Neurodiversity refers to the variety of ways in which people’s brains can function. It recognises that differences in how people think, learn, and process information—such as those seen in autism, ADHD and other conditions—are part of the normal spectrum of human diversity, rather than deficits or disorders.
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This relatively new term reflects the fact that the characteristics used to diagnose neurodivergent conditions occur on continua. People can struggle with inattention or the understanding of social cues, for example, without ‘qualifying’ for a diagnosis. It also acknowledges the overlaps between different these conditions.

Although some people find a traditional diagnostic label to be helpful (for example it may help someone understand why they have always found particular situations more challenging, or it may help them to access specialised support or in the case of ADHD, medication) thinking more holistically about ‘neurodiversity’ rather than diagnostic categories has resulted in many people having a more positive self image and a greater sense of wellbeing. It is also increasingly being recognised that the diagnostic and neurodiversity approaches can coexist and actually complement each other.

At Assembly, we take a holistic and functional approach to understanding and supporting children. We identify and address the underlying neurocognitive and psychological processes impacting a child's performance and wellbeing. We tailor programmes to each child's strenghts and difficulties, guide parents and other caregivers to make meaningful modifications, and encourage skill development in their child's everyday life to ensure lasting positive change.

Our unique, needs-led approach is designed to fit into ordinary family life and is parent-led to maximise its impact (we do not see the child). Our programmes consist of clinician-guided, parent-led modules to address your child’s specific needs and build your child’s social, emotional and executive function skills. 

We start with our Assembly Profiling Tool, a holistic trans-diagnostic questionnaire, which we have developed to provide a profile of each child’s individual strengths and difficulties. This enables our clinical team to recommend activities which address the underlying processes which may be making school, friendships or home life difficult for your child. This approach complements any other clinical recommendations that parents might already have received.

We are developing a range of programmes, including:

The Emotional Regulation programme is designed to help you navigate your child’s emotional outbursts, offering in-the-moment techniques to support you when your child is experiencing acute emotional dysregulation, as well as longer-term skill building exercises to help your child to better understand and handle their emotions. 

It is a six module programme, with each module designed to take 2 weeks, although the modules can be completed at your own pace. Each module introduces new activities designed to help you build long-lasting skills at home and address themes such as identifying emotions, understanding your child’s sensory and communication preferences, and co-regulation.