• 02890025278
  • hello@neurodiversityspark.com
  • Northern Ireland
ADHD Needs Assessment for Northern Ireland

The ADHD Needs Assessment Is Now Public. That Matters.

Today, the ADHD Needs Assessment for Northern Ireland has been published.

Spark was one of the stakeholders engaged in this process. And today, the scale of need has been formally acknowledged.

What This Report Does

This report outlines the reality many of our members have been living with for years.

  1. Long waiting lists.
  2. Adults with little or no dedicated service.
  3. Children waiting years for assessment.
  4. Young people stuck between CAMHS and Adult Services.
  5. Families turning to private routes because they feel they have no other option.

 

It also connects ADHD to the wider picture. Suicide. Substance misuse. Academic exclusion. Employment instability. Prison populations.

While the report does not calculate savings across these systems, the implication is clear throughout.

Early recognition and proper support reduce harm.

That case has now been made publicly and formally.

Why This Feels Different

For too long, ADHD services have existed in an uncertain space. Developed in parts. Under pressure. Not consistently commissioned. Not consistently funded.

This document moves the conversation from personal testimony to regional evidence.

  • It outlines workforce modelling.
  • It recommends consistent pathways.
  • It calls for better data.
  • It urges clearer costing so that service commissioning decisions can be made properly.

 

It is detailed.

It is structured.

It is difficult to dismiss.

What It Does Not Do

‼️This report does not automatically commission services.

‼️It does not immediately reduce waiting lists.

‼️It does not fix shared care challenges tomorrow.

‼️Implementation still depends on funding decisions and political commitment.

But something has shifted. It is now harder to say the need is unclear.

Spark’s Position

We welcome the publication of this Needs Assessment.

We believe:

  1. Lived experience must continue to shape implementation.
  2. Waiting lists cause real harm.
  3. Adults deserve parity of access.
  4. Support must be needs-led, not diagnosis-locked.
  5. Community and voluntary organisations must be properly resourced, not relied upon informally.

 

There is space here for cautious optimism.

Why? A compelling case has now been made public.

  • The need is documented.
  • The gaps are outlined.
  • The direction is clear.

 

Now comes the test. Will this evidence translate into action?

At Spark, we will continue to advocate, collaborate and hold the line until meaningful, properly commissioned ADHD services become a reality across Northern Ireland.

Because recognition is important.

But implementation is everything.