NEWS All Abilities Neurodiversity

All Abilities at Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 17:10:23 GMT

All Abilities Ireland at Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival 2025!

At All Abilities Ireland, we are very excited to make an appearance at the Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival all-day on Saturday and Sunday! We have prepared great sensory activities for all children, and will be providing them within our sensory tent. This will provide an excellent space to get creative and have tons of fun with our messy play mornings and other exciting and engaging activities. If you happen to be coming to the Electric Picnic Festival this year, please stop by our tent for a relaxing and creative moment with your little ones! Our team is very excited to meet you.

Parent Sensory Training Workshop

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:31:31 GMT

Family Workshop Coming Soon!

Enroll for Upcoming Programmes Here

Our upcoming programme is designed for parents and children. During the programme, children will participate in sensory camp while parents will learn about various sensory conditions. The programme will provide an educative & fun space designed by All Abilities Ireland and a team of experts, and will equip parents with an understanding of sensory processing differences. The workshop enables parents to understand the emotions behind their child's behaviours and empowers parents with sensory strategies and tools to improve the parent-child relationship. The workshop also works as a social connection for the parents! Children will benefit from hours of messy sensory fun while making friends. At the end of the programme, parents and children will come back together, and parents will put the theory they have learned into practice! Parents will end the day having the tools to create their own sensory plan, and with knowledge of condition-specific activities and demonstrations they can utilise at home. The programme will also include a complementary fun sensory bag and sensory booklet to go home along with everything you've learned!

We can offer the programme also to corporates or to community groups, for details please email:

office.allabilities@gmail.com

All Abilities Schools Neurodiversity Inclusion Programme

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:07:14 GMT

All Abilities Schools Neurodiversity Inclusion Programme

All Abilities School’s Neurodiversity Inclusion Programme is designed by experts to ignite student’s creativity, offer social inclusion, and improve well-being nationwide. This programme, funded by the National Lottery, is designed to empower young people to become more self-assured, expressive, sociable, and imaginative. They learn how to tackle situations with resilience and grow into stronger, more independent members of society. This year, we will be offering Drama & Dance for primary school, as well as Physiotherapy based Movement & Exercise for secondary school. Workshops are available to all in Laois, Offaly, Donegal, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim.

New All Abilities Mental Health Initiatives - Art Therapy & Neurodiversity

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 06:21:16 GMT

Art Therapy Programmes!

Enroll for Upcoming Programmes Here

We are partnering with experts to develop and implement three new art therapy initiatives coming soon! The positive impacts of art therapy have been repeatedly proven, and we are excited to continue to introduce new programmes led by experienced individuals. These will all be 6 week programmes, which will be available in an online format.

Coming in September 2025: Supporting Parents of Primary School Children with ASD diagnosis

This programme, an art therapy group led by Caroline Murphy will offer a offers a safe and supportive space for parents to express themselves, process emotions, and build stronger connections with their children. Discover the power of art to promote emotional well-being and enhance your parenting journey. No art experience necessary – just a willingness to explore and connect. Parents will also receive practical information, strategies and resources, particularly around regulation and co-regulation.

Coming in October 2025: Exploring Identity Through Art: Art Therapy for Adults with a New Diagnosis of ADHD

Led by Aisling Morris, this programme will provide a safe, creative, and non judgmental space for adults to process their diagnosis. Peer support will be continually fostered, which will reduce feelings of isolation or inner difficulty. This programme will allow individuals to explore identity, self esteem, and strengths through the art-making process.

Coming in November 2025: 'Unmapped - Claim the 'I', make the Mark! - Neurodivergent Migrant Community - 'Being Seen'

This programme, led by Anya Spark, will be an art therapy group with the goal of supporting migrants and providing a safe space for those most vulnerable to build their confidence and resilience. Neurodivergent migrants are one of the most under-developed areas of psychotherapy and social justice. Art Therapy is effective in trauma-informed migrant support, especially for young and forced migrant populations. The six sessions will empower participants to make their “mark” and tell their story through visual images and art pieces, which encourage being fully seen, heard, supported, and recognized.

