What Are Tailored Recommendations? A Complete Guide for Clinicians

By Emily Hanlon

In today’s clinical landscape, especially for early-career allied health professionals, there’s a growing push (and rightly so) to practise in a way that respects neurodivergence and honours the lived experiences of clients. But one major area where many new clinicians feel unsure or underprepared is in writing recommendations that truly reflect this shift.

If you've ever found yourself second-guessing whether your reports are too generic, deficit-focused, or misaligned with neurodiversity-affirming values, you're not alone. In this blog, we'll unpack what tailored, and affirming recommendations actually are, why they matter, and how you can begin using them in your reports from day one.

What Are Neuroaffirming Recommendations?

Neuroaffirming recommendations are those that:

• Respect and affirm neurodivergence, rather than pushing conformity to neurotypical norms

• Centre the client’s unique strengths, goals, and preferences

• Acknowledge sensory, emotional, and executive functioning differences

• Are practical and individualised to the client’s real-world environments

These types of recommendations move away from the outdated model of “correcting” behaviours and instead support a client’s comfort, autonomy, and wellbeing.

Why the Traditional Approach Falls Short

Many traditional frameworks emphasise behavioural compliance and developmental norms. For example, a typical report might include:

“Encourage eye contact to support social engagement.”

This type of recommendation can actually undermine the client’s communication style and create discomfort, particularly for autistic individuals who may find eye contact overwhelming.

The limitations of traditional templates often include:

• Prioritising conformity over identity

• Failing to consider sensory profiles or emotional regulation needs

• Lacking real-world applicability

• Placing the onus of change on the individual, rather than their environment

These recommendations may look professional, but often lack meaning and utility for the client and their support network.

Foundations of Neuroaffirming Practice

Neuroaffirming practice is grounded in respect, collaboration, and practicality. Key elements include:

• Identity-affirming language: Avoid pathologising. Use language that reflects the person’s preferences and autonomy.

• Strengths-based framing: Highlight what the individual does well. Frame goals around growth, not deficit.

• Functional goals: Address day-to-day experiences. How does this person live, learn, and interact, and how can they be supported?

• Environmental context: Change the environment, not the person. Advocate for sensory supports, flexible expectations, and accessible communication.

Neuroaffirming vs Traditional Recommendations: Real Examples

Traditional Recommendation	Neuroaffirming Alternative
“Reduce stimming behaviours in the classroom.”	“Support access to sensory regulation tools and movement breaks to enhance focus and comfort.”
“Encourage the child to join group activities.”	“Provide opportunities for parallel play and shared-interest activities that align with the child’s preferences.”
“Teach strategies to increase on-task behaviour.”	“Adjust the environment to minimise distractions and support executive functioning with visual schedules and task breakdowns.”

How to Start Writing Affirming & Tailored Recommendations

If you’re new to this approach, here’s how you can begin:

1. Start with reflection: Ask yourself: Is this recommendation respectful? Does it serve the client, or does it serve a system of expectations?

2. Use neuroaffirming prompts: Checklists and reflective tools can help ensure you're considering the whole person—not just their challenges. (Hint: we’ve created one for you.)

3. Be specific and practical: Avoid generic advice like “develop social skills.” Ask: what would that look like in this client’s context?

4. Collaborate: Seek input from the client, their caregivers, and support team. Co-create goals where possible.

5. Focus on support, not change: Shift from trying to fix behaviours to understanding and responding to needs.

Why This Matters for Early-Career Clinicians

New graduates are often taught frameworks that prioritise deficits and compliance. It can be hard to challenge that, especially early on. But choosing an affirming approach isn’t about abandoning structure, it’s about upgrading it.

When you begin your career with ethical, strengths-based habits, you build lasting confidence and connection with your clients. You also create reports that actually get used—and make a difference.

Writing neuroaffirming recommendations isn’t just a clinical skill. It’s a values-based commitment to equity, respect, and collaboration. As a new graduate, you have the opportunity to shift the culture of practice from the very start of your career.

Ready to Write Reports That Actually Help?

Download your copy of Enough With the Fluff: A Clinician’s Guide to Writing Individualised & Impactful Recommendations

This guide includes:

• A neuroaffirming recommendations checklist

• Reflective questions to challenge old habits

• A practical structure you can rely on in every report

Download the guide now and start writing with clarity and purpose.