New support pathway for neurodivergent children and young people in Cheshire and Merseyside
We are pleased to introduce the new Cheshire and Merseyside neurodevelopment pathway and the Knowing Me profiling tool. The pathway has been developed using feedback from parents, carers, children and young people. It sets out how services can work together to give better support to neurodivergent children and young people and their families. Neurodivergent means a person thinks, learns, communicates or experiences the world in ways that are different from what is usually expected.
You can watch this video. Children and Young people from Cheshire and Merseyside share their experience of the new pathway and Knowing Me.
When do we use Knowing Me?
The Knowing Me profile is the first step in the pathway. It helps professionals understand a child or young person's strengths, needs and differences. This means families can get support earlier. By moving to a strengths and needs led approach the new pathway focusses on early help rather than waiting for a diagnosis.
Under the new pathway, families and young people will work with a practitioner, such as a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) in school, to complete a Knowing Me profile. When the family or SENCO working with a child/young person identify potential neurodiversity, they will work together to complete the Knowing Me profiling tool. The profile is based on understanding the child or young person and observing them in different situations, activities and environments.
Knowing Me uses a neuro-affirmative approach. This means it helps everyone to see what strengths a child or young person may have. It allows neurodivergent people to feel good about the way they experience the world. The tool is also uses a needs led approach. It shows everyone areas where a child or young person needs support to thrive.
How is Knowing Me completed?
Everyone will work together to complete the Knowing Me profile. The profile is based on understanding the child or young person and observing them in different situations, activities and environments. To do this, it breaks neurodivergence into ten areas. You can find more information about each area if you scroll down this page.
The Knowing Me profile helps identify what support may help a child young person may need in each area. This allows professionals to:
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understand their strengths and needs
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provide support that is right for them
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make reasonable adjustments where needed
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give clear advice to families and professionals
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offer help earlier
Reasonable adjustments are changes that help a child or young person take part in learning, activities and daily life. In an education setting they are often called strategies. Knowing Me matches strategies to the areas they are needed most, at home and in school or college. They can also help at clubs, activities or with other things in different places.
Training and support for schools, education settings, and families.
Schools and education settings will be supported by the NHS and Local Authorities to undertake training on the Knowing Me tool as part of the Partnerships for the Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme, which builds schools’ capacity to support the needs of neurodiverse children. The PINS programme helps schools develop the skills and knowledge they need to support neurodivergent children and young people.. Parent Carer Participation Wirral (PCPW) are part of this programme. You can contact them here to find out more.
SENCOs in Wirral have already had training and support to use the Knowing Me profile. We are what is called an ‘early adopter’ of the profiling tool, and many schools have been using an early version of the tool successfully.