Formulation
A written way of making sense of what your child is finding hard and why. Some services offer it instead of a diagnosis, and some offer it as well as one.
Applies across the UK
A formulation pulls together what is going on for your child, what has happened around them, and what keeps the difficulties going, into one shared picture. It is usually written with you, not just about you.
Some services use a formulation alongside a diagnosis, and some offer it instead of one. If you are not sure which has happened, it is fair to ask directly: is this instead of a diagnosis, or as well as one, and what happens next?
Schools, councils and benefits agencies vary in how much weight they give a formulation as evidence. If you need the outcome for something else, such as an education plan or a disability benefit claim, ask the service to put in writing what was assessed and what was concluded.
Related words
Where this comes from
- What is formulation? Information for families (CAMHS) , NHS Lothian. Checked 2026-08-15.
Your child doesn't need a diagnosis to get support
Start with a profile of your child. See what we find. Go from there.