A standard pathway is in place for all children applying for Assessment of Need. The pathway involves three stages:
1. The Initial Planning Stage is often referred to as the desktop assessment: It is carried out by the assessment officer, who will clarify with clinical assessors the specific aim and purpose of assessing the child, and the team/assessors will identify what is required to give a picture of each particular child's service needs;
2. The Assessment of Need itself: Where assessors interact with the child using formal and/or informal assessments either jointly or individually to form an opinion of the child's strengths and needs; and
3. Compilation of the report: Where all assessors involved in the assessment of need process share outcomes and agree joint recommendations and goals.
If during the Assessment of Need process, a child moves to a new geographical area then their Assessment of Need application will transfer to a different assessment officer and if the assessment has commenced Stage 2 i.e. after the referral for clinical services has been initiated, then the move will most likely require referral to services in his/her new catchment area under a different team of clinical assessors. It is important to note that while a child’s position on the Assessment of Need database will not change, the processing of assessments may take longer in some parts of the country than others and so a delay may be experienced.
The Government is committed to improving waiting times for Assessment of Need and therapy services. Funding for an additional 100 therapy posts was secured as part of Budget 2019. These additional posts, along with the wider reconfiguration of services and other innovative approaches will have a significant positive impact on waiting times over the course of the next year.
