Reasonable adjustments
Changes a school or service must make so a disabled child is not put at a big disadvantage. The duty applies now, and it does not wait for a diagnosis.
Applies in England, Wales and Scotland
Under the Equality Act 2010 Equality Act 2010 The law that protects disabled children from unfair treatment in England, Wales and Scotland. Your child does not need a diagnosis to be covered. Read the full definition of Equality Act 2010 , schools and services must take reasonable steps to remove the disadvantage a disabled child faces compared with other children. The duty is anticipatory, which means planning ahead rather than waiting to be asked, and it covers how things are done, physical features, and providing extra aids or support.
You do not need a diagnosis or an EHC plan EHCP A legal document, used in England, that sets out a child's needs and the support they must get. It is for children who need more help than their school can give on its own. Read the full definition of EHCP to rely on it. The Act's definition of disability turns on lasting difficulties with everyday life, not on a named condition, so many children still waiting for assessment are covered. Asking for a specific change and naming it as a reasonable adjustment, in writing, is often the strongest single lever a parent has while waiting.
The Equality Act covers England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own disability discrimination law instead.
Across the UK
- Disability discrimination law in Northern Ireland : The Equality Act 2010 does not apply in Northern Ireland. Schools there have similar duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 as amended and SENDO 2005, so ask for adjustments under those laws instead.
Related words
Where this comes from
- Equality Act 2010, section 20: Duty to make adjustments , Equality Act 2010, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 2026-08-14.
Your child doesn't need a diagnosis to get support
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