Learn the DIR®/Floortime model for supporting children in South Africa. Explore developmental levels and relationships in these CPD courses.
This course introduces South African practitioners to the DIR/Floortime model, a relationship-based framework for supporting children with autism and related developmental challenges. It explains how DIR, which stands for Developmental, Individual Differences and Relationship-based, accounts for the interplay of emotional, sensory and relational factors in development. The three core components are covered: the Functional Emotional Developmental Levels, individual differences, and relationships, with particular weight on parent and caregiver interaction. The course is accredited by the HPCSA for CPD points and outlines how the approach is applied in therapy and education, including working within scope alongside multidisciplinary teams.
This engaging talk introduces practitioners to the DIR®/Floortime model—a comprehensive, evidence-based framework designed to support children with autism and related developmental challenges in a developmentally appropriate and relationship-based manner.
DIR (Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-based) provides a foundation for understanding how emotional, sensory, and relational factors interact to shape development. With a focus on affect-based interactions tailored to individual profiles, the model supports the emergence of cognitive, communicative, and social-emotional capacities.
This talk outlines the three core components of the model—Functional Emotional Developmental Levels (FEDLs), Individual Differences, and Relationships—and provides an overview of how the DIR® approach is applied in therapeutic and educational settings.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:
Understand the history and foundations of the DIR®/Floortime model.
Identify and describe the six foundational Functional Emotional Developmental Levels (FEDLs) critical for building regulation, communication, and thinking.
Recognise the impact of individual sensory and motor differences on development, and how to remain within scope while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.
Appreciate the central role of relationships—particularly parent and caregiver interactions—in supporting a child’s developmental progress.
Learn basic principles of affect-based intervention, including practical applications of the DIR model in therapy or educational contexts.