ADHD Across the Lifespan: Key Knowledge and Skills for Effective Intervention.
A 3-day ADHD training course from the Association for Psychological Therapies, for professionals working with children, young people or adults affected by ADHD.
ADHD has often been thought of as a condition of childhood, but its effects may continue through adolescence, adulthood and later life. Hyperactivity may become less obvious with age, but difficulties with attention, organisation, self-regulation, motivation, impulsivity and emotional control may remain highly significant.
This course takes a balanced and practical approach. It recognises ADHD as a neurodevelopmental condition with strong biological and inherited elements, while also showing how much can be achieved through skilled psychological, behavioural, family, educational, occupational and environmental intervention.
The course is not a diagnostic qualification. Rather, it is designed to help professionals understand ADHD, make sense of how it affects the person’s life, and intervene effectively.
The course is available for teams and individuals and can be attended face-to-face or online. It can also be completed as part of (a) the Extended Training in CBT course, (b) The APT Diploma for working in Child & Adolescent Mental Health, or (c) The APT Diploma in Working with common mental health diagnoses.
Executive Summary:
ADHD can affect people in many different ways. For children and young people, it may affect school, friendships, family life, emotional wellbeing and risk. For adults, it may affect work, relationships, parenting, self-esteem, finances, organisation and everyday functioning.
The course begins by giving delegates a clear understanding of ADHD across the lifespan: what it is, what it is not, how it may present at different ages, and why it is so often misunderstood. It then moves on to assessment and formulation, using a practical biopsychosocial framework.
A central message of the course is that, in ADHD, formulation is not mainly about asking “why does this person have ADHD?” It is about asking:
How does ADHD interact with this person’s life — and what would help?
The course therefore focuses on the fit between the person and their surroundings: home, school, work, relationships, routines, expectations, transitions and sources of support. It covers direct work with the individual, support for families and others, relevant clinical guidelines and good practice, medication as part of the wider picture, and methods for evaluating whether intervention is genuinely helping.
The aim is to give professionals a coherent and practical framework for helping people affected by ADHD function better, suffer less, and build more rewarding lives.
The course covers:
- Understanding ADHD across the lifespan
Gain a clear overview of ADHD in children, adolescents and adults, including attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, executive functioning, emotional regulation, strengths, masking, comorbidity and common misunderstandings. - Assessment and practical formulation
Learn how to assess the person’s difficulties, strengths, goals, settings, relationships, biological factors and sources of support. The course uses a practical biopsychosocial framework rather than a standard “what caused the problem?” formulation. - The RAID/constructive philosophy of care
Develop an approach that does not simply try to reduce symptoms, but helps the person build better routines, better relationships, better settings and a more rewarding life. - Direct work with the person
Explore practical strategies for attention, organisation, motivation, impulsivity, self-control, emotional regulation, task completion, daily rhythm and coping with everyday demands. - Biological and lifestyle factors
Consider sleep, exercise, diet, substances, general health and medication. Medication is not the main focus of the course, but it is addressed respectfully and realistically as part of the broader intervention picture. - Helping the system around the person
Learn how to support parents, carers, partners, schools, colleges, workplaces and professional teams. The course gives particular attention to reducing blame, criticism, misunderstanding and unhelpful escalation. - Finding or creating settings that suit the person
Examine why people with ADHD may function much better in some settings than others, and how to improve the fit between the person, the task, the environment and the expectations placed on them. - NICE guidance and good practice
Review current evidence-based clinical guidelines and good practice, with emphasis on their practical implications for assessment, support, psychosocial intervention, medication liaison and ongoing review. - Evidence-based practice and evaluating progress
Learn how to set clear goals, monitor outcomes, use feedback from the person and those around them, and adapt the intervention plan when progress is limited.
What the course will do for you:
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- Understand ADHD across the lifespan, including how it may present in children, adolescents and adults.
- Recognise the impact ADHD can have on daily life, relationships, education, work and emotional wellbeing.
- Carry out a structured ADHD-informed assessment.
- Develop a practical formulation focused on fit, friction, strengths, difficulties and support.
- Plan effective biopsychosocial interventions.
- Use practical strategies to support attention, organisation, motivation and emotional regulation.
- Support families, partners, schools, workplaces and others around the person.
- Understand how current clinical guidelines inform everyday practice.
- Evaluate whether intervention is making a meaningful difference.
Who should attend?
This course is designed for professionals who work with children, young people or adults affected by ADHD or ADHD-like difficulties.
It is relevant for mental health professionals, psychologists, therapists, counsellors, nurses, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, social workers, family support workers, education staff, special education professionals, youth justice staff, forensic staff, and others working in health, education, social care or related settings.
What you receive as a result of attending the training:
You will be registered as having attended the course and will receive a certificate to this effect.
You will also receive access to relevant APT post-course resources associated with the course. Your registration lasts indefinitely, while accreditation is renewable.
FAQs
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Does this course qualify me to diagnose ADHD?
No. The course addresses assessment, but it is not a diagnostic qualification. It is intended for professionals who want to work more effectively with people who have ADHD, may have ADHD, or present with ADHD-like difficulties.
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Is the course only about children?
No. It covers ADHD across the lifespan: children, adolescents and adults.
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Is the course mainly about medication?
No. Medication is covered as an important part of the wider picture, but the main focus is practical biopsychosocial intervention.
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Is this a CBT course?
The course draws on CBT and related evidence-based approaches, but it is broader than traditional CBT. It is best understood as a practical course on understanding, formulating and intervening effectively with ADHD across the lifespan.
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Is it suitable for people who already know quite a lot about ADHD?
Yes. The course provides a coherent framework for practice, not just introductory information. It is especially useful for professionals who want a clearer way of assessing, formulating, intervening and evaluating progress.
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Quick Links
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Assessing Adolescents in Crisis ❯
Trauma-Focused CBT, for all ages ❯
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These live results also power APT’s acclaimed Accreditation System — so widely valued because it is evidence-based, drawing directly on the real-time ratings of professionals who have completed the training.
Face-to-Face*
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Online Live*
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* Feedback taken from the last 10 runnings of this course (each course has around 15 people attending).
Reviews.
APT prides itself on the feedback we receive about our courses. Below are just some of the great comments our ADHD training has received.
"The quality of the course was exceptional. The content and areas covered were delivered in a very comprehensive fashion. The tutor/facilitator was knowledgeable and passionate about topics covered and this was easily identifiable in training lectures. I really enjoyed this course and feel I have come away with a huge knowledge base and the practical tips/advice are much appreciated. I look forward to attending the next APT training course. Thank you.”
"This was an excellent course, well presented and I would recommend it to anyone. In fact I will be advising colleagues to come on it.”
