Information for your visit

What will happen during the initial consultation?

The therapist will ask you for initial background information and your concerns and wishes. We will interact with your child or young person to observe their social-emotional interaction, understanding, expressive language skills and learning needs. We provide initial feedback and advice on the recommended next steps. Reviewing any previous diagnostic report or information on intervention received would be helpful. Advice and monitoring, regular intervention sessions or further in-depth assessments using standardised tools may be recommended.

What will happen during the comprehensive assessment?

The therapist will meet with you to ask about your wishes and concerns and take an informal 2-hour developmental history, gaining information on the young person's development from birth to the current day using a standardised assessment. We will guide you in describing your child's early and current interactions and characteristics; there is no need to prepare for the history.

The young person will meet the professional face-to-face or via videoconference for a 2-hour assessment involving a range of standardised assessments with pictures, toys and interactive tasks. The young person may prepare by considering their wishes and aspirations. Sub-tests from a wide range of standardised assessments, including inferential understanding, pragmatic language, theory of mind and social-emotional understanding, are selected to gain a comprehensive profile depending on the child's needs.

We ask parents to email copies of previous reports and for their consent to liaise with other professionals and education. All assessments and information gathered are analysed and shared with parents in a feedback meeting. A diagnostic report provides recommendations for meeting EHCP and social guidelines. A planning meeting between parents, the education setting and the professional considers how best to implement the recommended adjustment and provision.

Where is the consultation?

You may select your preferred location for your visit: a face-to-face meeting at the Roundway Centre or a videoconference meeting. A videoconference meeting may be more comfortable for some young people, as there is no need to travel as the consultation is in their own home. We also offer school and home visits within a 25-mile travel distance.

The Roundway Centre venue is non-clinical. It is a comfortable, homely, light, airy, calm and quiet space. It can be flexibly tailored to personal preferences and needs, for example, adjusting the light and sound in the room for young people with sensory needs. The waiting room facilities are quiet and comfortable and can accommodate the family's needs.

What should I say to my child?

You could tell your child they will interact with the therapist while looking at various pictures, toys, or books. We would like to know them better and learn about their motivations, priorities, and opinions to identify strategies to make their experiences more comfortable. Their individual perspective is valued and respected, so they feel accepted and listened to. You can download a helpful guide for your child - Guidance for your child.

What happens if my child doesn't talk?

There is no concern if your child or young person doesn't talk in the session. The aim is to gain their trust and to interact naturally with the therapist in a relaxed setting. We use various alternative methods, including drawing and art, observation and sensitive listening to the young person. When young people feel comfortable without the demand for talking, they typically feel more confident and interact freely with the therapist.

What advice will I receive?

At the end of the assessment consultation, we summarise your child's or young person's profile, unique strengths, motivations, attributes and insights that may be harnessed in a personalised plan. Based on the individual profile, we recommend a comprehensive range of adjustments, including environmental, personal, and interaction adaptations for personalised language, learning, and social-emotional experiences in and outside school. We recommend individual provisions, interventions and support evidenced in the assessment analysis as a basis for seeking EHCP or social care funding.