New Partnership with Sensory Integration UK & Ireland Ltd.

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 04:07:35 GMT

We Have a New Partnership!

We're delighted to announce our partnership with Sensory Integration UK & Ireland Ltd. This company is an expert in the area of Sensory Integration support, and has a range of expert webinars and free resources for us all to learn about sensory integration. We will be partnering with their organizations, which offer multiple free programmes for schools which encourage understanding of sensory processing, entitled Sensory Inclusive Schools , Sensory Integration Education , and Sensory Help Now , which you can check out with the provided links! Beyond just education in the classroom, these organizations offer workshops and pathways for professional instruction in sensory integration education. We are thrilled to promote the work of this company and partner with them in their mission!

Kaleidoscope Festival 2025

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 03:44:54 GMT

Sensory Tent at Kaleidoscope Festival!

It was so exciting to celebrate at another Kaleidoscope Festival this year!

Kaleidoscope Festival is a beautiful, positive space for all ages, and our sensory tents always give everyone a calm and creative space to feel celebrated and uplifted. Our sensory tent produces a lovely atmosphere for children and adults, and it gives us such an excellent opportunity to meet great people. We can't wait to be back next year!

Dr. Áine O’Dea and All Abilities Ireland Seminar in Portlaoise & Waterford in March 2025!

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 21:17:01 GMT

An Exciting and Informative Seminar through All Abilities Ireland in Portlaoise & Waterford in March 2025!

Dr. Áine O’Dea and All Abilities Ireland Seminar in Portlaoise & Waterford in March 2025!

Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain valuable insights into neurodiversity, including emotional challenges and sensory issues with distinguished Dr. Áine O’Dea, O.T and ADHD Ireland. Equip yourself with expert practical tips and strategies to support your child's emotional well-being while connecting with other parents over a cup of tea.

The Benefits of the Seminar:

Attending a talk from an occupational therapist can be incredibly beneficial for parents, as it provides valuable insights into how to support their child’s emotional well-being, sensory processing, and daily routines. Occupational therapists are experts in understanding how children with neurodiverse conditions, like Autism, ADHD, and Dyspraxia, interact with the world around them. By attending, parents can learn practical strategies to help their child cope with sensory challenges, develop key life skills, and improve their overall quality of life. It’s also an opportunity to ask questions, get personalized advice, and connect with other parents who are facing similar challenges.

About Dr. Áine O’Dea:

Dr. Áine O’Dea brings a distinctive background of clinical expertise, leadership, and research experience to support occupational therapy and allied health leaders. Having trained as an occupational therapist, Áine spent 20 years in public and private sectors with a clinical focus in mental health, child and adolescent health, and adult neurology. Áine was the first occupational therapist in Ireland to be awarded the prestigious SPHeRE (Structured Population and Health-services Research Education) PhD scholarship from the HRB (Health Research Board). She completed her doctoral studies in the area of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) with a focus on interventions for DCD and best practices to improve inclusion and participation. As part of this PhD programme, Áine completed a post-graduate diploma in population health and health services research. Out of this study came mastery over complex topics impacting public health including population health issues, national health policies, health economics, health informatics, and research methodologies. As a published author and contributor, Aine strives to share high-quality resources in the areas of occupational therapy, clinical supervision, and parent/educator coaching. For more information about Dr. Áine O’Dea -> click HERE

All Abilities is the 2024 Winner for Education and Training Awards!

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 23:19:30 GMT

All Abilities Ireland won the Education and Training Awards for Most Inclusive Educational Support Specialist 2024 (Dublin)!

We are honoured, happy and excited to be recognised by the Corporate Vision for our passion and work around inclusive education which we are very keen on since 2017! All the winners of the 2024 Training Awards can be found here , and our special profile is located HERE .

