SUPPORTING DEORODIVERSITY

At Bundoora Secondary College (BSC), we celebrate diversity and embrace the strengths and unique perspectives of neurodivergent individuals. We are committed to fostering environments that are flexible, respectful, and accommodating to different neurotypes. Our approach is aligned with the school’s broader vision for education, which empowers students to be Purpose Driven, World Ready, Life Ready, and to Stand Out.

Guiding Principles of Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice

Reframing Neurodivergence

We view neurodivergence as a natural variation in human cognition. Each neurotype brings its own strengths and challenges, and all are valued equally. This reflects our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion and supports the development of Life Ready learners who embrace their passions and strengths.

Promoting Autonomy and Agency

Support is person-led and responsive to individual needs within the educational setting. We respect diverse communication styles and preferences, ensuring students are Purpose Driven, have choice and voice in their learning journey.

Presuming Competence

We assume all individuals are capable of learning, communicating, and making decisions. We reject deficit-based assumptions and maintain high expectations for every student. We aim for our student to be World Ready, where students strive for excellence and contribute compassionately to their communities.

Strengths-Based Support

We focus on what students can do, providing opportunities to thrive in areas of interest and talent. This approach fosters growth, self-esteem, and aligns with the IKIGAI Purpose model—helping students discover what they love, what they’re good at, and what the world needs.

Using Strengths to Build Resilience

Students’ strengths are leveraged to help them navigate challenges. By anchoring support in what they do well, we empower them to face and overcome difficulties with confidence, encouraging students to shine in their uniqueness and bring value to the world.

Positive Behaviour and Consequences

Consequences help all students understand the impact of their actions, fostering secure boundaries and a sense of agency. Our school-wide positive behaviours approach emphasizes:

Positive reinforcement
Natural and logical consequences
(Insert link to school-wide behaviour framework)

This supports the Our Foundation of creating positive learning spaces and empowering lifelong learning in a rapidly changing world.

Skill Building Focus Areas

At BSC prioritise our resources on skill development that supports lifelong learning and wellbeing:

Distress Tolerance & Self-Advocacy
Equip students to manage discomfort and advocate for their needs through functional communication. This supports Entrepreneurial Learners and Societal Learners who take initiative and contribute meaningfully.
Emotional Regulation & Executive Functioning
Teach strategies for managing emotions, planning, organising, and initiating tasks. These skills are essential for becoming Life Ready and World Ready.
Social Skills & Flexible Thinking
Support relationship-building, interpreting social cues, and adapting to change with resilience. This fosters Social Engagement and prepares students for real-life experiences.
Self-Care & Growth Mindset
Promote sensory awareness, digital safety, self-reflection, and confidence through structured routines and positive reinforcement.

Supporting Students with a Demand Avoidance Profile at Bundoora Secondary College

Demand avoidance describes a pattern where a student persistently resists or avoids everyday requests and expectations. This response is often rooted in anxiety and can significantly impact daily routines and learning.

The Rise and Challenges of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

Recently, the term Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) has become more widely discussed, especially in parenting communities and on social media. However, this grassroots popularity presents several challenges and it’s important to approach this concept thoughtfully:

Not an Official Diagnosis

PDA is not formally recognized in major diagnostic manuals such as the DSM-5 or ICD-11. There is a lack of robust, peer-reviewed research supporting PDA as a distinct condition. Without clear criteria, PDA may be misapplied, leading to inappropriate interventions or missing other underlying needs (such as anxiety, autism, or oppositional defiant disorder).

Demand Avoidance in Other Conditions

It is also commonly seen in:

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Anxiety Disorders
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Anecdotal Approaches

Many strategies shared online are based on personal experience rather than research, and may not always be effective.

The rise of low demand parenting approaches

The rise of low-demand parenting approaches—often promoted in PDA advocacy and parenting communities—has raised concerns among professionals. Some experts warn that while these approaches may reduce conflict in the short term, they can inadvertently reinforce avoidance behaviors and hinder the development of coping skills and resilience. This concern is echoed in professional commentary and autism support organizations, which note that reducing all demands may limit opportunities for growth and independence, and can make it harder for children to manage real-world expectations.

