‘All About Me’ neurodevelopmental profiling tool: Inception, implementation and preliminary evaluation within clinical services and partner agencies

The current model of small neurodevelopment (ND) services within health boards being expected to meet the needs of the neurodivergent population is unsustainable and unethical. Focusing on diagnosis alone within a deficits-based medical model is incongruent to the neurodivergence-affirming movement of inclusivity and being accepting of difference. A whole system approach is needed with ND being ‘everybody’s business’. The All About Me neurodevelopment profile is a person-centred, neuro-affirmative, needs-led tool, developed within a specialist neurodevelopment assessment service. Developing a profile for all young people is now embedded within the assessment service, with consensus amongst clinicians that using the profiling tool improves the quality of information gathered compared to traditional assessment tools alone. It is also well received by young people and their families, and the wider system. A package of training on how to develop an ND profile, has been established alongside professional consultation from the ND team to support the ongoing development needs of the wider workforce, and is highly valued. Preliminary evidence has demonstrated a move towards whole system thinking supported by training and consultation, ultimately leading to earlier identification of needs and support for neurodivergent young people. A young person’s ND profile should be the thread that runs through their journey, from the early identification of needs, throughout childhood and adolescence, and into adulthood, changing over time.