If you’ve ever felt that parent education ‘lands’ some days and falls flat on others, this workshop explains why—and what to do differently.

This workshop translates recent research on parent learning into practical strategies for occupational therapists working with families of children with sensory over-responsivity (SOR). Drawing from the author’s scoping review and mixed-methods study, the session explores a critical yet often overlooked question: how parents learn, and what this means for clinical practice.

For decades, parent education has been central to family-centred care. However, research shows the focus has largely been on what parents learn—strategies, techniques, and information—rather than how they learn. This gap is especially important for parents of children with SOR, whose parenting self-efficacy may fluctuate from moment to moment depending on their child’s regulatory state, challenging assumptions that parenting confidence is a stable trait

This workshop presents findings from the first study to examine parents of children with SOR as adult learners. The research explored parents’ learning experiences during a three-part group training using the A SECRET framework (Attention, Sensation, Environment, Culture, Relationship, Emotion, Task). Parents’ learning was supported by clear organisational frameworks, varied active learning opportunities, and peer support, and hindered by information overload and individual learning differences. Most notably, parenting self-efficacy was found to fluctuate with immediate context and child behaviour, highlighting the need for more responsive approaches to parent education.

The A SECRET framework emerged as a valuable clinical tool, helping parents organise complex sensory information while maintaining a flexible, individualised problem-solving approach. These findings offer therapists an evidence-based way to support parent learning that aligns with family-centred practice.

Study Findings and Clinical Implications

How Parents Learn: Factors that supported and hindered learning in group parent training (frameworks, active learning, peer support vs. information overload)
Fluctuating Parenting Self-Efficacy: How parents’ confidence shifts in response to child behaviour and why timing and delivery matter in education
Applying the A SECRET Framework: Using Attention, Sensation, Environment, Culture, Relationship, Emotion, and Task to structure parent education

Practical Applications for Clinical Practice

Designing Home Programs: Use the A SECRET framework to create structured yet flexible programs that parents can individualise
Assessing Readiness to Learn: Recognise signs of fluctuating parenting self-efficacy during parent consultations
Active Learning Strategies: Incorporate visual, hands-on, discussion-based, and problem-solving activities to support diverse learners
Information Delivery: Reduce overload through chunking, clear frameworks, and follow-up support

Key Points Covered

Parents as Adult Learners: Findings from a scoping review identifying gaps in paediatric OT/PT literature
Sensory Over-Responsivity: Unique stressors and learning needs of parents of children with intense sensory responses
Andragogy in Practice: Applying adult learning principles to sensory-based parent education

Lifelong Learning Programme