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“Really well put together course. Thank you!”

Emma, High Peak School, Kedleston Group

Course Summary

Navigating the complexities of Global Developmental Delay (GDD) and self-regulation requires more than just patience; it requires a specialised toolkit. This Level 3 course is specifically designed for those on the frontline of social care and education — care workers, foster carers, TAs and support staff who work with children and teenagers whose developmental journey hasn't followed a typical path.

We move beyond the clinical labels to look at the "whole child," focusing on how early-years delays manifest as behavioural and emotional challenges in later childhood and adolescence. By attending this course, you will gain a deeper understanding of the neurological "why" behind dysregulation and learn how to provide support that is both compassionate and evidence-based.

From Early Years Diagnosis to Long-Term Developmental Support

To provide the best care, practitioners must understand the evolving nature of developmental needs. This course provides an in-depth look at how practitioners can adapt their practice to meet complex requirements:

  • The GDD Evolution: Understanding how GDD "morphs" after age five into diagnoses like ADHD, Autism, or specific learning disabilities, and why support must remain consistent.
  • Executive Functioning: Practical insights into how memory, flexible thinking, and self-control are impacted by developmental delays.
  • Modern Safeguarding: A vital look at the digital landscape, focusing on how GDD increases vulnerability to AI-enabled grooming and online risks.
  • The Trauma Connection: Analysing the link between adverse early life experiences and a child’s ability to self-regulate.
  • Creating Supportive Spaces: How to review your setting to reduce sensory triggers and create a "low-arousal" environment that promotes calm.

This training doesn't just focus on the child; it focuses on you. We dedicate time to reflective practice, ensuring that you have the tools to maintain your own regulation while supporting a dysregulated young person. This holistic approach ensures that your setting remains a place of safety, growth, and neurodiversity-affirming care, perfectly suited for professionals seeking to enhance their impact in the social care and education sectors.

Course Learning Outcomes

Review the learning objectives below. Expand each aim to view the detailed criteria this course covers.

1Understand self‑regulation and Global Developmental Delay (GDD).
  • 1.1Describe the meaning of self‑regulation and its role in child development.
  • 1.2Explain what Global Developmental Delay (GDD).
  • 1.3Describe current theories relating to the causes and contributing factors of GDD.
  • 1.4Outline relevant theories and stages of child development that relate to GDD and self‑regulation.
  • 1.5Explain why Global Development Delay (GDD) is only diagnosable until the age of five.
  • 1.6Describe how children may be re‑diagnosed after age five, including as neurodivergent, or as having a learning disability or learning difficulty.
  • 1.7Outline the different ways GDD may present across developmental domains.
2Understand links between dysregulation, executive functioning, trauma, and AI‑related risks.
  • 2.1Define executive dysfunction and describe how it may affect children with GDD.
  • 2.2Explain the theory of central coherence and links to GDD and self-regulation.
  • 2.3Define adverse early life experiences (trauma) and outline their potential impact on development, behaviour, and regulation.
  • 2.4Explain the relationship between GDD, executive dysfunction, and adverse early life experiences.
  • 2.5Identify risks and vulnerabilities associated with GDD, including increased exposure to artificial intelligence (AI), AI‑enabled grooming, and other online safeguarding concerns.
3Understand potential causes of challenges with self‑regulation.
  • 3.1Explain reasons why some children may experience difficulties with self‑regulation, including developmental, sensory, emotional, and environmental factors.
  • 3.2Describe situations or environments that may increase self‑regulation challenges, including sensory‑related triggers and demands that exceed a child’s developmental capacity.
  • 3.3Describe how difficulties with self‑regulation may be expressed or communicated by children, including through behaviour, withdrawal or changes in engagement.
4Understand supportive approaches, environmental considerations, and self‑support strategies.
  • 4.1Describe approaches that support calming, alerting, and re‑regulation, including co‑regulation strategies.
  • 4.2Explain ways of supporting self‑regulation through environmental adaptations, carer responses, predictable routines, and child‑led/self‑support strategies.
  • 4.3Describe support strategies relevant to children with GDD, including those re‑diagnosed after age five, and approaches grounded in trauma‑informed and neurodiversity‑affirming practice.
  • 4.4Identify ways adults can support their own regulation and reflective practice when working with children who experience dysregulation.

Who is this course for?

This Global Development Delay (GDD) training is essential for social workers, residential care staff, foster carers and teaching assistants who support children and teenagers presenting with complex regulatory needs or a history of developmental delay.

Duration

1 day course - we can be flexible on start and finish times to suit your needs such as school run friendly times.

Availability

This GDD course is offered in two delivery formats:

  • Remote Online: Led by a live tutor via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, allowing participants to join remotely. (Also known as virtual classroom training)
  • Face-to-Face: Delivered in person at your location or a venue you arrange. (Also referred to as on-site training)

View a comparison of Remote and in-person face to face training .
Complete our quick enquiry form for a price and available dates.

Certification

Each learner completing this course will receive a digital (PDF) certificate of learning.

Accreditation

The course contents are accredited by the Open College Network (OCN) Credit4Learning as a Level 3 course.

Remote or Face to Face

Choose the learning environment that works best for you: our expert-led training is offered in two convenient formats - remote tutor led online or in person face to face.

Compare Remote with Face to Face

1 Day Course

Flexible start and finish times to suit you. Contact us for available dates.

Accredited

The course contents are accredited by the Open College Network (OCN) Credit4Learning as a Level 3 course.

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More Information?

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Course FAQs

Should I train my team in GDD even though the children we support are older than five?

Absolutely. While GDD is a clinical diagnosis usually reserved for children under five, the developmental challenges associated with it—such as executive dysfunction and sensory processing issues—persist into adolescence. Understanding the 'GDD roots' allows your team to support the teenager's actual developmental stage rather than just their chronological age.

How does this course address modern risks like AI and online grooming?

Children with developmental delays and self-regulation challenges are statistically more vulnerable to online exploitation. This course includes a specific module on AI-related risks, teaching staff how to identify AI-enabled grooming and implement safeguarding strategies tailored to a child's cognitive and emotional maturity.

Is this training clinical, or is it focused on practical social care applications?

This is a practice-led course designed for the social care and education sectors. While we cover the theories of GDD and Central Coherence, the focus is always on 'on-the-ground' application: how to adapt environments, create predictable routines, and use co-regulation to support a child in distress.

Does the course cover trauma-informed practice?

Yes. We explore the significant overlap between adverse early life experiences (trauma) and developmental delays. You will learn how to distinguish between, and simultaneously support, trauma-based dysregulation and neurodivergent sensory needs.

Will this help my staff meet Ofsted or CQC professional development requirements?

Yes, this Level 3 course is designed to meet the high standards of professional CPD required by regulatory bodies. It demonstrates a commitment to neurodiversity-affirming practice and advanced safeguarding, which are key pillars of modern care inspections.
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