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SEN

Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Sensory assessment 12 dd with a ASD diagnosis

2 replies

TrioG · 30/12/2025 17:09

Hello

My DD is 12 years old and has been struggle for the past 18 months since she joined secondary school. Currently she is not attending and hasn’t for some months now, her school is providing her with online work.

Earlier this year we sought a private assessment and she has a diagnosis of ASD. She is on the LA waiting list for a diagnosis but as I am sure you are all aware the waiting lists are to long.

My DD has been see.n by the EP and he and school now agree to seek alternative provision into the new year. We have identified local provision, it’s going to be small steps and we have yet to discuss this with her.

The EP is due to attend our home in the first week of January to explain to DD the potential of accessing new provision, as he agrees she needs to feel an element of control over the options.

The EP has also requested a sensory assessment take place and this starts in February, the school have informed us the visits will take place at home and that there will be three appointments.

Can anyone share with me their experience of sensory assessments and what my DD can expect?

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
2x4greenbrick · 30/12/2025 18:21

You say DD has an ASD diagnosis but then also say DD is on the waiting list for assessment? Is she waiting for a diagnostic assessment for something other than ASD? LAs don’t normally diagnose.

Sensory assessments funded by the LA and NHS are often cursory in nature, I’m afraid. There should be some history taking (see below), there may be some questionnaires, and an even half good assessment will include some tasks for DD to do and the OT will make observations.

It can help to make a timeline of events, previous assessments, etc. Also think about making notes on things like developmental history, needs/difficulties (it can help to break this down and think about the different senses), likes/dislikes/what makes DD happy, what support is already in place, what has previously been tried, what has worked/didn’t work, what is needed but unable to be delivered, what is important to DD/you and what is important for DD, aspirations. If there are specific difficulties, such as with food or noise, it can help to make some more detailed notes on these.

It can also help to write a list of questions to ask (either beforehand or at the beginning) such as what assessments will be undertaken, what observations will be done (e.g. structured and unstructured times, with peers, with adults), how long they will spend with DD. Ask if the OT will make recommendations for the need for further assessments where they believe they are necessary - sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t.

Finish by asking them to ensure the report is detailed, specified and quantified and requesting the report is sent to you at the same time as it is sent to the LA - you may receive push back on this, but if you request it, it should be done.

Is this part of an EHCNA?

Just so you are aware, the LA is ultimately responsible for ensuring compulsory school aged DC unable to attend school receive a suitable full-time education. LAs will often tell parents it is the school’s responsibility, but ultimately it isn’t.

SeriousTissues · 30/12/2025 22:37

My daughter has sensory issues - mainly regarding fabrics, so it made secondary a nightmare initially. We couldn’t get a sensory assessment via the NHS as sensory processing issues aren’t recognised in our area. So we had a private assessment. We completed a number of questionnaires - there were a couple aimed at children and one for adults, just because of her being a teen, some of the child-based questions weren’t really relevant. I had an online meeting with the OT and then my daughter had a short online meeting with her. The OT then spent half a day observing her in person, giving her various exercises to do, asking her many questions about how the sensory issues affected her. It was very thorough. With a very detailed report.

Very unlike the NHS autism assessment she had which was brief, half-arsed and the subsequent report riddled with errors that I had to have amended! As a result we never bother with this one!

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