Neurodiversity Hub Wirral
Welcome to Wirral’s Neurodiversity Hub home page.
In the next 5-6 months, the Hub will grow to over 200 pages of information and resources. The content on our Hub will reflect Wirral’s Graduated Approach.
It is a key part of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s Neurodevelopmental Pathway. You can read more about this new approach in the ‘Position Statement - ND Pathway’.
What will be in the Hub?
There will be lots of resources to help everyone find the right support.
Families will be able to find information to support a child’s and their own needs at home. This will all be available for their wider family too. This will include topics like 'Preparing Your Child for Adulthood' and 'Parent Space'.
Schools will be able to find information on reasonable adjustments.
Teenagers will have their own 'Teenage Zone' in most sections. This will cover friendships, siblings, life as a young carer, and more.
Young adults will have a section named 'My Independent Life'. They will find information on healthcare, money, and living at home.
Neurodiversity (ND) Profiling Tool
The Hub will include the Neurodiversity Profiling Tool. Parents, carers, and professionals will work together. Children and young people can take part if they are able. The tool uses 9 areas of need to create an overall picture of each person’s unique neurodiverse profile. The Hub will provide resources and information. It represents a new approach to Neurodiversity. 'Needs’ will drive support rather than diagnosis. This means support can be put in place at the earliest opportunity. This early help will give neurodiverse children and young people the opportunity to thrive. It will be ‘rolled-out’ in phases during 2025.
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A new Neurodiversity (ND) Profiling Tool will be used in Wirral. It will help to identify children and young people with neurodevelopmental needs. It will help to get the right support.
Portsmouth piloted the tool with 50 families in 2021-2022. It is now used across their city. Other areas nationally are now adopting it.
Wirral is an early adopter site. The ND Profiling Tool will be in all areas of the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board. Each area will have its own online Hub, with information for that area.
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The ND Profiling Tool is used when neurodevelopmental concerns and questions are raised. It will support a change in culture to a more needs led approach.
The tool assesses nine developmental areas of a child or young person aged 0 to 19:
Speech and Language
Energy Levels
Attention and Impulse Control
Emotional Regulation
Motor Skills
Sensory
Flexibility and Adaptability
Systemising and Empathizing
Cognitive Ability
Professionals and families complete it together. The document gives a holistic view of a child or young person’s needs. It suggests strategies to support those needs. It considers needs across all areas of life. This can be at home, in an early years setting, at school and in the community.
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A phased 'roll-out' of the ND Profiling Tool will be taking place during 2025. This means we can review and learn about support needs. It will ensure the best outcome for the child when the profile is complete.
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As schools, settings and professionals start to use it they will tell you. This is a new approach for the whole of Wirral. It will take time for everyone to be trained and get ready to use it.
How will I know when new pages are added to the Hub?
After Easter you will start to see the Hub change. This page will start to show links to useful resources that will be available for everyone. This will be the first level of information. Just like the Graduated Approach and the first tier of ‘universal’ support'.
Every time we add a new page to the Neurodiversity Hub on SENDLO we will let you know. If you don’t already, follow SENDLO’s Facebook page to stay up to date.
You will also find information and updates in the monthly SENDLO Snapshot Newsletter. To get a copy straight to your inbox, subscribe at the bottom of the page.