What is Paediatric Autism
Communication Therapy (PACT)?
Key Information
📍 Suitable for autistic children aged approximately 2–11 years
💻 Delivered online
👨👩👧 Parent-mediated intervention - the therapist works with the parent rather than directly with the child
🎥 Video feedback approach
📅 12 fortnightly therapy sessions over approximately 6 months
🎲 Around 30 minutes of shared play each day
If your child is autistic, you may sometimes find yourself wondering:
What is my child trying to tell me?
Why do some interactions feel easier than others?
How can I better understand what captures their interest?
How can I share moments with them in ways that feel natural and meaningful?
What can I do to support them in engaging with others and in the world around them?
You are not alone.
Many parents tell me they want practical ways to support their child, but are unsure where to begin.
Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) is an evidence-based intervention designed to help parents better understand their autistic child’s communication and interaction style.
Rather than focusing on changing who a child is, PACT helps parents recognise and respond to their child’s communication in ways that can support connection, engagement and social communication during everyday life.
PACT is one of the most extensively researched parent-mediated autism interventions available and helps parents develop a deeper understanding of their child’s communication during everyday interactions.
What Makes PACT Different?
When people hear the word “therapy”, they often imagine a therapist working directly with a child.
PACT works differently.
PACT is a parent-mediated intervention, which means parents play a central role throughout the programme.
The focus of PACT is not on the therapist working with the child.
Instead, the therapist works in collaboration with the parent.
This is because parents know their child better than anyone and are uniquely placed to support communication throughout everyday life.
Traditional Therapy
Child attends therapy sessions
The therapist works directly with the child
Strategies are practised in therapy sessions
Parents receive updates afterwards
Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy
The parent attends parent-child video review sessions
The therapist works directly with the parent
Communication is explored through video feedback of real-life interactions at home
Parents recognise and respond more to their child’s unique communication in everyday situations
This means the learning takes place where it matters most: within your everyday relationships with your child.
How Does PACT Work?
PACT is a structured programme delivered over approximately six months.
The programme consists of 12 online parent-child video review sessions, each lasting around 90 minutes.
Sessions usually take place every two weeks.
Unlike many interventions, your child does not attend the review sessions.
The programme follows a simple cycle that repeats throughout the intervention, combining fortnightly parent-child video review sessions with regular opportunities to spend time in shared activities with your child.
Step 1: Shared Play at Home
Between the parent-child video sessions, you spend around 30 minutes each day engaging in a shared activity with your child.
This might include:
Playing with favourite toys
Looking at books together
Imaginative play
Sensory activities
Outdoor play
Activities that your child particularly enjoys
The interaction takes place naturally in your own home.
There is no pressure to create a perfect session.
The aim is to capture a snapshot of everyday communication between you and your child.
You are asked to record and send a 10-minute video from these interactions for the parent-child video review session.
Step 2: Parent-Child Video Review Session
You then attend an online parent-child video review session with the therapist.
Your child does not need to be present.
Together, we watch selected clips from your 10-minute video.
This allows us to slow things down and notice details that are often difficult to see in the moment.
We explore:
How your child communicates
What captures their attention
How they show interest and engagement
How you respond to your child
Opportunities to support communication further
Many parents tell me they leave the session seeing their child in a completely new way.
Step 3: Reflection and Coaching
As we review the videos together, we identify one or two practical ideas for you to explore during your shared interactions with your child at home.
The focus is not on giving parents a long list of things to do.
Instead, we look for small, realistic adaptations and strategies that can fit naturally into everyday life.
PACT is about building feelings of confidence and understanding gradually over time.
Step 4: The Cycle Repeats
This two-week cycle repeats over the 12-session programme, allowing the adaptations and strategies to embed naturally into your family’s everyday life.
The goal is for you to develop a deeper understanding of your child’s communication and explore ways of responding that encourage interaction and connection. Many families find that this helps them notice more opportunities for shared understanding, connection and enjoyment during everyday interactions.
What Happens After the 12 Sessions?
The core PACT programme consists of 12 parent-child video review sessions delivered over approximately six months.
Many families find that the understanding and strategies developed during the programme continue to support them long after the intervention has ended.
Some families choose to finish after the 12 sessions.
Others find it helpful to have additional support to feel more confident.
For this reason, I offer six optional monthly follow-up sessions after completion of the core programme.
These sessions provide an opportunity to:
Review progress
Discuss new challenges
Reflect on changing needs
Continue refining communication strategies
Why are Videos Used?
Video feedback is one of the most powerful aspects of PACT.
When we are interacting with our children, many important moments happen very quickly.
It can be difficult to notice subtle communication signals while being fully involved in the interaction.
Watching short video clips together allows us to slow these moments down.
Parents often begin to notice:
Communication signals they had previously missed
What it is about the play that their child is truly focused on and enjoying
Strengths their child is already demonstrating
Successful interaction strategies that they are already using
Opportunities to support communication in different ways
Many parents find this process reassuring and empowering.
The purpose is never to criticise or judge.
Instead, we work together to develop a deeper understanding of your child's unique communication style and what is already working well to support this.
Why Work with Laura?
I am an independent Speech and Language Therapist and trained PACT Practitioner.
My approach is warm, collaborative and family-centred.
I understand that every child is unique and that parents know their child better than anyone else.
My role is not to tell you how to parent.
My role is to help you notice and recognise your child’s subtle communication signals that may otherwise be easy to miss. By slowing things down, we have an opportunity to notice what is already working well and explore small adjustments that can support connection, shared understanding and enjoyable interactions within everyday life.
All therapy is delivered in accordance with:
HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ guidance
PACT fidelity standards
Who Is PACT Suitable For?
PACT may be suitable if:
✔️ Your child is autistic or experiences social communication differences.
✔️ You would like to understand your child’s communication and interaction style.
✔️ You are comfortable with a parent-mediated approach.
✔️ You are willing to record short videos of interactions with your child.
✔️ You can commit to regular sessions over approximately six months.
Ready to Learn More?
I would love to hear from you.
Whether you have a question about PACT, would like to discuss your child’s communication, or are wondering whether this approach might be right for your family, please get in touch.
I am happy to offer a free discovery call for families who would like to find out more. Because PACT is quite different from many traditional therapy approaches, I will first ask you to review some information about the programme and complete a short questionnaire. This helps ensure you have a clear understanding of how PACT works and allows you to consider whether the parent-mediated approach feels like a good fit for your family before we arrange a call.
Feel free to fill in the form below, email me, or give me a call, and I’ll get back to you within 48 hours.