Checklist: Signs Your Child May Be Neurodivergent (Aged 5+)

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• Difficulty with social interactions (e.g. making friends, interpreting social cues)

• Strong sensory sensitivities (noise, touch, light, taste)

• Highly focused interests or hobbies

• Struggles with routine changes or transitions

• Emotional dysregulation or frequent meltdowns

• Unusual communication patterns (e.g. scripting, echolalia, delayed speech)

• Attention difficulties, restlessness, hyperactivity

• Oppositional behaviours or extreme avoidance of demands (PDA traits)

• Difficulty with self-care or independence skills

• Masking or copying others to blend in, followed by exhaustion

• Preference for solitary play

• Intense anxiety or phobias

• Coordination or motor skills challenges

• Strong need for control or rigid thinking patterns

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📋 Step-by-Step Guide for Parents in Somerset

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Provided by Coffee, Chat & Support CIC

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Step 1: Observe and Record

• Keep a daily or weekly diary of behaviours, triggers, and challenges.

• Note patterns: when do difficulties arise? What environmental factors are involved?

• Record strengths and things that help.

 

Step 2: Talk to School

• Arrange a meeting with the class teacher or SENCO.

• Share your observations and concerns.

• Ask the school to monitor behaviour and provide support where possible.

 

Step 3: Access Early Help and Support

• Request an Early Help Assessment (EHA) via school, health visitor, or directly through Somerset Council.

• Early Help can coordinate support across services (education, health, social care).

 

Step 4: Visit Your GP

• Discuss your concerns with your child’s GP.

• Share your behaviour diary.

• Request referrals for:

  • Paediatric assessment

  • Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) if communication is a concern

  • Occupational Therapy (OT) for sensory or motor skills issues

  • CAMHS if mental health concerns are significant

 

Step 5: Engage with School’s SEND Offer

• Ask the school to implement SEN Support: this can include:

  • Adapted teaching approaches

  • Sensory strategies

  • Social skills support

  • Emotional regulation support

• Request a SEND Support Plan if needed.

 

Step 6: Consider Applying for an EHCP

• If significant needs impact education, you can apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

• Somerset Parent Carer Forum and Somerset SENDIAS can help with this.

 

 

 

Support Available in Somerset

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Via Coffee, Chat & Support CIC and local services

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 Parent and Carer Support

• Coffee, Chat & Support CIC: Support, workshops, legal advice, and SEND clinics
  👉 [Insert your website/contact link here]

• Somerset Parent Carer Forum: Peer support and information
  👉 https://somersetparentcarerforum.org.uk

• Somerset SENDIAS: Free, impartial SEND advice
  👉 https://somersetsend.org.uk

 

 Health & Assessment

• Somerset NHS Children's Therapies: SALT, OT, Physio
  👉 https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/childrens-therapies/

• CAMHS Somerset: Child mental health & neurodiversity assessments
  👉 https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/camhs/

• GP: Essential first point of contact for health referrals.

 

 Education Support

• Speak to your child’s SENCO at school.

• Somerset Local Offer: Details of SEND services
  👉Somerset Local Offer

 

 Charities & Community Support​

• Autism Somerset

​      👉https://www.acncic.com/

• Somerset Early Help:
  👉https://www.supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/Page/9628

 

Summary Action Plan

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1. Keep a detailed diary of concerns and strengths.

2. Speak to your child’s school (SENCO/teacher).

3. Contact your GP for referrals to specialists.

4. Engage Early Help if extra family support is needed.

5. Access support from Somerset Parent Carer Forum and SENDIAS.

6. Request an EHCP if educational needs are significant.

7. Connect with Coffee, Chat & Support CIC and local peer support groups.