What is an Assessment?

Our assessments consists of a flexible package of services that depend on how we can help you most effectively. First of all we'll carefully consider if we can help at all, and if we can't we'll try to direct you to somebody who can.

Assuming that we can offer assistance, we'll send information forms to you, your child's school and key therapists. These 'background information' forms will ask for details about your child's medical condition, education, therapy history, likes and dislikes, plus other details relevant to our preparation. We'll also ask for a video of your child so that we can get the fullest possible picture of his or her abilities.

All this careful planning and preparation by yourselves and our assessment team leads to an assessment day of face-to-face contact with you, your child and their parents, teachers and therapists. This assessment is conducted in a friendly and informal atmosphere, and features a forum for open discussion. The day is followed by half a day’s follow-up support and on-going telephone, correspondence or email contact. We also have a small loan library of AAC equipment that, where appropriate, can provide short-term trial loans.

There's an example of an assessment in this section that gives you a more of an idea about the way a day might operate.

Who carries out the assessment?

Our assessment team is an experienced and interdisciplinary mix of teachers, therapists and technologists. Although we lead the assessment, everyone present is invited to contribute their own ideas and expertise to the process.

Where do assessments take place?

Assessments take place where, in the interests of the child, it's most appropriate. This may be here in Oxford, at your child’s school, or sometimes at home. In practice, most first-time assessments are held at here because of the the opportunity to be flexible in providing optimal solutions - it helps us to have any unexpectedly-needed equipment to hand!

What happens after an assessment?

A detailed assessment report with a set of clear and realistic recommendations is circulated to you and the other key people involved with your child, and we encourage schools, local support services and health trusts to carry out these recommendations. In many cases the report is attached to your child’s statement or annual review. If appropriate, relevant equipment may be borrowed from our loan library for a trial period.

Another important outcome is a follow-up training or support session, which is held within a year of the assessment. This focuses on key aspects of the report's recommendations. Given that your child's needs will change over time, an ACE Centre assessment may only be the first of many contacts with a child or their support team.

Last updated: 01/11/07