Uncategorised Archives - ADHD Ireland

ADHD Voice on Disability Payments- Green Paper Survey

Have your say on Disability Payments- Green Paper Survey

September 2023 the Department of Social Protection published a Green Paper which looks at possible reforms to social protection payments made to people with disabilities and carers.

In the interest to better understand the thoughts of the our community regarding this proposal, ADHD Ireland has prepared a survey.

We would like to ask our members to take part in our anonymous survey which will allow us to produce comprehensive documentation scoping needs and views of ADHD community.

This survey is designed for

ADHD people (those with diagnosis and awaiting one)
ADHD people families (including host families)
Carers

The survey is build of simple but important questions around social protection payments, employment status and space for your view on variety of relevant topics. You can access the survey HERE

Social Protection Green Paper on Disability Reform explanation and link below.

The department of Social Protection recently created a Green Paper on Disability Reform and is seeking feedback from relevant persons and groups. As part of ADHD Ireland’s submission, we would like it if you could fill out the following survey.

A Green Paper is a proposed “strawman” document created by a government Department to show what changes might look like if they were introduced. It is nota proposal being sent to government for approval.

It is a tool to help inform what future policy changes may be proposed.

If you would like to read the Green Paper in full it is available HERE

ADHD Ireland 27/02/24

How We ADHD! Dublin event.

HOW WE ADHD! Live Event in partnership with DCU

Join us for an exciting in-person event at DCU Collins Avenue!

Get ready to dive into the world of ADHD with engaging speakers and a supportive community.

Whether you have ADHD yourself or are interested in learning more, this event is for you. Discover personal stories, funny view on the ADHD and more all delivered in one night!

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and have fun. Mark your calendars and get ready to embrace the ADHD journey together!

Book

Guest Speakers:

Lauren McBride -> Instagram

Hi! my name is Lauren McBride. I am a 24 year old psychologist and I run a mental health advocacy Instagram page called @herthoughtsandbrightcolours. I host the podcast “Let’s Chat ADHD” with ADHD Ireland and I’m so grateful to be a volunteer for such an amazing cause. Raising awareness about ADHD and also mental health is very important to me, so however I can, I’m there to help create an understanding of neurodivergent life as we know it. I’m also a total people person, and a huge dog lover too!

Bob Hennigan -> Instagram

Described as “Mayo’s most charming ball of misery”, Bob Hennigan is a seasoned performer on the Irish comedy scene and Resident MC of the highly-acclaimed Ireland’s Smallest Comedy Club in Galway City.

A previous winner of the prestigious TedFest Toilet Duck Award and Galway Fringe Festival Comedy Award, Bob has supported comedy legends like Reginald D. Hunter, Jimmy Carr, Kevin Bridges and Tommy Tiernan – to name a few. He has graced the stage at every major comedy venue and festival across Ireland including Dublin’s International Comedy Club, The Laughter Lounge, The Vodafone Comedy Festival, Galway Comedy Festival, Wild Roots & many more.

Following a diagnosis of ADHD in his 40s, Bob has started to speak of his experience with the condition. In 2023, he is touring his ADHD-themed show ‘It Doesn’t ADhD Up’ and will embark on a tour of education institutions with the show later in the year.

Keith Walsh -> Instagram

Great broadcaster and podcaster Keith was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 49 and he will share his experience of living with the condition, including how he learned to cope with it and, ultimately, succeed because of it.

Speaking about his diagnosis, Keith Walsh said: “I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 49 and my life has changed for the better since then. I always knew there was something about me and it was frustrating as I used to forget I had events on. But after getting the diagnosis I have been able to talk to people about it and I know what activities and what jobs suit me. I was delighted to be asked to speak at the Living and Working with ADHD event, and I look forward to meeting other adults who’ve had a late diagnosis of ADHD and let them know that there are lots of people they can turn to for advice.”

More to be announced.

ADHD Ireland | 31st of October 2023

Living with ADHD – Conference / Athens

We are honoured to be partnering with an international organisation to deliver hybrid conference which takes place in Athens/Greece on the 6th of October 2023.

The conference is available to attend online and tickets are free to all. Below is the plan for the day!

