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Starting Your SEND Journey - Neurodiversity & Development

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Neurodiversity and Development

Children and young people develop in different ways and at different rates. You may have concerns about your child's speech and language, communication, behaviour, emotional wellbeing, social skills, attention, learning or overall development.

Sometimes these differences may be linked to neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the differences in how people's brains work and process information. This can include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other ways of thinking, learning and experiencing the world.

Some children receive support or a diagnosis when they are young, while others may not realise they are neurodivergent until their teenage years or adulthood. Whether you are a parent, carer or young person seeking answers, it's never too early or too late to learn more about how you or your child experiences the world.

You do not need a diagnosis to seek advice or support. Whether you are just starting to notice differences, waiting for assessments or looking for support following a diagnosis, this section will help you understand more about child development, neurodiversity and the support available to children, young people and their families

If you feel an assessment, or review would help your child

You can talk to a professional who knows you, it could be your GP, Health Visitor or someone at your childcare setting or school and see what they think, together you can request an Early Help Assessment which will get you on the right pathway to support.

Different services have different criteria for getting an assessment. For example, in Barnsley to access the Autism assessment pathway (ASDAT pathway) you must start with an Early Help Assessment

Barnsley Speech & Language

Barnsley Speech & Language have an amazing toolkit section on their website packed with resources for families. 

Including: 

  • Activities to support speech and language while you wait for an appointment 
  • Games and methods to help stretch children's vocabulary 
  • Information about stammering, tongue tie and swallowing difficulties
  • Helpful videos, vlogs and much more 
Find out more:

Paediatric Autism Assessment Service

Barnsley's Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment Team (ASDAT) offers a specialist assessment and diagnosis service for children and young people under the age of 18.

Read more about the assessment process here.

ADHD Assessments

If you have concerns that your child or young person may have ADHD, speak to their school, college or GP. They can listen to your concerns, discuss the support already in place and help you understand the next steps. In Barnsley, ADHD assessments for children and young people are provided through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

As part of the assessment process, parents, carers and school staff may be asked to complete questionnaires, such as the
SNAP-IV, to help professionals understand how a child or young person's attention and behaviour affects them in different settings.

You do not need a diagnosis for support to begin. Schools and other services can often put support in place based on your child or young person's needs while further advice or assessment is being explored.

Community Paediatrics & Autism Assessment Support Hub

The Community Paediatrics & Autism Assessment Support Hub brings together helpful information and resources on a wide range of topics that families often ask about, including:

  • anxiety,
  • autism,
  • behaviour,
  • sensory processing,
  • toileting 
  • genetic conditions.
Whether you are looking for practical advice, wanting to understand more about a specific area of need, or exploring support options, the hub offers trusted information in one place.

Find out more: