Kieran Lord suggests some practical actions which schools can take to support pupils with unmet or unidentified needs.
The need is growing faster than the systems designed to respond to it. Many pupils are living with unmet or unidentified needs.This is the predictable result of a national system under pressure, with schools often holding far more than they were ever resourced for. But schools are finding creative and compassionate ways to respond. There are practical, evidence-informed approaches that can be implemented now—approaches that stabilise pupils, support families and reduce pressure on teachers, without pretending that the school can somehow fix the systemic constraints. We know that assessment delays are unlikely to disappear overnight. But schools are not powerless, nor are they failing—in many cases they are going above and beyond in a system that hasn’t kept pace. With trauma-informed practice, accessible alternative assessment routes, formulation-led problem-solving and integrated therapeutic partnerships, schools can stabilise need, protect staff and, most importantly, help ensure that no child is left waiting in the dark.
Build trauma-informed, relationship-centred environments. Pupils whose needs have gone unidentified for a long time are more likely to present with heightened stress responses such as sensory overload, hypervigilance, dysregulation or shutdown. Trauma-informed practice gives school staff a shared, compassionate lens to understand this as can’t do right now, rather than won’t do. Many schools are already moving in this direction, which might include predictable routines, visual supports, sensory input, regulation spaces and calm, consistent language that puts connection and understanding before correction or confrontation. One of our partner schools set up a low stimulus Check-in Zone manned each morning by a trained member of staff. Pupils who walked in distressed or withdrawn could regulate before entering the classroom.
Use the Right-to-Choose framework. Schools often feel stuck with long NHS pathways because that is the only route they have been given. The right-to-choose framework offers families an alternative route to accredited diagnostic and therapeutic providers, often with significantly shorter waiting times. In some cases, pupils move from multi-year waits to receiving autism or ADHD assessments within weeks. In a recent case, a Year 8 pupil awaiting an autism assessment for over a year was seen in 12 weeks via right-to-choose. The school’s proactive work meant that the diagnosis became a tool for fine-tuning, not the starting point for support.
Use formulation-driven, not wait-for-the-label thinking. Waiting for a diagnosis can be difficult for schools and families, especially when staff already know a pupil is struggling. A formulation-led approach, a collaborative process, which explores why a pupil is finding things hard and helps schools to act while they wait. Rather than pausing until The Label arrives, staff can explore the interaction between the pupil’s developmental and sensory profile, the environmental and academic demands made of them, emotional or family stressors, and patterns in behaviour, triggers and strengths. Many SENCOs and pastoral teams are already doing this—a formulation framework simply gives language and structure to that good practice and helps external partners, like therapists and EPs, join the dots more quickly.
Bring expertise into school. When therapeutic and attendance interventions are delayed, schools can feel as though they are holding all the risk alone. Integrated models are about sharing that load—bringing external expertise in to wrap around the pupil, family and school, so that staff are supported rather than left to cope in isolation.
Some things can be done straight away. Some practical steps schools can take straight away are: audit waiting lists and clearly communicate realistic timescales to staff and families, so everyone understands the context the school is working in. Develop a Quick Support Menu that can be implemented straight away, while assessments are pending. Establish monthly triage boards that bring SEN, pastoral and therapeutic staff together to prioritise need collaboratively. Train LSAs and teachers in co-regulation and trauma-informed responses to reduce escalation and support staff confidence. Put reflective supervision or wellbeing spaces in place for staff working with high-need pupils, acknowledging the emotional load they carry. Ensure families are aware of the right-to-choose pathway, and that they feel supported to explore it. Track engagement, attendance and behaviour for pupils with suspected needs, so the impact of school-led support is visible and can inform decision-making.
Author: Kieran Lord
Kieran Lord
Dr Kieran Lord is Clinical Director at Momenta Connect, providers of tailored clinical and educational support nationwide.
Web: momentaconnect.co.uk
Linkedin: @kieran-lord-61a9772b4