Please, join us HERE!

(This event is funded as part of an Erasmus KA2 Small-scale partnerships in adult education)

Living with Adult ADHD

THE PLAN

11:30 -11:40 – Welcome Speech

Stelios Kympouropoulos, Member of the European Parliament and Fokion Dimitriadis, EPIONI

11:40 – 11:55 – Supporting Adults with ADHD in Ireland

Ken Kilbride, CEO ADHD-Ireland

11:55 – 12:10 – ADHD: Clinical characteristics through life

Andreas Chatzittofis M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Cyprus

12:10 – 12:25 – The Adult ADHD Diagnosis in Greece,

Artemios Pehlivanidis, Professor of Psychiatry. Head of the Unit for Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Adults, First Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School

12:25– 12:40 – ADHD Continuities and discontinuities from Child to Adult in a changing world. Challenges and concerns for the mental health specialist

Kanellopoulos Athanasios MD, MSc Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist Special Centre for Adolescent Medicine & UNESCO Chair Adolescent Health and Medicine. Choremio Research Laboratory. Co-founder of the Network of Young Psychiatrists & Mental Health Professionals

12:40 – 12:50 – Supporting adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in UK

Arron Hutchinson Head of Educational Training ADHD Foundation

12:50 – 13:00 – ADHD as a Life Experience in Adults: Navigating Everyday Challenges

Alexandros Economou Msc Mental Health – Athens School of Medicine and Scientific Director KSDEO EDRA

13:00 – 13:10 – How an Adult ADHD Diagnosis Led Me to a Career as an ADHD Coach

Ailín Kennedy BSc, AACC, Professional ADHD Coach and Advocate

ADHD Ireland | 2nd of October 2023

Teacher & SNA new term trainings

Teachers and SNAs with our training you can expand your understanding & support of ADHD students.

Everyone needs to feel safe, understood, and connected, but neurodivergent pupils/ students especially need to feel a sense of elasticity. We offer a range of training for teachers and SNA every year to encourage educators in understanding and fostering acceptance in the classroom and school.The updated teacher and SNA training dates for primary and secondary schools are listed below.

“Literacy and ADHD in School”

Primary & Secondary School

25th of September 2023 / Time 5:00 – 7:00pm

Primary & Secondary School Teacher & SNA

Teacher & SNA Training “Literacy and ADHD in School” / delivered by Colin Foley who is the training director of the ADHD Foundation UK – Click HERE to register

For many children and young people, literacy-based activities in schools can be challenging- from engaging with reading, reading comprehension, reading for meaning, handwriting and structuring written responses. In this webinar, we will explore the reasons for this and offer a range of strategies for educators to support children and young people with their reading and writing.

ADHD and the Principal Educational Strategies

Secondary School

3rd of October 2023 / Time: 4:30-6:30pm Secondary School Teacher & SNA/ delivered by Colin Foley who is the training director of the ADHD Foundation UK – Click HERE to register

Primary School Teacher & SNA

10th of October 2023 / Time 3:15-5:15pm / delivered by Arron Hutchinson who is the Education Training Director and Therapeutic Practitioner at the ADHD Foundation UK – Click HERE to register

Training agenda

The aim of this course is to educate Secondary school teachers and SNAs on ADHD and give them the strategies and methods to help, support and get the best from an ADHD child in your classroom.

The skills explored will increase classroom productivity and attendance, so improving confidence and peer to peer relationships in pupils with ADHD and engagement of Educators, improving understanding and awareness of ADHD nationwide. This programme will motivate teachers to become ADHD champions in their school, enabling them to take appropriate individual and collective action within their schools towards a positive classroom experience for all.

Our ADHD course for educators is structured in three sections:

1) What ADHD is and isn’t, including up to date research, key features, diagnostic criteria comorbidities, executive functioning impairments, emotional disregulation and the different presentations of ADHD, including gender.

2) The learner’s experience of ADHD, including working with parents.

3) Strategies that work in the classroom- including support for executive functioning, literacy, anxiety, movement and activity and therapeutic approaches.

The course is structured around the 6 key strategies for achieving good outcomes in education for learners with ADHD of all ages.

