ratio idea, which some now ask teachers to use too.
6. Panel Discussion and Q&A
All speakers, chaired by Prof. John Sharry
Can a parent attend if the other parent doesn’t believe their child has ADHD? Yes. The programme is needs-led, and the other parent’s hesitancy often reflects a wish to protect their child from a narrowing label, which also deserves respect.
Do both parents need to attend together? No. Tag-teaming is common, often because of childcare, but families do often benefit hugely when both attend. Engaging fathers remains an important challenge that needs focus and time when setting up programmes.
The panel also discussed one-to-one delivery, and noted that for children with ADHD and a significant intellectual disability the Parents Plus Special Needs Programme may be a better fit. Services are welcome to contact us to talk through what programmes would work best in their settings.
Join our Follow-Up Q&A
Many of you were unable to join us live due to a technical issue, Prof. John Sharry and Lisa Whitlock will host a free follow-up Q&A on Monday 23rd November, 12pm to 1pm Register here.
This is an informal session where you can bring your questions about adapting the programme to parents’ needs, neuro-affirming facilitation and delivering PP-ADHD in your service.
You can find out more about the Parents Plus ADHD Programme and how to go about training as a Parents Plus ADHD Programme facilitator here.