Allies for Autism courses provide practical, evidence-based guidance for professionals and parents navigating early years autism, across the globe. Delivered live online with interactive support and self-paced learning modes, our programs equip allied health workers, early childhood educators, school teachers and parents with essential knowledge and strategies for children in the early years.
Problem: You encounter preschool children with autism but feel unprepared to support them within your scope, potentially turning families away.
Solution: Our “Autism: Early Years Practice” course provides the essential knowledge and practical skills to confidently embed early autism supports, expanding your impact.
Problem: You want to provide an inclusive environment for all children, including those with autistic traits, but lack specific strategies to achieve this.
Solution: The “Inclusive Preschool Environment” course offers tailored training to equip you with methods for sensitive support and genuine inclusion.
Problem: You’re navigating the early years of your child’s autism journey and seek well-informed interventions to set them up for school success.
Solution: Our “Early Autism Parent Toolkit” empowers you with practical tools and strategies to confidently support your child’s development in everyday life.
Elizabeth is a leading Australian expert in early childhood autism intervention and inclusion. With a PhD in Autism Intervention and Inclusion, she’s dedicated her career to fostering inclusive environments for neurodivergent children.
She was instrumental in bringing the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) to Australia, co-founding and leading the federally funded Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centres for a decade, which also served as key research sites.
As an ESDM Certified Trainer, Elizabeth delivers advanced workshops globally and provides specialized training for allied health professional, educators in mainstream settings and parents via the Parent ESDM Coaching program. She’s also a published researcher and holds positions at the University of Wollongong and the University of Sydney.
Jasmine Holland is a Certified ESDM Trainer with over 20 years experience in early childhood education and special education. Her career spans inclusive programs and autism-specific interventions, holding leadership roles from Centre Director to Group-ESDM Program Lead at the NSW Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre.
Jasmine is dedicated to coaching professionals and families. Her expertise focuses on helping adults understand child behaviour, development, and how to respond sensitively to dysregulated children. As a Certified ESDM Trainer, she supports both professionals and parents in understanding autism and their child’s learning style, emphasising the translation of ESDM theory into everyday routines through reflective practice.
“Finally, I am applying the science of learning so I know why I do what I do and how it relates to the neurology of the child’s brain and I know how to articulate this to others”
“Working through the rigorous process of becoming Certified in the ESDM equipped us with the understanding, knowledge, skills and strategies to optimise child motivation enabling us to engage children on spectrum long enough to target their objectives through rich and highly affective interactions within activities that lasted for more than 2 minutes”(
The ESDM Educator workshop series has been one of our best investments in capacity building of our educators and working towards inclusive and respectful education and care. This has shifted the mindset of the educators and provided them with a research based and evidence based lens to look at their everyday program as well as working alongside children with special needs.”
This essential training for allied health professionals gives you the tools to support young autistic children with confidence, expanding your scope and impact.
This professional development program designed for educators in ECECs and schools will help you establish a neurodiversity affirming model of inclusive early learning.
Empowering parents to navigate the early years of their child’s autism journey, providing tools and strategies for evidence-based practices and school readiness.
This professional development program is designed for professionals providing therapy for young autistic children and their families.
This program is designed for professionals who have completed the ESDM Advanced Training Program and want to become certified ESDM therapists.
Becoming a certified ESDM Therapist is a 3 step process Step 1: complete the Early Start Denver Model Introductory Workshop delivered online via UC Davis Mind institute Step 2: Complete the ESDM Advanced workshop with us by remote delivery Step 3: Complete the Certification process under our supervision and support. Steps 2 and 3 can both be done through us at ESDM Training and Support. Upon completion of certification, your name and contact will be registered on the Central UC Davis website for Certified Therapists and you can operate as an ESDM Certified Therapist.
The Advanced workshop is delivered remotely over live Zoom sessions so that it is accessible to participants nationally and worldwide. The workshops run for 2.5 hours per session over 6 weeks.
Courses are conducted online via Zoom by Certified ESDM Trainers who are based in Wollongong and Sydney, Australia. The time zone is Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) from the month of October, and changes to Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) in the month of April. Please check your time zone convertor when zooming into workshops worldwide to ensure the timing will be convenient for you.
This is an advanced workshop for degree-qualified professionals in the areas of Education, Allied Health, Psychology and Medicine (including speech therapists, occupational therapists, teachers, behaviour therapists, medical professionals and psychologists) who work with children on the autism spectrum and other developmental disorders.
Yes. It is a requirement that you work regularly with 12-60 month old autistic children or other developmental disorders. You will complete homework each week by recording a video clip of working with a child while embedding the learning from the workshop. Your homework will then be shared with the group for reflection and follow up.
Due to privacy and working with children, the workshops are not recorded. To complete the Advanced workshop you must be in attendance for 100% of the workshop. While we understand that you may be absent if unforeseen circumstances occur, you will need to make up the session in the next round of workshops in order to complete the Advanced training.
Following the Advanced workshop you will be eligible to commence the Certification process. This is independent learning as you master the teaching principles of the ESDM with the support and guidance of your trainer. Once your certification is completed, you will become a Certified ESDM Therapist where your name and contact details will be posted on the official ESDM.co website.
Yes. We run regular fortnightly Booster sessions where all trainees are invited to attend. These are mentoring sessions within a supportive and positive community of practice. Each trainee brings a 3-5 minute video clip to reflect on, receive feedback of their progress and develop goals to support you move through each step of your certification. We may pair you with another trainee in a “buddy” system, so you can work outside of Booster sessions to code one another’s videos and general peer support while you learn the teaching principles of the ESDM.
For Teachers in NSW, Australia the following credits will be awarded:
ESDM Advanced Workshop will contribute 18 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
ESDM Educator Workshop will contribute 12 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
Arrangements for a payment plan may be approved for trainees during the Certification process only. Before each step is submitted for the trainer to review, the trainee will make payment at steps 3, 4 and 5.