Feedback

“Strategies that I can use immediately in the classroom to help my student with ADHD” – Secondary School Teacher – Dublin

“I can say that I have a better understanding of my student’s needs and have the tools to support them better than prior to the training, thanks” – Primary School Teacher – Cavan

“It’s been only 2 days since completing the course and knowing what to do has had such a positive impact on myself and my ADHD students!” – Secondary School Teacher – Cork

ADHD Ireland | 28th of August 2023

Join the UMAAP Team

Applications with cover letter and CV including details of qualifications to [email protected]. Deadline 5.00pm on Tuesday 23rd May and online interviews will be held on Thursday 1st June.

Job specification UMAAP- Assistant Psychologist 0.5 WTE for ADHD-Ireland in conjunction with UCD School of Psychology and the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) National Clinical Programme for ADHD in Adults

The Understanding and Managing Adult ADHD Programme (UMAAP) is a 6-week 105-minute webinar-style psychological intervention for adults who have adult ADHD (both formally diagnosed and self-identified ADHD). The programme is run by ADHD-Ireland and is a collaboration between ADHD Ireland, University College Dublin’s (UCD) School of Psychology and the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) National Clinical Programme for ADHD in Adults.

UMAAP takes a neurodiversity affirmative approach to ADHD. Through combining psychoeducation and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based psychological skills, UMAAP aims to increase participants’ understanding and acceptance of their neurodivergent brains, develop more self-compassion and engage more fully with their lives. The team is comprised of two part-time assistant psychologists and two part-time UMAAP facilitators both of whom are ADHDers themselves. The two UMAAP facilitators are Aisling Leonard-Curtin (Senior Counselling Psychologist, peer-reviewed ACT trainer and co-author of the number 1 bestseller The Power of Small) and Fiona O’Donnell (Mindfulness Facilitator, MBCT Therapist and Teaching Fellow at UCD School of Psychology).

We are currently seeking an Assistant Psychologist to join our team. This is an online role, that can be completed remotely. Given the online nature of this work co-facilitating large groups via zoom, a solid, reliable and strong internet connection is essential to this role. This is a 0.5 WTE contract, working 18.75 hours per week. The salary for this role will be aligned to the HSE Assistant Psychologist pay scale (October 2022) of 28,969 WTE. As the role is half time, this salary would be 14,484.50 annually. There will possibly be a 0.4 WTE contract, working 15 hours per week, on the same pay scale, which would be 11587.60 annually arising in July/August 2023. Please note, a panel may be formed as a result of the interview process. Candidates who are placed on a panel will be considered for subsequent vacancies, for a period of up to one year, for this grade. This role will commence on June 19th for 6.5 months, which may be extended contingent on government funding.

Closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 5pm Tuesday 23rd of May 2023.

Online interviews will take place on Thursday June 1st over zoom.

Short listing of applications may apply.

Role Summary:

Working as part of a neurodiversity affirmative team to assist with the delivery of the online UMAAP course, monitoring the chat with up to 60 UMAAP participants within the group, support with the facilitation of the UMAAP specific Support Groups, and assist with necessary administrative tasks including emails and assisting in the development of UMAAP materials. This role will involve some evening work, maximum of one weekly evening group and up to two monthly evening UMAAP-specific support groups.

Skills/Experience Required:

· Psychology degree accredited by PSI or BPS

· Previous experience working in a clinical setting

· Excellent organisational skills and time management skills

· Good communication skills, both written and verbal

· IT literate, including proficiency in use of Zoom (launching polls, recording sessions etc), Eventbrite, and Microsoft Office Suite.

