Needs-led

When a report or a professional says the approach is needs-led, they mean support should be organised around what your child finds hard right now, not around whether a diagnosis has been made yet. In England, SEN support SEN support The everyday help a school in England puts in place for a child with special educational needs. It is based on what your child needs, not on having a diagnosis. Read the full definition of SEN support at school does not require a diagnosis, and the same principle runs through the systems in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This matters most while you are waiting. An assessment can take a long time, and needs-led is the argument for not letting support wait with it: school can put help in place today based on what they and you can see. A diagnosis still matters for understanding, for some entitlements and for the right kind of help, so needs-led is not a reason to stop pursuing one. It is a reason support should not be held hostage to one.