​You finally have an answer.

And sometimes an answer brings relief.

Sometimes it brings sadness, anger, confusion, worry or even guilt.

Sometimes you feel all of those things at once.

There is no “right” way to feel.

Give yourself time

A diagnosis can change the way you understand your child’s past, present and future.

You may find yourself thinking:

“I wish I’d known sooner.”

“Could I have done something differently?”

“What does this mean for my child’s future?”

“What support do we need now?”

Take your time.

You don’t have to have everything figured out immediately.

Understanding the diagnosis

Read through the assessment report when you feel ready.

Look at the recommendations and highlight anything that could be useful for home, school or nursery.

You don’t need to understand every word.

If something doesn’t make sense, ask questions.

Tell the people who need to know

Your child’s school or nursery should know about the diagnosis and any recommendations that may affect their support.

The diagnosis is only part of the picture.

The important question is:

“What does my child need?”

Look at the support available

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Depending on your child’s needs, you may want to explore:

• SEN Support

• An EHCP

• Speech and language support

• Occupational therapy

• Sleep support

• Sensory strategies

• Parent support

• DLA

• Blue Badge

• CEA Card

• Access Cards

• Local SEND activities and groups

• Family grants and short breaks

You don’t need to apply for everything.

Start with what would make the biggest difference to your family.

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The emotional side

You may hear people talk about a “grieving period” after diagnosis.

This doesn’t mean grieving your child.

It can mean processing the expectations, plans or picture of family life that you had before you understood your child’s needs.

You may need time to adjust.

That is okay.

You can love your child completely and still find things difficult.

Both things can be true.

Most importantly…

Your child’s diagnosis hasn’t changed who they are.

It may simply give you more information about how they experience the world and how you can support them.

You don’t have to do everything today.

Take one step.

Then another.

One step at a time.