Needs Assessment FAQs
Needs assessments
What happens before the assessment?
Look out for any e-mails from us, as you need to complete and send back your pre-assessment form and any other documents we might need (like medical evidence) 5 working days before your assessment.
If you need a hand or have questions, our Support team are always ready to help.
If your employer has paid for your assessment, your line manager will also be sent a pre-assessment form of their own to complete, but this is optional for them and not mandatory.
Do I need to prepare anything in advance of my assessment?
Before your assessment, we ask you to complete and return the relevant pre-assessment questionnaires, and other relevant information requested by our team. Please don’t worry, you don’t need to do anything else to prepare for your assessment. Your assessor will have everything they need from this pre-information, and they will guide you through the assessment.
When do you need my completed pre-assessment form?
Your completed pre-assessment form is required 5 working days in advance of your assessment.
Please be aware that if we do not receive this in time then we will need to cancel your assessment and once we have your completed form, we will re-arrange your assessment for a new date & time.
Please speak to us if you have any concerns about the pre-assessment form as we are here to help, and we do not want you to incur any cancellation costs for re-arranged assessments.
What do I need to bring to my assessment?
You don’t need to bring anything to your assessment, other than items that may make you feel more comfortable, for example, prescription glasses.
What if I need to cancel my assessment?
If you need to cancel your assessment, please let us know as soon as possible to avoid any cancellation costs. You can call or e-mail our friendly Support team on 0113 873 0770 or [email protected].
Please be aware that if you need to cancel or re-arrange your assessment with less than 7 days (5 working days) notice, then there will be a £100 fee payable, and if you re-arrange on 3 occasions then the full fee will be payable.
Please speak to us if you have any concerns about the assessment as we are here to help.
Can someone be with me during the assessment?
Yes, you are welcome to have someone in the assessment with you. We want you to be as comfortable as possible, and particularly for children and young adults, a parent or carer in the assessment can help to provide valuable insight into how you learn and work.
What if there is information I wish to discuss with my assessor that I do not want included in the report?
We understand there are some circumstances where you may not want everything to be shared or written down in a report format, and so if this is relevant, please let your assessor know in the pre-assessment form any information you would not like to be included in the final report.
We would however encourage you to share everything with your employer, as they can only put appropriate support in place when they understand the full picture of your needs.
Who can I talk to if I feel nervous about my appointment?
We don’t want you to feel nervous about any part of your experience with us, so please contact our friendly Support team on 0113 873 0770 or [email protected] to let us know how we can help.
What will happen during the assessment?
Keep 1.5 – 2 hours free in your schedule for the full assessment.
Expect a relaxed, friendly discussion with one of our knowledgeable assessors about how you learn and work right now – no surprise tests, we promise.
We explore what matters most to you, but some of the areas could include: reading and research, writing and composition, meetings, presentation and note-taking, time-management and organisation, revision and exam preparation, your environment, your wellbeing, and potential reasonable adjustments.
Depending on your diagnosis, you may cover key aspects of your cognitive profile, which could include: verbal and visual ability, working memory, phonological awareness and processing speed.
We also explore other impacts such as attention and concentration, social and communication skills, planning and organisational ability.
Your assessor may discuss AI and assistive technologies that you feel could work for you and could include: wellbeing and mental health software and apps, text to speech software, speech to text software, mind mapping software, grammar checkers, notetaking software and apps.
What if I get cut off during my remote assessment?
If connection is lost in the call, the assessor will contact you over the phone and discuss how to move forward. This can involve, reconnecting to the meeting or sending another meeting link on the same or different platform.
What will happen after the assessment?
Allow 10 working days for your assessor to write and send you their report, which includes recommendations for potential reasonable adjustments.
Will my employer or educational establishment get a copy of my report?
If you have paid for the report yourself, then it is your responsibility to choose if and how you share your report.
If a third party (e.g your employer or parent/guardian) is paying for your assessment, when you complete your pre-assessment form you will be asked for your explicit consent to share special category data (which includes information about any confirmed or potential diagnosis) with them.
This permission allows a copy of your report to be sent to the paying third party. If you are not happy to provide this consent, and a third party is paying for your assessment and report, then we may not be able to proceed with your assessment. Please speak to our Support team if you have any concerns about this.
Once you receive a copy of your report, please read through your report and let the Support team know within 2 working days if there is any factual information in the report that you would like to be changed or updated.
After 2 working days a copy of the report will also be sent to the paying third party, so please be sure to let us know within the 2 working days if there is anything factual you would like to be changed.
Does my employer or place of study need to implement all the recommendations in the report?
No, the recommendations in the report are not mandatory. The report includes suggestions for practical solutions and strategies that could be put in place as reasonable adjustments either in the workplace or in study.
However, what is ‘reasonable’ will vary by employer/educational institution and their circumstances.
It will be for your employer/educational institution to determine what is ‘reasonable’ and we would suggest using the report as a point of discussion with your line manager or point of contact about what support you would benefit from as a result of your diagnosis, and what can practically be put in place.
Who can I talk to if I have concerns about anything?
We don’t want you to have concerns about any part of your experience with us, so please contact our friendly Support team on 0113 873 0770 or [email protected] to let us know how we can help.