Research-based toolkit supports neurodiverse children

A new range of child-friendly resources based on the latest research have been launched to support parents and teachers of children with neurodiverse conditions.

The resource, known as the EPIC Think Learn Toolkit, is the first of its kind to be research-based and is designed for carers of children with autism and those who have ADHD, dyspraxia or were born prematurely.

It can be used from the moment a difficulty is identified, regardless of whether the child already has a diagnosis or is awaiting an assessment.

Support required

EPIC – Edinburgh Psychoeducation Intervention for Children – aims to fill a gap in support for families amid long waiting times for diagnosis, which can be up to five years, with needs increasing sharply since COVID.

Dr Sinead Rhodes from the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh is the founder of the toolkit and has developed the resources in collaboration with those they want to support: children, parents, teachers and clinicians.

Parents praise the toolkit for providing clear resources designed to empower the child by highlighting both strengths and problems.

I have conducted research with neurodivergent children for over 25 years and have seen waiting times getting longer and parents and teachers feeling abandoned. There are many myths about these disorders, such as that they occur in isolation, when in reality it is the rule rather than the exception that the criteria for more than one disorder are met.

“I see a need for parents and teachers to educate themselves on current research on neurodivergence and to receive this information in a way that they can immediately implement with the children in their care,” says Dr. Sinead Rhodes.

Online platform

With the support of Edinburgh Innovations, the commercialisation service of the University of Edinburgh, EPIC Think Learn has been spun out of the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences into a not-for-profit company.

The toolkit was launched with an online platform for parents, which includes webinars on how to use the resources. The materials are continually revised based on the latest research.

In addition, teacher services such as webinars and continuing education opportunities are available. A full teaching platform is expected to go live next year. Webinars for clinicians will be available starting this fall.

“We are proud to have supported EPIC through our business development and corporate support and funded them through the Wellcome Trust’s iTPA programme. With waiting lists growing ever longer, it is vital that parents and teachers of neurodiverse children have access to high quality, research-backed support that they can fully trust,” says Dr Susan Bodie.