How to prepare your child and your family for an assessment
Assessments can feel daunting. Good preparation reduces stress for your child and helps the team get an accurate picture.
Before the appointment
- Gather examples from home, nursery or school across communication, sensory needs, routines, friendships, emotions, sleep and eating.
- Collect any reports: school records, IEPs, speech and language reports, letters, paediatrician notes.
- Note both your child's strengths and the things they find hard.
- Ask the service what the appointment will involve so you can explain it to your child.
Preparing your child
- Use simple, honest language: "We are going to meet a doctor who wants to understand how your brain works."
- Use a social story or visuals if change or new places are hard.
- Bring comfort items, snacks, ear defenders or fidgets.
- Plan a calm activity afterwards — assessments can be tiring.
Preparing yourself
- Bring a written list of examples and questions so you don't forget on the day.
- Take a second adult if possible — one to focus on the conversation, one to support the child.
- Be honest about the hardest moments. The team needs the reality, not the best day.
After the appointment
Whatever the outcome, write down what was said, what happens next, and who is responsible for each step.