A clinical assessment can be helpful to inform the way an individual is supported, or to establish the meaning and context of behaviours that cause concern to others. It can also be a way of confirming a diagnosis of intellectual or learning disability for the person.
Here is what different clinical assessments might involve:
- Spending time with the person, at home or in others places where they receive support from others
- Talking to the person where possible, and those who know them best – usually parents or carers and support staff – using structured interviews and questionnaires to gather information about the behaviour of concern as well as how the person is supported now
- Reviewing the person’s history and reading professional reports about the person
- Writing a report which summarises all the information gathered during the assessment and makes recommendations about what might help to improve quality of life both for the person and for those around them