Reasonable Adjustments in Care and Education: A Practical Planning Guide
Updated: Oct 11
England • Information checked 10 September 2026.
A conversation can sound supportive and still leave someone unsure what will actually change. From my care and parent perspective, I want an adjustment plan to answer: what will be different when the person next arrives?
That might mean clearer written instructions, a quieter conversation, information in a different format or a change to how a task is organised. The starting point is the person's barrier, not an assumption based on a diagnosis.
For employers: understand the duty
Acas explains that reasonable adjustments remove or reduce disability-related disadvantage at work. Employers must consider the duty in the circumstances set out in law, including where they know or could reasonably be expected to know about a disability.
What is reasonable depends on the individual situation, including effectiveness, practicality, cost and health and safety. A requested arrangement is not automatically the only possible solution. Equally, treating everybody identically does not necessarily remove a disabled person's disadvantage.
Talk with the person. Avoid deciding in advance that everyone with the same diagnosis needs the same response.
Give the agreement an owner
Here is an illustrative care-work example. A staff member finds a rapid verbal handover difficult to process. The team agrees a structured written handover and an opportunity to check understanding.
For that agreement to work, someone needs to prepare the information, provide it at the right time and ensure cover arrangements include it. The plan should say how sensitive information will be shared securely. “Written handovers agreed” is an incomplete instruction if nobody owns the task.
A useful record includes the barrier, agreed change, responsible person, start date, review point and a way to report that the arrangement is not working. Acas recommends keeping a record and reviewing adjustments, particularly as circumstances change.
Ask about the result, not just the form
At review, ask the person what has improved and what remains difficult. Check whether colleagues are implementing the agreement consistently. A change of manager or work location should prompt a practical handover of relevant arrangements, with appropriate confidentiality.
My suggested review question is: “Can you describe the last time this adjustment helped, or the last time it was missing?” That brings the conversation back to experience.
Education and care need their own legal context
The same planning habit can help a parent explain barriers and practical support in an education meeting. However, employment duties, education duties and EHCP provision are different legal routes. A workplace example should not be copied into a school plan as though the rules are identical.
For EHCP questions, use the current GOV.UK guidance on additional support and plans and appropriate SEND advice. An informal adjustment discussion should not be treated as a replacement for specified provision in an existing plan.
Across settings, record the person's strengths and wishes as well as the difficulty. A useful plan should help someone participate, not reduce them to a list of problems.
Make the next conversation concrete
Our Reasonable Adjustments Planner supports a structured record, and Reasonable Adjustments in Practice explores implementation. Contact Looking Glass Care to discuss which support is relevant to your situation.
In the community forum, tell us: what makes an agreed adjustment work consistently? You can share an idea without disclosing a diagnosis, employer or child's details.
For related reading, see our SEND reform and EHCP guide for families and staff compliance checks guide for care employers. Browse more SEND, care and training guides or book an initial consultation to discuss which support is relevant.
Information reference and for more information see:
Acas (2025a) What reasonable adjustments are. Acas. Updated 30 January 2025. Available at: Acas — What reasonable adjustments are (Accessed: 10 September 2026).
Acas (2025b) Reviewing and keeping a record: reasonable adjustments at work. Acas. Updated 30 January 2025. Available at: Acas — Reviewing and keeping a record: reasonable adjustments at work (Accessed: 10 September 2026).
UK Government (n.d.a) Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND): extra help. GOV.UK. Available at: GOV.UK — Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND): extra help (Accessed: 10 September 2026).
Put this into practice: explore the relevant collection below and check each listing for its audience, contents, format and current price.
Useful resources for this topic
If you would like a practical record to use alongside this article, the resources below explain their scope, format and price. Choose only the material that fits your circumstances; a completed template is a starting point for action and review.
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