Addressing the Inverse Care Law in Developmental Coordination Disorder and Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Abstract

The aim of the study is to examine the current evidence of systems and structures for accessing neurodevelopmental disorder services, with a focus on developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Despite evidence that DCD co-occurs with a number of other developmental disorders, services are often delivered for single conditions separated in space and time. Consequently, parents, children, and adults may have poorly integrated care and transfer from one service to another, costing time and money. Present systems struggle to determine who is the most severe or complex and how to prioritise and optimise service delivery. Additional financial pressures on services, along with waiting lists, are driving the need to develop cost-effective solutions. The paper describes the rationale for potentially delivering provision reaching greater number of stakeholders, by placing services in the community, increasing access, and attempting to match children and adults to the most appropriate clinicians. It provides examples of good practice.