The Corporate Vision magazine showcases the winners of this year’s Education and Training Awards:

In its sixth year now, our Education and Training Awards programme has arrived yet again to remind us of the excellence within the world of growth and development. As a crucial aspect of life, learning is of utmost importance for a range of ages and goals. Everyone learns in a different way, and our winners do not shy away from using varied methods for guaranteed progress. From educational institutions to leading training providers, this year’s issue is full to the brim with businesses and individuals making a positive impact on the world around them. Helping others to grow, our awardees have become unwavering forces within the all-important industries we rely on for personal and professional development.

Awards Coordinator Jack Ford commented on the achievements of our winners: “Speaking of learning, our winners are constantly taking note of their industries so that they can continue to adapt to the needs of their clients. Elevating education and training, they are truly raising the bar for those who will come after them, as well as stepping things up for their clients, customers, and students. I wish our winners all the best as they set out to achieve even more in the future.” To learn more about these illustrious winners, and to find out the secrets behind their success, please visit this link .

All Abilities Festival Tents in 2024!

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 21:44:37 GMT

Another Great Summer in 2024 for All Abilities Ireland at Festivals!

We can’t believe this is our 5th time celebrating summer at the biggest Family Friendly Festivals! Both the Kaleidoscope Family Festival and the Electric Picnic have been beautiful, positive spaces for all ages, and our sensory tent always gives everyone the opportunity to be in a calm and creative space. For the first time, we had the pleasure to bring our Sensory Tent to Forest Fest, and it was an exceptional experience with a lovely atmosphere for us to be a part of. Our team had so much fun, and met a lot of great people, both big and small - We are so excited to be back next year! Check out the photos below!

All Abilities Festival Tents in 2023!

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 23:07:03 GMT

Summer 2023 included many Festival Adventures in Sensory Learning for All Abilities Ireland!

This was our fourth summer bringing creative and relaxing experiences to Ireland's largest family friendly festivals! Our tents included sensory, craft, dance and calm spaces. We were also delighted to support the disability areas within the camping and stage areas at the festivals. Check out our highlights below to view all of the energy and fun we experienced!

Positive Mental Health Day 10th of October

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 23:44:50 GMT

The 10th of October is Positive Mental Health Day: Free Programmes for All

We are delighted to announce that we were able to gather amazing organisations to join us in making a mark on International Mental Health Day on the tenth of October! Together with Children's Mental Wellbeing, Nicola Hayes , Combat Academ y Portlaoise and Ch ildren's Books Ireland , we created a broad range of activities which positively impact mental health.

It is vital to plant a seed of caring for mental health from an early age, which is why our project is designed for primary & secondary schools in order to reach children and teens. The project aims to promote simple ways to improve well-being, experience relief in difficult situations, and have access to support during periods of anxiety. Our agenda for the day includes School activities in the morning followed by a Teacher's talk, plus an evening segment for parents, grandparents, adults, and everyone over 18 years of age. Children and young people can already accomplish a lot, but if they have additional support from their parents and teachers, solutions can be implemented regularly which will benefit them in adulthood, developing resilience and self-awareness.

We hope we will be able to be apart of this initiative for years to come!

All Abilities Ireland Programme: Aide with the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 18:13:33 GMT

Transition from Primary to Secondary School 5-Week Programme (Based on Belonging+ Evidence-Based Programme)

Great news for those who are taking the big step of moving to Secondary School in 2022! Starting somewhere new can be a challenging experience for anyone, especially for kids and teens. We are delighted to offer a Belonging+ Evidence-Based Programme for those who are making the transition process this September! This course will teach them to enter the new chapter of their life prepared and full of confidence.

This online programme for children transitioning from primary to secondary school aims to support your child in preparing for secondary school. Across five one-hour sessions, your child will learn about time management, organisation, rules, making friends, and looking after their physical and mental health. The sessions are discussion-based and interactive – children will be encouraged to share their opinion and find their voices. 100% of parents rated that their children had found the programme helpful and that they had enjoyed it.

