ADHD Coach vs ADHD Therapist vs ADHD Social Worker: Which support is right for my child?
- Evonne Jones
- Jul 9
- 8 min read
If you're looking for ADHD support for your child or teenager, you've probably come across a range of options, including:
ADHD coaches or ADHD coaching
ADHD therapists or ADHD therapy
ADHD social workers or ADHD social work support
In this blog, we’ll be answering common questions that parents ask us, including:
"What's the difference?"
"Which type of support is right for my child?"
"Do we need ADHD coaching, therapy, or something else?"
The answers will depend on what challenges your young person is experiencing, what goals you're hoping to work towards, and what kind of support would feel most helpful for your family.
While there can be overlap between these services, each brings a different focus and skill set.
Let's explore the differences.
What does an ADHD coach do?
ADHD coaching is generally focused on helping people develop practical skills and strategies for everyday life.
ADHD coaches usually have a background in behavioural coaching or life coaching. They may have a lived experience with ADHD and may have additional training specifically around coaching people who have ADHD.
An ADHD coach may help with
Goal setting
Accountability
Productivity
Time management
Organisation
Habit building
Motivation
Study or workplace strategies.
Coaching is often future-focused and action-oriented.
ADHD coaching can be a valuable source of support for some young people, particularly when the focus is on building routines, organisation skills, accountability, and achieving personal goals.
One important thing to keep in mind is that, in Australia, the coaching industry is not currently regulated and the title of coach is not a protected title. This means that anyone can call themselves a coach and offer coaching services, regardless of their qualifications, professional registration, or level of experience.
That doesn't mean there aren't excellent ADHD coaches out there. Many have extensive training and lived or professional experience. However, it does mean it's important to ask questions about a coach's background before deciding whether they're the right fit for your child or teen.
Some questions to ask a potential ADHD coach
What training or qualifications do you have in ADHD?
What experience do you have working with children and teenagers with ADHD?
How do you support emotional regulation, anxiety, or self-esteem challenges if these arise?
How do you involve parents or caregivers in the coaching process?
What happens if my child needs support beyond coaching, for example therapy or school support?
What professional standards, ethics, or supervision do you work under?
Do you hold a police check and working with children card?
How do you tailor your approach to each young person's individual needs?
Importantly, finding the right support isn't just about finding someone with the right job title. It's about working with someone with the right knowledge, experience, and approach that best fits your young person's needs.
What does an ADHD therapist do?
ADHD therapy focuses on understanding how ADHD presents for your young person, and supporting their emotional wellbeing and mental health.
ADHD therapists are mental health professionals, who may have backgrounds in counselling, psychology, social work, or other allied health backgrounds.
An ADHD therapist may help with
Anxiety
Stress and overwhelm
Emotional regulation
Self-esteem
Relationships
Depression
Life transitions
Understanding the emotional impact of ADHD
Therapy can provide a supportive space to explore experiences, process challenges, and develop coping strategies.
For many children and teenagers, ADHD doesn't just impact them with organisation and attention. It can also affect how they feel about themselves, their relationships, and their confidence.
This is where therapeutic support can be particularly valuable.
Many professionals who provide therapy are highly trained, experienced, and regulated through professional registration bodies. However, it's important to know that the title "therapist" itself is not a protected title in Australia.
This means that people from a range of backgrounds may describe themselves as therapists, with varying levels of education, clinical training, professional supervision, and accountability.
When seeking ADHD therapy or support for your child or teenager, it's worth taking some time to understand a practitioner's qualifications, experience, and approach to working with neurodivergent young people.
Some questions to ask a potential ADHD therapist
What qualifications do you hold?
Are you registered with a professional body or association?
What experience do you have working with children and teenagers with ADHD?
How do you stay up-to-date with current ADHD research and best practice?
What is your approach to supporting ADHD and being neuroaffirming?
How do you support emotional regulation, anxiety, self-esteem, and executive functioning challenges?
How do you involve parents and caregivers in the therapeutic process?
Do you collaborate with schools, GPs, paediatricians, or other allied health professionals when appropriate?
How do you tailor therapy to each child's individual strengths, needs, and goals?
What professional standards, ethics, confidentiality requirements, and supervision processes do you work under?
Finding the right therapist is about more than qualifications alone. It's about finding someone who understands ADHD, values neurodiversity, builds genuine rapport with your young person, and offers support that feels safe, practical, and effective for your family.
What does an ADHD social worker do?
ADHD social work support brings together practical strategies, emotional wellbeing support, family support, and school advocacy.
As a Social Worker, the focus isn't just on ADHD symptoms alone. It's about understanding the whole person and the environments they live, learn, and grow within, including advocacy support with those systems and environments.
ADHD Social Workers
In Australia, Social Workers are regulated Allied Health Professionals who are trained to work in the intersection between emotional wellbeing, relationships, family systems, education systems, disability, mental health, and everyday life challenges.
Social Workers are accountable to professional standards, ethical frameworks, ongoing professional development requirements, and evidence-based practice guidelines. This means families can feel confident they are receiving support that is grounded in both research and professional accountability.
