AISee Collaborative Calls for and Proposes 24-Month Study to Improve Early Support for Children and Young People

July 17, 2026

Share this article

AISee Collaborative Limited has proposed a 24-month Test-for-Change study designed to improve how children and young people with neurodevelopmental and mental health needs are identified, supported and connected with appropriate services while formal diagnostic processes are still ongoing.

Real-world Test-for-Change project aims to strengthen earlier assessment, coordinated intervention and multidisciplinary decision-making for neurodevelopmental and mental health needs.

The project, titled Better Outcomes through Integrated Collaboration in Real-World Practice, builds on AISee Collaborative Limited’s earlier collaboration and partnership Informed Solutions for Better Outcomes pilot. It will examine whether a structured, multidisciplinary partnership pathway can help families, practitioners and services make better-informed decisions at an earlier stage.


The proposal responds to continuing concerns about long waits, fragmented support pathways and delays in accessing proportionate help. The study aims to test a preventative model that brings together evidence from children and young people where appropriate, parents and carers, education, health, social care, voluntary-sector partners and clinical expertise.


“This proposed study is about making better use of shared knowledge, practical assessment and partnership working so that children, young people and families can receive clearer, earlier and more coordinated support,” said Thom Kirkwood, Project and Investigation Coordinator at AISee Collaborative Limited.

The baseline pilot involved 11 partners and 51 participants. It produced 37 completed reports and 21 feedback evaluations, drawing on 172 questionnaires. The pilot identified 329 indicative wellbeing concerns and 207 suggestions for further consideration, with 75% of collaboratively agreed actions implemented by families and professionals.


The next phase will explore how assessment tools such as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Development and Well-Being Assessment, A-TAC and functional or daily living skills assessments can be used together to support earlier understanding of need. The project will not replace formal diagnosis, but is intended to improve planning, coordination and access to proportionate support.



Researchers plan to review progress at 6, 12 and 18 months, followed by a full evaluation report at 24 months. The evaluation will consider quantitative indicators such as identified concerns, suggested actions, completed interventions and follow-up outcomes, alongside qualitative feedback from children and young people where appropriate, families, practitioners and partner organisations.

About the proposed study

The proposed model would operate across real-world service settings, linking families, education, health, social care, community organisations and clinical oversight. It would generate practical outputs including assessment summaries, identified concerns, suggested actions, intervention plans, review points and partner-agency recommendations.


The study is also intended to reduce duplication, improve use of professional time, strengthen shared ownership and provide learning for future commissioning and service design. Its authors say targeted investment could support wider testing, independent evaluation and a stronger financial case for broader implementation.


For further information, interview requests or media enquiries, contact: Thom Kirkwood,  Project and Investigation Coordinator. Email: thom@aiseecollaborative.co.uk. Web: www.aiseecollaborative.co.uk. Mob: +44 (0) 7833 152192

Collaborative research team

Recent Posts

By thom Kirkwood August 21, 2026
Long waits. Fragmented pathways. Families and practitioners doing their best with systems that weren't built to move fast. It's a familiar picture for anyone connected to neurodevelopmental and mental health support for children and young people - and it's the problem the heart of this new research proposal from AISee Collaborative Limited.
Rights based advocacy: What It Means and How It Protects Disabled and Neurodivergent People
By AISee Collaborative August 19, 2026
Rights based advocacy is about more than speaking up. It is a practical way to help disabled and neurodivergent people access their rights, challenge barriers, and be included in decisions that affect their lives. In the UK, that can mean support with a school meeting, a care review, a workplace adjustment, a complaint, or a benefits or service decision. It can also mean helping someone feel heard when professionals move too fast or use confusing language. At AISee Collaborative, rights based…
Neurodiversity Training for Employers: Practical Workplace Inclusion That Reduces Barriers
By AISee Collaborative August 14, 2026
Neurodiversity training for employers is most effective when it goes beyond awareness and leads to real workplace change. It should help managers, HR teams, and leaders understand how barriers appear in everyday tasks, meetings, recruitment, communication, and performance processes. It should also show what reasonable adjustments look like in practice, so inclusion becomes part of normal working life rather than an afterthought. That is the approach AISee Collaborative brings to rights-based…
Why Is Neurodiversity Important in Education, Work, Health, and Care?
By AISee Collaborative August 13, 2026
Why is autism, ADHD and neurodiversity important? Because it changes how we understand people, not just how we support them. Neurodiversity recognises that brains, learning styles, communication needs, and processing patterns vary naturally across the population. That matters in schools, workplaces, health services, and social care because exclusion often starts when systems expect one “right” way to think or behave. A more inclusive approach reduces harm, improves access, and supports better…
Co-production Neurodiversity: How to Design Better Services With People, Not For Them
By AISee Collaborative August 12, 2026
Inclusive neurodivergent Co-production is a practical way to build services that work in real life. It means neurodivergent people help shape decisions, language, access, and delivery from the outset, rather than being asked for feedback after the main choices are already made. That difference matters in public-sector settings, where a service can look inclusive on paper but still fail in practice. For AISee Collaborative, co-production connects directly to advocacy, assessment of need…
Education Advocacy for Neurodivergent Learners and Families
By AISee Collaborative August 11, 2026
Education advocacy neurodiversity is about making sure learners are understood, heard, and supported in real school settings. For many families, the challenge is not just getting a meeting. It is getting the right information, the right people at the table, and a plan that actually works after everyone leaves the room. That is where structured advocacy matters. It helps with school communication, support planning, exclusion risk, attendance concerns, and the practical steps that turn concern…
Why Neurodivergent-Led Advocacy Matters
By AISee Collaborative August 5, 2026
Neurodivergent led advocacy is advocacy shaped by lived experience, not just theory. That matters because people do not only need information; they need support that understands how systems feel from the inside. When advocacy is led by neurodivergent people, it is more likely to respect communication differences, sensory needs, executive functioning barriers, and the reality of power imbalance. It can also reduce the risk of being misunderstood, dismissed, or pushed into one-size-fits-all…
Reasonable Adjustments Support for Education, Work, Health, and Care
By AISee Collaborative August 4, 2026
Reasonable adjustments support helps people move from uncertainty to action. If you know a barrier exists, but you are not sure what change is needed, this service-led approach can help identify the issue, shape the request, and turn it into something practical. At AISee Collaborative, reasonable adjustments support is person-centred, rights-based, and focused on outcomes that work in real settings. That may mean help for an individual, a family, a school, an employer, or a health or…
Reasonable Adjustments Meaning: What They Are and How to Ask for Support
By AISee Collaborative August 2, 2026
If you are searching for reasonable adjustments, you probably want a plain-English answer, not legal jargon. In simple terms, reasonable adjustments are changes that help remove barriers caused by disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition. They can be small, practical, and highly effective. For example, that might mean a quieter appointment room, clear written instructions, more time, or a different way to communicate. The point is not to give someone special treatment. The point is…
Neurodiversity Training for Employees: Building Safer, More Inclusive Workplaces
By AISee Collaborative July 30, 2026
Neurodiversity training for employees is not just about awareness. It is about giving teams the language, confidence, and practical habits they need to work well with difference. When organisations understand neurodiversity, they are better placed to reduce misunderstandings, support wellbeing, and make adjustments before small issues become complaints or formal disputes. For employers, the value is clear. Neurodiversity training for employees can improve communication, clarify expectations…
Show More