Testimonials from children:

“it made me feel happy”

“it was helpful and interesting”

“it was nice to know I wasn’t the only one experiencing some situations”

Details:

Delivered by Emma McEnaney, a Psychology assistant in the NHS, with a bachelor’s and master's degree in Psychology and extended experience working with neurodivergent children
This programme will take place on Zoom - all children will be asked to have their cameras on, and it is asked that a parent or guardian be nearby their child while they are in the sessions

Click HERE to see all the programmes and courses we offer in the coming months!

All Abilities Ireland at Kaleidoscope Festival in 2022!

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 19:02:09 GMT

All Abilities Ireland is delighted to share highlights from Ireland’s number one music and arts festival!

We are honoured to be part of such a positive event which took place in Russborough House from June 24th to June 26th 2022 for the second time! Our amazing and multi-talented teacher Cian O Ceallacháin delivered a broad range of joyful activities for children of any age. Many enjoyed participating in the puppet show, self-expression exercises, drama, cool games and more! Please, feel free to check out the highlights of the fabulous time everyone had!

New Time To Grow Coaching Programme!

Fri, 13 May 2022 12:07:24 GMT

Information About Our New Youth Coaching Programme

This is a 6-week Programme running on zoom in 2022 for neurodivergent students, bringing them together to meet other like-minded students their age from various schools! The programme aims to celebrate the identity of students, guiding them in advocating for and accepting themselves. The objective is to encourage inclusion, boost confidence and create a sense of belonging.

Module Topics:

1. Anxiety

Students will talk about what anxiety is, and discuss the positives and negatives of it. They will learn how to use it to their advantage, be comfortable sitting with it, and prevent it from escalating through various strategies which keep it at bay.

2. Emotional Regulation

Students will learn about the different types of emotions, and how to name, recognise and express them effectively. They will develop a plan for how to manage and support themselves in times of overwhelming emotion, understanding the impact these emotions can have on others.

3. Executive Functioning

To build awareness and understanding of their unique brain wiring, students will discuss their challenges and strengths. Students will learn how to make the best use of both, and put strategies in place to function effectively in the classroom.

4. Bullying

There will be a discussion to help students understand what bullying is, and why it takes place. Students will learn how to change their perspective on bullying, be empowered in negative situations, and how to talk about bullying to an adult in order to advocate for themselves.

5. Authenticity/Masking

We will talk about the costs of continually masking, and the importance of maintaining confidence within yourself and your identity . We will find ways to reduce masking in order for students to feel further empowered to be exactly who they are.

6. Social skills

This programme will help students improve how they interact with others, so that they can have more positive social experiences. This will come through the process of giving students practice in active listening and speaking in front of others, as well as exploring how to build confidence in avoiding and managing conflict.

About the Time to Grow Coach: Claire

Our First Neurodiversity Celebration Week Highlights

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 20:23:21 GMT

Check out the Video Highlight from Neurodiversity Celebration Week!

Just last summer, we thought about bringing organisations and individuals together to mark the importance of our differences. Who would have thought we would deliver such a fantastic, meaningful week for everyone of any ability and age?

We started by introducing Fay Dunn, who outlined her journey with Dyspraxia with her recommendations of the best strategies, tools and fun toys for kids! Everyone was positively impacted by Fay's story, which has given important perspective and understanding to parents. Day two was focused on Autism, and the wonderful Aisling Foran presented valuable information for parents, teachers and carers. Her mission is to speak up about Autism, and how individuals can experience life without fear and boundaries. In the middle of the week, we welcomed Donna from Dyslexia Matters Ireland, who provided important strategies to support literacy as well as life and school advice for children with Dyslexia. It was such a pleasure to have Donna be a part of our week! Thursday was delivered by fantastic members of ADHD Ireland, including Tash Milne who spoke about her and her family's journey to explore ADHD. The presentation included strategies and day-to-day tips relevant to kids and adults. The final day focused Neurodiversity in adulthood, which we started with a discussion about mental health led by Aengus Burke, followed by a talk from Ken Kilbride, who focused on Neurodiversity in Business and how to make the workplace friendlier for neurodivergent professionals. During all the webinars for adults, we simultaneously held creative online classes for children, which have involved drama and mindfulness. We also included schools in our Neurodiversity Week initiative, and on Wednesday we held a Webinar with Claire from Internal Connections, who spoke about what neurodiversity is, and how fantastic it is that we each hold unique differences due to our brains.

