Neurodiversity Screening and Assessment

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is an umbrella term for cognitive differences to what society considers typical.

This can include:

• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder including ADD)
• Autism (including Asperger's)
• Dyscalculia
• Dysgraphia
• Dyspraxia (or Developmental co-ordination Disorder - DCD)
• Dyslexia
• Visual Stress

These can all affect someone's learning capacity and executive functioning, and can result in difficulties in Higher Education as often your existing strategies to manage in a neurotypical world are challenged. At WUC we can help you to obtain a diagnosis of these conditions.

Why get diagnosed?

In a perfect world, no one would need a diagnosis, as their needs would be met. However, the world is predominantly designed by and for neurotypical brains! Therefore, we need to make adaptations and sometimes get support to navigate the world; and diagnosis can help do this.

Getting a diagnosis may mean you can apply for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). This usually funds various types of digital and human support to help you develop strategies to manage and meet your needs.

Oftentimes, students find that a diagnosis also helps them to understand their own learning processes better, and usually articulates something about themselves they've always known, but not been able to quantify. This in itself can be a relief and validate how someone experiences the world, and go a long way to feeling positive about how your brain works.

How do I get Diagnosed?

At WUC, we provide support for different levels and types of diagnosis.

Step 1 - Complete the neurodiversity screening questionnaire

Step 2 - Meet with the HE Disability Advisor and develop reasonable adjustments

Step 3 - Be referred for formal diagnostic assessment and join the waitlist at WUC

Step 4 - Speak to your GP to explore a medical diagnosis

Step 5 - Attend your assessment

Step 6 - Apply for DSA

Complete the Neurodiversity Screening

The HE Disability Team use a comprehensive neurodiversity screening questionnaire. You can download the questionnaire here:

Documents in Word format

Once complete, return by email to HEDisability@writtle.ac.uk

The questionnaire allows us to consider needs holistically and understand you as a complete person. There is often a significant overlap with symptoms of diagnosis, and sometimes you may think you have one diagnosis, but upon review we identify something different or additional. Therefore, please make sure you complete the whole form.

Meet with the HE Disability Advisor and develop reasonable adjustments

Once we have your completed questionnaire, we will review this and make a recommendation for formal diagnostic assessment. We will also invite you to meet with us to discuss your questionnaire to clarify any aspects and chat through your next steps. This will include developing some reasonable adjustments with you, which we can begin with a working diagnosis.

Be referred for formal diagnostic assessment and join the waitlist at WUC

If your questionnaire suggests that you may have one or more neurodivergent conditions, we will add you to the waitlist at WUC. We will fund the assessment, whether this is provided in-house by our team or through an external assessor. We will arrange this and liaise with you to ensure you get your diagnosis as quickly as possible.

Speak to your GP to explore a medical diagnosis

Any assessment undertaken through WUC, will be an educational assessment. This means that you cannot get medical intervention based on this diagnosis. This may only be relevant in some cases, but it is important to understand as you will need to explore a medical diagnosis with your GP. But, you can provide your GP with your screening and/or educational assessment.

Attend your assessment

Once you have your assessment booked in, you just need to make sure you attend!

Your assessment could take between 3-5 hours, and will push your cognitive skills to their limit. It is often very tiring and can be emotionally draining.

There are some good tips to help you:

• Get a good night's sleep
• Drink lots of water and bring water with you
• Eat before your assessment
• Plan to relax for the rest of the day

You should then have your report within a few weeks following your assessment.

Apply for DSA

If your assessment diagnoses you with a neurodivergent condition, then we will advise you how to apply for DSA.