Reasonable Adjustments

Sharing your child’s needs and your current family situation can help everyone understand how to support them.

A communication passport or similar tool can be shared with:

• schools

• family members

• medical staff

• support workers

These tools help everyone give consistent support.

Clear routines help children feel calm and safe.
Create a list or plan for key routines, especially after school and at bedtime.
Try adding one or two calming strategies from the list below.

Visual supports

Some children find it hard to listen or to stay focused.
A visual timetable or written list can remind them what to do next and help them feel more in control.

Think about your child’s environment and how it affects them.
Different places, home, school, clubs, college, or time alone can influence how they feel.
Look for things that may trigger stress or make them feel better.
Be a “detective” and notice how their senses react to light, noise, space and movement.

Challenging environments

Young people may be affected by the environment around them.
Light may feel too bright.
Rooms may feel too noisy.
Sunlight may feel too strong.
All these things can change how they feel and behave

clear routine and consistent way of doing things can help reduce big reactions.
Organisation can give young people a sense of control.

Helpful tips include:

• A garden can be a calming place. It can offer space to relax, be alone, spend time with friends or burn off energy.

• When a child is dysregulated (overwhelmed), they cannot use language well. Reasoning with them will not work in that moment.

• When dysregulated, they may respond better to non‑verbal communication, such as a kind facial expression, a gentle tone of voice or a soft touch (if they are comfortable with touch).

• Young people may not be able to name their feelings when overwhelmed.

Adjustments can help, such as:

• letting them express feelings through drawing, play, toys, crafts, music or films

• helping them learn to recognise feelings in themselves and others

  • photos or pictures can be used as a game to identify emotions

  • you can also point out emotions while watching a TV show, for example “he looks happy” or “she looks surprised”

• using a large outline of a human body to map where feelings show up, such as a fast heartbeat or a tense stomach

For young children or children with cognitive difficulties, keep language simple.
Use clear, concrete words instead of abstract ideas.
Visual prompts, reminders and cues can help children who have difficulty remembering steps.

A low‑stimulus environment (quiet, calm and uncluttered) can make it easier for children to focus.