It has been quite the journey for 3 people to pull all of that together in just a few months, and we are so glad to have reached over 2000 people in this process! We would like to thank everyone who has shared our posts, who has opened our email, who has taken part in our story - Thank YOU from us, because of you we were able to make a Neurodiversity Celebration Week Valid in Ireland!

We will come back next year :) If you wish to be part of our Neurodiversity Celebration Week, please do not be a stranger, and email us at office.allabilities@gmail.com.

Now we are on a mission to

include schools for neurodiversity coaching, plus a smart moves programme!
invite adults and teens to mental health workshops!
carry on with our creative classes for kids, teens and adults!

Creative Inclusion Network

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 14:28:09 GMT

Creative Inclusion Network Meeting | Introduction & Mission

What a great way to finish the week! We organized a fantastic meeting, with lots of positive energy and a willingness to support each other. We held our first meeting with organisations who are aiming to come together and help each other in facilitating essential programmes which seek to improve inclusion and accessibility for others in Ireland. We are delighted to be planning many amazing events together in 2022 and beyond! There is still a space for your organisation, if you want to join the Creative Inclusion Network contact us at office.allabilities@gmail.com t o be informed about the next meeting.

Thank you Children's Mental Wellbeing and Children's Books Ireland for your time and enthusiasm :)

NEWS All Abilities Neurodiversity

All Abilities at Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival

All Abilities Ireland at Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival 2025!

Parent Sensory Training Workshop

Family Workshop Coming Soon!

Enroll for Upcoming Programmes Here

All Abilities Schools Neurodiversity Inclusion Programme

All Abilities Schools Neurodiversity Inclusion Programme

﻿

New All Abilities Mental Health Initiatives - Art Therapy & Neurodiversity

Art Therapy Programmes!

Enroll for Upcoming Programmes Here

New Partnership with Sensory Integration UK & Ireland Ltd.

We Have a New Partnership!

Kaleidoscope Festival 2025

Sensory Tent at Kaleidoscope Festival!

Dr. Áine O’Dea and All Abilities Ireland Seminar in Portlaoise & Waterford in March 2025!

An Exciting and Informative Seminar through All Abilities Ireland in Portlaoise & Waterford in March 2025!

Dr. Áine O’Dea and All Abilities Ireland Seminar in Portlaoise & Waterford in March 2025!

The Benefits of the Seminar:

About Dr. Áine O’Dea:

All Abilities is the 2024 Winner for Education and Training Awards!

All Abilities Ireland won the Education and Training Awards for Most Inclusive Educational Support Specialist 2024 (Dublin)!

The Corporate Vision magazine showcases the winners of this year’s Education and Training Awards:

All Abilities Festival Tents in 2024!

Another Great Summer in 2024 for All Abilities Ireland at Festivals!

All Abilities Festival Tents in 2023!

Summer 2023 included many Festival Adventures in Sensory Learning for All Abilities Ireland!

Positive Mental Health Day 10th of October

The 10th of October is Positive Mental Health Day: Free Programmes for All

All Abilities Ireland Programme: Aide with the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

Click HERE to see all the programmes and courses we offer in the coming months!

All Abilities Ireland at Kaleidoscope Festival in 2022!

All Abilities Ireland is delighted to share highlights from Ireland’s number one music and arts festival!

New Time To Grow Coaching Programme!

Information About Our New Youth Coaching Programme

About the Time to Grow Coach: Claire

Our First Neurodiversity Celebration Week Highlights

Check out the Video Highlight from Neurodiversity Celebration Week!

Creative Inclusion Network

Creative Inclusion Network Meeting | Introduction & Mission