Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT)
As an accredited PACT therapist, Dr Sharon Girdham works closely with parents and carers helping to develop their skills and confidence to support their child’s learning, communication, and language skills development.
Sharon always works at the pace that feels right for each family, offering support that is natural, personal, and grounded in genuine partnership. Her approach centres on empowering parents, valuing their unique insight, and recognising the strengths already present in the parent-child relationship.
What is PACT?
Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) is an evidenced based intervention designed for children aged 2–11 who find it hard to interact or communicate.
PACT is a gentle, supportive, and strengths-based approach which helps families nurture communication in ways that feel natural, enjoyable, and sustainable.
Originally developed for children with Autism, PACT is also highly beneficial for children with broader communication delays or difficulties.
Recognised by NICE as a key social communication intervention, PACT is unique in demonstrating long-term improvements in communication and autism related behaviours.
PACT places the parent-child relationship at the heart of communication development. By watching videos of the parent/carer playing with their child, the therapist highlights positive moments to help adults notice and understand their child’s communication cues, reflect on what works well, and build on these moments throughout daily life.
Through this gentle, empowering approach, PACT helps parents and carers to:
Notice and celebrate their child’s unique communication style.
Nurture moments of connection and shared joy.
Support their child’s language, social communication, and emotional engagement in everyday life.
How does PACT work?
The intervention is online, meaning that it is accessible to all families regardless of where they live.
Before starting, parents have an initial session with the therapist to explore their child’s strengths, needs, and developmental journey, and to share their family’s experiences and what matters most to them.
During the PACT process:
Parents are filmed during relaxed play with their child. This is then sent to the therapist.
Together, the parent and therapist review short video clips to highlight and explore what helped their child to interact and communicate with them best.
PACT sessions last around 1 hour, typically taking place every two weeks on Microsoft Teams, with between 6 to 12 sessions offered in total.
Parents are encouraged spend 30 minutes each day playing with their child, focusing on strategies and goals developed during the PACT sessions.
The therapist also sets aside an additional 30 minutes to preview videos, and create personalised Practice Programme notes, which are emailed to parents.
I would love the opportunity to chat with you about how I could support you, your child or young person, and your family. Please do get in touch.
My details can be found on our contact us page.
Please note: We cannot accept requests from parents for school based Educational Psychology assessment work.
