NAIT Adult Neurodevelopmental Pathways report

Future considerations

There are key aspects of an effective neurodevelopmental pathway that we know about from related work children's services which were not included in the early phase of work but will be important as services progress:

1. A pathway and workforce which give consideration to a wider range of neurodevelopmental conditions: Pre-natal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Tic Disorders and Tourette's syndrome, Developmental Language Disorder, Developmental Co-ordination Disorder and Intellectual Disability.

2. Health economic evaluation to understand the costs and benefits of a neurodevelopmental approach.

3. The development of recommended outcomes to measure success against which are meaningful and relevant to neurodivergent adults as well as to those planning and delivering services.

4. A focus on transitions between child and adult services, linked to the children's neurodevelopmental specification and taking account of the range of naturally occurring environments where adaptation may be needed and new sources of information and support, as well as health related transitions. Much of the current work is focussed on people seeking a new diagnosis as adults but neurodevelopmental conditions are lifelong and there are many people diagnosed in childhood who have a difficult time in adulthood. This is a time when sources of support, expectations and levels of requirement for independence change.

5. A focus on improving neurodevelopmental understanding and support for people in 'high risk' and vulnerable groups or those who are detained or living with high levels of supervision and support.

6. Ongoing partnerships with neurodivergent people at all levels, to inform priorities, needs and deployment of resources.

7. There may be a need for a focus on societal or universal approaches to celebrating and understanding neurodiversity in healthcare, education, employment and community contexts, building on the Different Minds campaign and the Leadership and Engagement work underway.

8. Ongoing review and evaluation are fundamental requirements when we are at such an early stage in understanding what is essential, what is desirable or indeed what is less of a priority.