Specialist Assessment

All the below criteria must be met

a. Include an in-depth assessment of the child and family’s needs linked to trauma and attachment.

This needs to show that a range of assessment tools will be used to obtain a holistic view of the child’s trauma and attachment needs. Assessments that focus on one specific discipline or intervention, for example an attachment based sensory assessment would not meet this criterion.  

b. Be undertaken by qualified clinicians e.g. a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist or child psychiatrist. For the purposes of the ASF, a qualified clinician would be someone who diagnoses and treats patients; is suitably qualified and is licensed to practise via a regulator such as the Health and Care Professional Council.

The assessment is likely to be led by one of the professions listed, as they have the formal qualifications required to diagnose and treat children and young people with attachment and trauma needs. They are also more likely to be familiar with the range of potential interventions to meet those needs. Assessments undertaken solely by, for example, an occupational therapist would not meet the criterion.

c. Result in a therapeutic support plan for the child/family.

The assessment must result in a therapeutic support plan identifying all the types of therapy that will best meet the child and family’s needs. An assessment that pre-empts the type of therapy that will be needed e.g. a sensory support plan will not meet this criterion.

Standalone assessments for single conditions, e.g. ADHD, FASD, autism, sensory integration will not be funded unless they are part of a wider specialist assessment which meets the above criteria.