Considerations before diagnostic assessment

Support should meet your child’s needs now, not wait for a diagnosis later.

Understanding your child's needs

When is a diagnostic assessment the right step?

Every child is different

Children and young people grow and develop in different ways. Some will have challenges with learning, behaviour, or emotions. That doesn’t always mean there is a medical or mental health condition.

Sometimes, these challenges:

  • Improve over time
  • Get better with support at home or school
  • Are part of normal child development

What is a diagnostic assessment?

A diagnostic assessment is a detailed check to see if your child meets the criteria for a condition like autism, ADHD, or another neurodevelopmental need.

It might involve:

  • Talking to specialists
  • Answering questionnaires
  • Observing your child

But an assessment is not always the right or only way to help.

When might an assessment be needed?

A diagnosis may help when:

  • It leads to the right support or treatment
  • It clears up confusion about your child’s needs
  • It helps prevent the wrong support being given
  • But not every child with challenges needs a diagnosis.

When might it not help?

Some children:

  • Feel stressed or labelled by the process
  • Receive a diagnosis that doesn’t change the support they get
  • Are better helped through needs-based adjustments, not labels

Sometimes, focusing too much on “what’s wrong” can get in the way of seeing what’s strong.

It’s also important to know that a diagnostic assessment can be a stressful and tiring experience for children. Appointments, questions, and waiting for results can cause anxiety or confusion, especially if children don’t understand why it’s happening.

What else can help?

Before thinking about a diagnosis, it’s worth asking:

  • What is my child finding hard, and when and where?
  • What might help them feel safe, calm, and understood?
  • Are there ways to adjust the environment or expectations?

These are called reasonable adjustments. They are small (but powerful) changes that help a child take part and feel included.

Examples of reasonable adjustments

Here are some common and effective changes that schools, families, and communities can make to support neurodiverse children:

At school

  • Quiet space to go when overwhelmed
  • Visual timetables or reminders
  • Movement breaks
  • Flexible seating or tasks
  • Reduced homework
  • Use of interests to support learning
  • Extra time or support in transitions
  • Sensory support – e.g. weighted blanket or fidget toy

At home

  • Predictable routines
  • Visual prompts for daily activities
  • Time-with your child rather than time-out
  • Noise-cancelling headphones
  • Sensory activities
  • Gentle transitions
  • Accepting signs of tiredness or distress

With professionals

  • Ask for support in small steps
  • Focus on needs and strengths
  • Request school meetings without a diagnosis
  • Ask for a quiet area to wait for an appointment

You know your child best

If something isn’t working, you don’t have to wait for a label to ask for help.

It’s okay to say: “My child finds this hard. What can we change to help them succeed?”

Understanding behaviour in context

It’s also important to remember that some behaviours or challenges are not signs of illness or disorder. They can be normal responses to difficult or unsafe experiences. For example, children who have experienced early trauma, stress, or loss might struggle with trust, attention, or emotions, not because something is ‘wrong’ with them, but because of what they’ve been through. These responses are often the child’s way of coping or protecting themselves.

What we believe

  • Tailoring support to meet children’s needs matters, whether they have a diagnosis or not
  • Understanding behaviour in context is key
  • Support should be person-centred, not dependent on a child’s ‘label’

We want families to feel empowered to ask, “What does my child need right now?”, not just “What do they have?”

Our approach

We are working to:

  • Make sure assessments are only offered when really needed
  • Offer support earlier, without having to wait for a diagnosis
  • Focus on your child’s strengths and potential
  • Help families, schools and other practitioners understand and meet children’s needs