Building Your Evidence File

You need to document your child's behaviours for professionals

Steps

  1. Start a daily log noting: what happened, when, what triggered it, how long it lasted
  2. Include positive moments too. Professionals need the full picture
  3. Take short video clips (with consent) of challenging moments to show clinicians
  4. Request copies of school reports, behaviour logs, and any learning support notes
  5. Organise everything chronologically in a folder or binder

What you need

Notebook or tracking app, a folder or binder, school communication

Why it works

Professionals see a snapshot of your child. An evidence file provides the full picture — patterns across weeks and months that a single appointment can't capture. It shifts the dynamic from 'parent's concerns' to documented, observable data.

Age guidance

Start gathering evidence as soon as you have concerns, at any age. Even 2-3 weeks of observations can be enormously helpful.

Real-world example

One parent kept a simple notes app on their phone and jotted down observations throughout the day. By the time the assessment appointment came, they had six weeks of data that the clinician described as 'the most useful parent evidence I've ever received.'

Troubleshooting

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