1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Working with Individuals with Developmental or Cognitive Impairment is presented by Margaret Nixon, PhD.

This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts toward a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards the Correctional Mental Health Certificate and share your new digital credentials.

This program identifies and understands the social, cognitive, and environmental risk factors that increase the likelihood of criminal offending in individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and how these conditions impact behavior, decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation.

Participants gain an understanding of evidence-based intervention strategies aimed at rehabilitation and reducing recidivism while also reflecting on the ethical considerations of working with this population in criminal justice contexts, with a focus on person-centered approaches.

This program is intended for early career workers with a minimum of a bachelor's level qualification in a discipline such as psychology, nursing, social work, or counseling, as well as those working in settings with forensic clients, including the community, hospitals, residential services, and custodial settings. The target is broad as the prevalence of developmental or cognitive impairments across all settings is high, meaning the topic is relevant to all working with forensic populations. 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the factors contributing to criminal offending behavior in individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities
  • 2 Describe effective interventions and ethical considerations for supporting individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities involved in criminal behavior

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for early-career professionals who hold at least a bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, or a related field. It is particularly relevant for those working with forensic populations, especially individuals with neurodevelopmental or cognitive disabilities. The content is applicable across a range of settings—including community programs, hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and custodial environments—due to the high prevalence of developmental or cognitive impairments among justice-involved individuals.

  • Experience Level

    • Early-career (entry-level to intermediate)

    • Some foundational experience with forensic or justice-involved populations is beneficial but not required

    • Suitable for those seeking to enhance their understanding of neurodevelopmental and cognitive disabilities within forensic contexts

  • Practice Setting

    Tight Nested Bullets
    • Early-career professionals (typically within the first 5 years of practice)
    • Individuals with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in:
      • Psychology
      • Social work
      • Counseling
      • Nursing
      • Related fields
    • Professionals working with forensic clients in:
      • Community programs
      • Hospitals
      • Residential treatment facilities
      • Custodial or correctional settings

Presented By

Margaret Nixon, PhD, PhD

Dr Nixon has worked across many large research projects in both health and forensic research areas. She has extensive experience in conducting interviews with vulnerable populations (i.e. individuals with dementia, mental illness and histories of trauma). She is a lecturer in forensic behavioural science at the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology, and has particular expertise in the management of sensitive information, data linkage methodologies, qualitative research and service evaluations. Her research interests include cognitive impairments in offending populations, intellectual disability, dual disability, prison-based interventions and the intersection between offending and victimisation.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Margaret Nixon, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • What do we mean by developmental or cognitive impairment?

  • Why might having a developmental or cognitive impairment make someone more vulnerable to being involved in the justice system?

  • What must we consider when working with people with a developmental or cognitive impairment?

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
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CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.