Awaiting _____ diagnosis

[Bozzul]

I work in a school and we obviously have pupils with SEND, who have certain strategies we use with them and a number of others to monitor and trial things to include them.

All of them have attached documents to let staff know what's needed, but there's currently a trend for adding a sentence to say huge numbers of pupils are awaiting a diagnosis - awaiting dyslexia diagnosis, awaiting ADHD diagnosis etc.

They're not. They're still awaiting being assessed, and often because someone unqualified to judge has decided it's possible or suits them. But it might not be the case that a diagnosis is made (I'm thinking that the chances our school have such numbers compared to national data aren't high)

I'm all for doing what works for each child, and if they have tendencies that are normally addressed in a certain way, then of course these things can be used to help them too, but I don't think it's helpful to staff or pupils to imply issues which haven't been diagnosed.

Edited, helpful TO either staff or pupils

That we don't put those without any particular need in the same category as those who are entitled to something different from, or additional to, the norm.

Seeking accommodations when not disadvantaged only widens the gap between those who have significant barriers and those who don't.

They're still awaiting being assessed, and often because someone unqualified to judge has decided it's possible or suits them

But you are also unqualified and making an assumption, without the education and ability behind it to judge whether it is possible or suits them.

The system is so fucked these days you don't get on the assessment waiting list without very clear indicators that the assessment is warranted and likely to result in the diagnosis being given.

One of my kids is in the "awaiting diagnosis" phase - she's glaringly got some neurodivergent condition going on - just not quite confirmed which variety(ies) she's got. School's approach is that the waiting lists are so bad - support as if she has it diagnosed in the interim.

I didn't say I was qualified to judge or make a diagnosis. And I know that if there is undiagnosed need then the strategies still work before such time as this is made. But many won't be, because they're not even on the pathway. It's just a label and it's taking away from the minority who could be catered for if we were allowed to focus on them.

But you are just making an assumption that you aren’t in a position to correctly make.

I thought that a child does not need to have a formal diagnosis before support is put into place.

Just as well given the number of years some wait to get support!

I know @SleepyRedPanda, I paid privately for DC1 as the waiting list was 2.5 years. Cost me £5k by the end of the process. Even the private process had a waiting list (for the psychiatrist that was part of the assessment team).

I understand this case and I'm glad that's what's happening.

But if you can see it's glaring, and so can school then that's good enough. I'm saying these aren't glaring. And it can't be right that most children need rest breaks or extra time. It's detrimental to the ones who really do, as they don't get anything extra in the end.

Schools are supposed to give support to any children based on their difficulties, regardless of whether they are diagnosed or not. OP would know this if she did work in a school. People like to chat shit about ND.

One of my children is autistic, I have no issue in children getting help even without diagnosis. My child wasn’t given much support until diagnosis which was shit and I wouldn’t wish that on any other child or parent.

Support, yes. Unnecessary preferential treatment, no.

But yes, I agree that you are not in a posiiton to comment OP, I've been through the process with a team of professionals. Highly trained professionals.

You should be celebrating the fact that your school is trying to support any child who might need extra assistance.

It doesn't sound like OP is responsible for allocating any resources it's just a note on each child's record & seating plan which would help a teacher or TA understand the child.

Eg if a child is 'awaiting assessment/diagnosis' for ADHD the teacher could be more understanding of their needs. Mine were punished alot before diagnosis of autism/ADHD. Just having awareness of the condition can help avoid making the problem worse.

It wouldn't need allocating funding or equipment just awareness of how to communicate & understand that child.

For example having an awareness of sensory issues & offering an adjustment is not going to harm a child who turns out not to have autism. It also doesn't cost anything to be aware of.

I’d be very worried if you were anywhere near any children.

At what point does it stop being extra?

What are you talking about. The reasonable adjustments my dd needed before diagnosis were much needed.

Does your school know you think this and are making such outrageous declarations when you are completely unqualified to do so?

I was thinking the same @OurPack .

That's not your decision OP, not remotely within your skillset.

Awaiting assessment also means shows traits of..

Support before diagnosis is completely normal though. My dd is literally awaiting diagnosis (her assessment was on the 1st Nov and we’re waiting for the report to come through). But she’s needed interventions at school for the nearly two years between referral and assessment. Without it, she wouldn’t be in school, despite performing near the top of the class academically.

Where I do have sympathy is that 17/30 seems like an unusually high ratio - and it must be hard to balance that number of competing needs. I think there are maybe 5 kids in dd’s class with either ASD, ADHD, or dyslexia. Though, there may be others. I only know where the parents have been vocal about it.

Some aren't even on a path to being assessed and some don't seem to be updated for years (which might say more about the assessment system than our recording system).

I think it’s more the delays to assessment. After two years of my fighting for it, my DC was finally referred age 12 by the school to CAMHS for an assessment. At age 16, I gave up and got them on a private wait list….but then the pandemic happened. They were finally assessed and diagnosed privately as an adult at age 18. The suspected condition was correct.

The high ratio is something the SLT need to address and resource properly.

It doesn't make the OP's comments any more reasonable or their approach any more acceptable from someone who works with children.

It will be a cost when 70% of the class I described want their own exam room and invigilator next year, and the ones who really need that end up sharing limited resources with someone who doesn't, and the minority without any concessions are at a disadvantage.

I don’t understand your point.

My granddaughter is very obviously autistic. Her teacher raised concerns with her mother. Reports have been written BUT she hasn’t been diagnosed yet. Or even assessed.
Don’t you think it helpful for a TA to be aware of this?

SEN support should be needs rather than diagnosis-led. So schools should provide differentiated SEN support where necessary. But it is should not be simply a matter of diagnosis as children with same conditions can have different profiles / needs.

"But if you can see it's glaring, and so can school then that's good enough. I'm saying these aren't glaring"

You are not qualified to say that.