What is Neurodevelopment?
Neurodevelopment refers to the development of the brain that affects our behaviour, relationships, learning styles, stress management, organisation, emotions, problem solving and executive functioning skills. Neurodevelopmental conditions, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), describe people who present with difference in their neurodevelopment which affects how their brain works i.e. they are neurodivergent. Sometimes neurodivergent related needs are mistaken for other differences or environmental factors which could be impacting a child or young person. Where needs are best explained by neurodivergence, the identifying features will have been present from birth.
Some common traits associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be found at: Neurodevelopmental needs :: Mindworks Surrey (mindworks-surrey.org)
Mindworks is a collaboration of partners including Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP), Barnardo’s, National Autistic Society (NAS), Learning Space, Eikon and others. We all work jointly to ensure that the right support is given to the right person. All members are specialists in this area and have different offers which are carefully considered for each individual and endorsed by the NHS. There is more information below about each partner.
This animation shows how all the partners work together to provide these services.
We have listened to feedback from families and young people and, as a result, we are focusing on improving the pathway for children and young people with neurodivergent needs.
Part of this feedback includes the requirement to ensure that the needs of young people are met as they arise rather than waiting for a diagnostic assessment which may or may not be warranted. This is also in line with Surrey Council Council’s ‘Ordinarily Available’ policy which states that young people do not require a neurodevelopmental diagnosis for schools to meet need.
We know that life experiences can look like neurodivergent needs (including sleep, diet, life trauma, time away from peers during covid etc). We therefore ask that attempts are made to support these areas of need in the first instance in liaison with your school nurse, SENCO or primary mental health worker linked with the school.
If more help is required, we ask for the parent, young person and school representative to complete an ‘Assessment of need form’ together. The school representative should be the person who knows you as the young person or your child best. Referrals are no longer accepted from GPs as it is acknowledged the school is best placed to provide information on how a child or young person presents in an educational environment, different to their home environment. If the young person is not in school, we ask that the form is completed with another professional who knows the young person in another setting (e.g. sports coach, music teacher, tutor etc).
This form is then emailed by school to NDSpoke@sabp.nhs.uk and the clinical team at the Neurodevelopmental Service will be in touch with their recommendations. For some cases, the team may request for other forms to be completed to help clarify the presentation further.
Interventions from Mindworks may include workshops for parents, support for young people, school training or appropriate signposting.
Should the young person require a diagnostic assessment the Neurodevelopmental Service will be in touch to confirm and outline the next steps for your child. All diagnostic assessments compose of a need to understand the young person’s developmental history as well as a direct assessment with the young person.
Should the young person be diagnosed as having ADHD, it is important to ensure strategies and interventions are put in place to support in the first instance. However, the team do offer ADHD medication support where appropriate.
Partners within the Neurodevelopmental Service and additional support
List of pages
Why is the wait so long for a diagnostic assessment for children (aged 6-18)?
In recent years, the demand for ADHD and Autism assessments has dramatically increased across the country. Therefore, the number of requests Mindworks Surrey receives every day has significantly increased. We are working hard to increase capacity across Mindworks to process these requests.
Why is the ND service changing?
We feel that it is important for young people to have their needs met at the earliest opportunity rather than a reliance on a diagnosis before interventions are put in place. We know that by embedding interventions early can make a meaningful difference. NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) recommend that interventions should be embedded for a minimum of 10 weeks prior to a diagnostic assessment.
What will change?
We are asking for an Assessment of Need form to be completed by parents and school rather than a GP as they will know that young person’s needs the most on a daily basis.
Instead of receiving questionnaires to fill in as the first step in the process, you will be asked to liaise with School (or other adult/group leader in the young person’s life) to work together on identifying the young person’s needs and how this presents itself within different areas of their lives. This allows strategies to be tried and support to be delivered in the classroom environment and at home.
Once the strategies have been tried for at least 10 weeks, the parents and school must review progress together. For some young people, further input may not be required as the strategies put in place will be meeting their need. For others, further support is needed they can add further evidence to the original referral on the Assessment of Need Form including what interventions have been tried at home and school and the results. This should be emailed using the school email to the ndspoke@sabp.nhs.uk The information contained in this for will then be reviewed by the ND Team within 15 working days.
It might be that young people require further interventions to meet their needs or the Spoke Team may feel that the young person should be moved over to a diagnostic assessment. In the case where there are additional mental health needs, school should our Access and Advice line on 0300 222 5755 which is open 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 9am-12pm Saturday. There service is not open on bank holidays. You could alternatively contact your Primary Mental Health Worker available in each mainstream school. For independent schools and colleges, contact the Access and Advice Team on the number above.
A referral for my child/young person was made before 31 October 2022, and Access & Advice Team have sent me questionnaires to fill in (eg: ASSQ, SNAPS). What should I do?
Unless directed otherwise by Access & Advice, please continue to complete and send in your completed paperwork as soon as possible.
I have sent in completed questionnaires, what should I do?
Once all paperwork is received into Access & Advice, you will get a SMS message and the paperwork will move to be scored and screened for need and we will contact you once this has been completed. Some young people will be recommended for further ND assessment. Other questionnaires will not identify as neurodevelopmental as a primary need and further assessment will not be recommended at that time. In this case, we will offer suggestions for advice and support.
My child/young person attends an independent school or college. What should I do?
Please follow the same process as completing the assessment of need form with the education provider.
My child/young person is home schooled. What should I do?
Please contact Access and Advice Team to discuss the most appropriate person to fill out the form with you. In order to support our assessment, we would strive to understand how the young person functions in different environments with and without parents.
I am concerned that I need a diagnosis to access support at School, what should I do?
Children and young people do not require a diagnosis to receive support at school. If a child or young person has a need in school, they are entitled to receive support to meet that need.
I am concerned that I need a diagnosis to support an application for an EHCP (Education Health and Care Plan), will this change affect my application?
EHCPs are not based on any diagnosis, but focus on the presenting needs of a child or young person. Having a diagnosis of any condition does not mean that any child or young person automatically receives an EHCP.
What do I do if my child’s school does not agree to fill in the Assessment of Need form?
The form identifies need, not diagnosis. Jointly filling in the form and discussing a young person’s need to good practice in joint working between families and any school. If your school is not agreeing to fill in the form you can phone Access & Advice team who can provide you with contact details for your local School Based Needs Clinician or Primary Mental Health Worker. They will be able to support you to liaise with the school provided it is not an independent school/college. We would encourage schools to complete the form even if they don’t observe a need in this environment as this helps inform our assessment.
If you find yourself struggling or feeling distressed with your thoughts and feelings, it can be helpful to create a plan to keep yourself safe. Read about how to create your own My Safety Plan here.