Commercialisation

The growth of PDA “coaches” and online resources has created a market around the label, often without clinical oversight.

Our Approach at Bundoora Secondary College

Building Quality Relationships

We prioritise strong, trusting relationships. For students who show demand avoidance, we create a safe, flexible, and respectful environment. Our goal is to reduce anxiety, offer choices, and foster trust—laying the foundation for learning and growth.

Consistent, Predictable Routines

We use Consistent Predictable Routines (CPRs) to help students feel safe and supported. Structured daily practices, such as Welcome Circles and clear de-escalation strategies, reduce stress and support self-regulation, focus, and a sense of belonging.

Reframing Instructions: “Distant Instruction”

Instead of direct commands, we use indirect, less personal ways of setting expectations. For example, rather than saying, “You need to start your work now,” we might say, “According to the schedule, it’s work time.” This approach reduces pressure and increases student autonomy.

Embedding Expectations in the Environment

We make expectations clear and accessible by:

Positive Behaviour Supports: Displaying and modelling school-wide expectations such as “We are safe, respectful, responsible.”
Environmental Tools: Using visual schedules, checklists, and timers to help students navigate their day independently.
Neutral Authority References: Framing tasks as part of class routines or school norms, rather than personal requests from teachers.

Building Tolerance for Uncertainty and Autonomy

We help students gradually develop skills to cope with uncertainty and changes in routine. While reducing demands can help in the short term, our long-term goal is to support students in managing anxiety and building resilience.

Positive Behaviour and Logical Consequences

We celebrate small steps toward engagement and self-regulation. Consequences are natural and logical, and are directly related to the student’s actions, predictable, and consistent. This helps students understand the connection between their choices and outcomes, while maintaining a sense of agency and security.

Collaboration with Allied Health Professionals

We work closely with allied health professionals, especially speech pathologists, to support:

Functional communication (e.g., asking for a break, expressing uncertainty)
Visual supports and scripts for seeking help or negotiating
Emotional literacy and self-awareness

References

✅ Kildahl, A.N., Helverschou, S.B., Rysstad, A.L., Wigaard, E., Hellerud, J.M.A., Ludvigsen, L.B. and Howlin, P. (2021) ‘Pathological demand avoidance in children and adolescents: A systematic review’, Autism, 25(8), pp. 2162–2176. doi:10.1177/13623613211034382. [theotlink.com]

✅ Stuart, L., Grahame, V., Honey, E. and Freeston, M. (2019) ‘Intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety as explanatory frameworks for extreme demand avoidance in children and adolescents’, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 25(2), pp. 59–67. doi:10.1111/camh.12336. [europepmc.org]

✅ How pathological demand avoidance (PDA) blew up online

Australian Psychological Society (2024) ‘How pathological demand avoidance (PDA) blew up online’, APS Insights, 19 September. Available at: https://psychology.org.au/insights/how-pathological-demand-avoidance-%28pda%29-blew-up-on (Accessed: 28 October 2025). [psychology.org.au]

✅ Methods of studying pathological demand avoidance in children and adolescents: A scoping review

Haire, L., Symonds, J., Senior, J. and D’Urso, G. (2024) ‘Methods of studying pathological demand avoidance in children and adolescents: A scoping review’, Frontiers in Education, 9, Article 1230011. doi:10.3389/feduc.2024.1230011. [frontiersin.org]

✅ Intolerance of uncertainty underlies demand avoidance behaviours in children

Stuart, L., Grahame, V., Honey, E. and Freeston, M. (2019) ‘Intolerance of uncertainty underlies demand avoidance behaviours in children’, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 25(2), pp. 59–67. doi:10.1111/camh.12336. Available at: https://www.acamh.org/research-digest/intolerance-of-uncertainty-underlies-demand-avoidance-behaviours-in-children/ (Accessed: 28 October 2025). [acamh.org]