· Previous group facilitation using an ACT or other form of mindfulness and/or compassion framework and experience working with adults with ADHD is an advantage

Main Duties:

Clinical

· Working alongside a UMAAP facilitator to assist with the planning and delivery of the 6-week programme. This includes monitoring the online chat, responding to participants queries, launching polls and organising breakout rooms

· Helping to co-facilitate the UMAAP specific support groups and the smaller breakout room discussions

· Creating and developing resources for the UMAAP course such as guidebooks and additional handouts

· Participating in regular supervision with Aisling Leonard-Curtin, Senior Counselling Psychologist

· Attending relevant team meetings

· Undertaking relevant professional development

Administration

· Monitoring the UMAAP email account and responding in a timely manner to the emails and queries

· Maintaining and updating relevant documents (e.g., waitlists, attendance sheets)

· Recruiting participants for new rollouts and support groups via the waitlist and Eventbrite

· Liaising with other professionals

Research

· Recruiting participants for ongoing research in conjunction with the UCD School of Psychology

· Supporting research and service evaluation by collecting data and sharing results with the research team

Applications with cover letter and CV including details of qualifications to [email protected]. Deadline 5.00pm on Tuesday 23rd May and online interviews will be held on Thursday 1st June.

If you would like to have an informal discussion about this position, please contact Aisling Leonard-Curtin, Senior Counselling Psychologist ADHD Ireland via email to [email protected]

For more information on UMAAP please visit: https://adhdireland.ie/umaap/

ADHD Ireland | 22nd of May 2023

BECOME ADHD FRIENDLY SCHOOL

The time in preschool, primary and secondary school plus further education is vital to everyone. The feeling of safety, understanding and affiliation is the key for everyone, especially for those who need a little flexibility like neurodivergent children.
To support educators we deliver a variety of training for teachers and SNA each year. We have also developed the School Accreditation Programme (SAP) to improve the education experience for educators, pupils/students and even parents.

Our dream is to see our ADHD SAP flag in each school in the country because we will be assured that the school staff is comfortable and aware of the needs of their ADHD pupils/students and that is a big part of our mission!

Currently, our School Accreditation Programme Team (SAP) is taking bookings for the programme starting in September 2023. The deadline for this enrolment is the 14th of June.

Find more and signup for the SAP programme to become ADHD Friendly School HERE.

If you a parent wishing to highlight the opportunity to your school, please forward this link (https://adhdireland.ie/school-accreditation/) to your school. It contains all informations regarding ADHD Ireland School Accreditation Programme.

ADHD Ireland 18/05/2023

ADHD APP! Share your experience and suggestions for improvement?

Have you used the Adult ADHD App?

Would you like to share your experience and suggestions for improvement?

In November 2022, ADHD Ireland, the HSE National Clinical Programme for ADHD in Adults, and the UCD School of Psychology launched the Adult ADHD App. We are now looking to evaluate the app formally and are recruiting people who have used the app to share their thoughts.

This will involve 20-30 minute online interviews (via Zoom) with a researcher not involved in developing the app. Participants will be asked to discuss their general experience of the app, specific elements that are helpful and unhelpful, the self-help tools the app provides, and the impact of the app on their daily lives.

If interested in participating, please contact Christina Seery, PhD Candidate, at [email protected]

ADHD Ireland 06/03/2023

ADHD and Coaching

ADHD & Enabling opportunities

We all know October is our special month! This year we have prepared for you few exciting events and programmes commencing in the We all know October is our special month! This year we have organised few exciting events and programmes commencing in the ADHD awareness/acceptance month.
The first to be announced is the largest European ADHD conference which we have the pleasure to deliver alongside our dear friends from ADHD Foundation! We established a line-up of ADHD knowledgeable and experienced professionals, educators who are caring about ADHD and neurodiversity plus extraordinary ADHD individuals who have been living with ADHD and are delighted to present their stories.
The online three day event is dedicated to educators, parents/adults and clinicians; it will be held virtually to reach everyone passionate about enabling opportunities for individuals affected by ADHD.

Click HERE to find out all about the 2022 ADHD & Enabling Opportunities Conference!

ADHD Ireland 07/09/2022

Clinical Nurse Specialists to work in Adult ADHD, as part of the ADHD in Adults National Clinical Programme

The HSE is looking for additional professionals to join team working around the ADHD adults national clinical programme! The new position has been open for clinical nurse specialist. We are keen on supporting the HSE to find the suitable fit to support the programme’s participants! If you know someone qualified and passionate about ADHD please forward them this link https://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs/job-search/nursing/nrs12284.html.

The application is open since the 7th of September and the closing date is the 28th of September at 12:00 pm! For more details please click HERE

ADHD Ireland 15/09/2022