Social Workers are also uniquely trained to look at the whole person, not just their symptoms. This includes understanding how ADHD may interact with emotional wellbeing, anxiety, self-esteem, family relationships, school experiences, sensory needs, trauma, life transitions, and broader environmental factors, to offer support that is:
Neuroaffirming and strengths-based
Evidence-informed and grounded in current ADHD research
Trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate
Supportive of the whole family, not just the young person
Collaborative with schools, allied health professionals, and support teams when appropriate
Inclusive of advocacy and systems navigation support
For many families, one of the greatest benefits of working with a Social Worker is having someone who can not only support the young person directly, but also help parents understand ADHD, navigate school challenges, communicate with other professionals, and create practical strategies that work across home, school, and daily life.
All while helping a young people better understand themselves, build confidence in who they are, strengthen their relationships, and develop skills that support them to thrive.
Some questions to ask a potential ADHD social worker
What qualifications do you hold?
Are you a member of the AASW?
What experience do you have working with children and teenagers with ADHD?
How do you stay up-to-date with current ADHD research and best practice?
What is your approach to supporting ADHD and being neuroaffirming?
How do you support emotional regulation, anxiety, self-esteem, and executive functioning challenges?
How do you involve parents and caregivers in the therapeutic process?
Do you collaborate with schools, GPs, paediatricians, or other allied health professionals when appropriate?
How do you tailor therapy to each child's individual strengths, needs, and goals?
What professional standards, ethics, confidentiality requirements, and supervision processes do you work under?
ADHD Social Work Support with Evonne, Perth & Online
As an experienced Social Worker, Play Therapist, and ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP), Evonne provides support with:
Emotional awareness and emotion regulations
Executive functioning skills and organisation skills
Family relationships, with a focus on communication and connection
Self-esteem and identity for children and teens with ADHD
School challenges, and advocacy support with schools and other systems
Managing overwhelm and anxiety
Support through the NDIS
Why families seek ADHD social work support
Families and young people with ADHD need support that goes beyond skills for organisation and productivity. They're looking for support with the bigger picture.
They may be navigating:
Emotional outbursts
Anxiety
School struggles
Low confidence
Friendship challenges
Family stress
A new ADHD diagnosis
Questions about what support their child actually needs
ADHD social work support allows space for all of these conversations.
Emotion regulation
Many young people with ADHD experience big emotions, frustration, overwhelm, rejection sensitivity, or difficulty managing stress.
Social work support may focus on:
Understanding emotional triggers
Building emotional awareness
Developing regulation skills
Managing anxiety and overwhelm
Reducing shame and self-criticism
Executive functioning skills
ADHD can affect the brain's energy to plan, organise, prioritise, and follow through on important life tasks.
Social work support for ADHD may include:
Organisation and planning
Time management
Task initiation
Study skills
Motivation and follow-through
Creating ADHD-friendly routines
Family relationships
ADHD doesn't only impact the individual. It can affect family dynamics, communication, and everyday life at home.
Social work support can help families:
Better understand ADHD
Reduce conflict
Strengthen connection
Improve communication
Develop practical strategies that work for everyone
School challenges
For many children and teens, school can be one of the most stressful parts of living with ADHD.
Support may include:
Navigating school expectations
Building school-related skills
Collaborating with teachers
Preparing for meetings
Exploring accommodations and supports
Advocacy and systems navigation
One unique aspect of social work support for children and teens with ADHD is the ability to help families navigate systems and services.
This may include:
Connecting with appropriate supports
Collaborating with allied health professionals
School advocacy
Understanding available services and pathways
Self-esteem and identity
Too many young people with ADHD grow up being told they're lazy, difficult, careless, forgetful, or just not trying hard enough.
In reality, they're often working incredibly hard in environments that aren't designed for the way their brain works.
Support can help young people:
Understand their ADHD profile
Identify strengths
Build confidence
Develop self-advocacy skills
Create a positive sense of identity
Frequently Asked Questions about ADHD Social Work Support
Which type of support Is right for my child or teen?
There isn't one right answer. Different supports can be helpful at different stages.
An ADHD coach may be a good fit when a young person primarily needs help with goals, habits, accountability, or productivity.
An ADHD therapist may be a good fit when emotional wellbeing, anxiety, relationships, or mental health challenges are the primary concern.
An ADHD social worker may be helpful when your child or teen would benefit from a holistic approach that considers emotional wellbeing, executive functioning, family relationships, school challenges, self-esteem, and practical life skills together.
How personalised is ADHD Social Work Support with Evonne?
As an experienced Social Worker, Play Therapist, and ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP), I provide practical, neuroaffirming support for children, teenagers, and families navigating ADHD.
My approach combines current ADHD research with real-world strategies that help young people better understand their brain, strengthen emotional regulation, build confidence, and develop skills that support success at home, school, and beyond.
Most importantly, support is always tailored to the individual. Because every young person is different, and the goal isn't to help them become someone else. It's to help them better understand themselves, work with their strengths, and thrive as themselves.
Looking for ADHD Support in Perth?
I offer neuroaffirming ADHD Social Work Support for children, teens, and families in Perth, as well as online support around Australia.
Get in touch to learn more about how ADHD social work support may help your young person build confidence, strengthen emotional wellbeing, and develop practical skills for everyday life.
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