ABSTRACT
Assessing family needs in partnership with the parents and family members is a relatively
recent development in professional work, and it is useful to start with a brief exploration
of the changing thinking and legislation underpinning this practice. Until recently, the
‘needs’ of children with special needs and their families were decided upon mainly by
expert opinion (i.e. what professionals and service providers viewed as necessary) and by
supply (i.e. what was available in services and material resources). The new movement
towards involving parents and users in the assessment of needs heralds a major shift
towards a demand-led definition of needs based on what users and consumers say they
need. At least two strands of practice and law have driven and reflected this change in
practice. First, we will consider significant developments in the United States, before
reviewing the British angle.
