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Assess, plan, do, review approach

What evidence supports a referral?

We recognise that not all children and young people who present with possible neurodevelopmental differences in school need the full support of an special educational needs (SEN) support plan.

If a child or young person is at special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, copies of the last 2 cycles of the assess, plan, do, review process will need to be submitted to support a referral.

However, if the child or young person is not at SEND support we would need a description of all reasonable adjustments in place which would include things accessed at an ordinarily available or universal level or aspects of quality first teaching that support the child or young person.

In addition, there may have been historic support or input and this should also be provided as it contributes to the overarching picture.

Non-urgent advice: This could include (but is not limited to):

  • visual supports in the classroom
  • now and next learning approach
  • awareness of language used with a young person
  • meet and greets and support around daily transitions
  • access to small group support around areas including emotional regulation, social interactions and wellbeing
  • task broken down into small manageable steps with the steps shown explicitly
  • adaptation of tasks, use of interests in learning
  • consideration of the learning environment

Support related to masking

If it is felt that a child or young person may be masking their differences in school, then we would expect that strategies are implemented in school to explore this.

Children and young people who mask often do so because they feel the need to conform in settings away from home. Without addressing this in the settings that they are in then the child or young person will continue to struggle.

Non-urgent advice: Support strategies which can help around masking

  • Universal strategies to support possible neurodevelopmental needs including visual supports, consideration of language used and routine.
  • Having a timetabled opportunity to talk about the challenges that may have been faced that day, this needs to be a structured part of the day and not a time which relies on the child or young person accessing if they want to. During these sessions the identified adults need to model talking about the challenges of their day so that the child or young person develops their confidence to do the same.
  • Communication between home and school, it is important that the child or young person know that home and school are working together so that they develop their trust that staff in school can support their needs.

Support in the home

If it is felt that the child or young person only displays neurodevelopmental needs at home, then we would need to consider the strategies that have been put in place at home to support the child or young person and any additional support that has been accessed.

This could include direct work with services or accessing other support avenues that they provide. This could include use of the North Lincolnshire Family Toolkit, engagement with services such as Family Hubs or support from the early help process.

There may be other services or sources of support that the family have engaged with, both presently and historically.
Information about the strategies that have been implemented following support, and the impact that this has had on the child or young person, will support the plan, do, review requirements of a referral to the neurodevelopmental pathway.

Please be clear in your referral where your plan, do, review information can be found.

Page last reviewed: October 08, 2025
Next review due: October 08, 2026

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