The Evidence Behind Jam Up!

Jam Up! is a co-produced, evidence-based digital intervention designed to support children and young people with additional needs (including neurodiversity) to develop independence in everyday life.

Developed in partnership with:

  • Children and young people
  • Parents and carers
  • Health, education and social care professionals

Jam Up! is built to be accessible, scalable, and aligned with system priorities, including early intervention, digital transformation, and consistent provision, as outlined in national policy frameworks [1–4].

Autism Professionals

Our Real-World Impact

of children became more independent with dressing

of families reported reduced stress with daily tasks

of families said Jam Up! was easy to set up and use

reported the in-app support saved them making a healthcare appointment
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The System Challenge
Demand for SEND services continues to rise:
  • Increasing prevalence of SEND and neurodevelopmental needs [5,6]
  • Significant delays and inequalities in neurodiversity assessment pathways [7,8]
  • Workforce and system capacity constraints [9]
Despite national policy direction, support remains:
  • Reactive rather than preventative [6]
  • Inconsistent across regions [10]
The Consequences of Delayed Support
Without early, practical intervention:
  • Needs escalate before support is accessed
  • Families reach crisis point
  • Increased reliance on high-cost specialist services
This is associated with:
  • Poorer health and wellbeing outcomes [12,13]
  • Reduced school attendance and engagement [5]
  • Increased parental stress and reduced quality of life [14–17]
The Opportunity: Earlier, Scalable Intervention
Evidence consistently shows that early intervention improves outcomes and reduces long-term system demand [18–19].
There is a clear opportunity to provide support:
  • At the point of emerging need
  • In a way that is consistent, scalable, and measurable
Jam Up! enables:
  • Early intervention at universal and targeted levels
  • Support embedded into daily routines and real-life contexts
Why This Matters Now
With increasing demand, workforce constraints, and SEND reform:
  • The question is no longer whether to intervene earlier
  • But how to do it at scale
Digital solutions are recognised as key enablers of transformation:
  • NHS digital transformation priorities [3]
  • National digital strategy commitments [3]
With widespread access to smartphones, digital tools provide a scalable route to reach families earlier.
The Jam Up! Solution
Jam Up! is a digital, multi-task support platform designed to bridge the gap between support planning and real-world delivery.
What Jam Up! Does
  • Supports children aged 5–14 with additional needs
  • Focuses on functional life skills (e.g. dressing, hygiene, routines)
  • Provides step-by-step, personalised support
  • Uses gamification to improve engagement
  • Applies evidence-based learning approachesj
  • Delivers guidance for both children and carers
  • Reinforces learning through feedback and repetition
Aligned to System Priorities
Jam Up! directly supports:
  • Tiered SEND support models
  • Early identification and intervention
  • Digital Individual Support Plans (ISPs)
  • Preparation for adulthood and independence

Impact for Commissioners

For Children and Young People

  • Improved independence in daily living skills
  • Better health and wellbeing outcomes
  • Reduced anxiety and overwhelm

For Families

  • Increased confidence in supporting their child
  • Reduced stress in daily routines
  • Earlier access to practical support

For Systems

  • Reduced demand on specialist services
  • Fewer avoidable appointments and escalations
  • Scalable delivery of early intervention
  • Improved consistency of provision
  • Measurable outcomes aligned to SEND reform
    Including early evidence of:
  • 10% reduction in healthcare appointments
  • Potential for cost avoidance through prevention

The Jam Up! App is now available to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

What does Jam Up! do?

– Helps children with additional needs aged 5–14 complete everyday tasks through digital play.

– Offers customisable tasks to ensure children can be supported whilst keeping to their usual routine.

– Provides educational videos and daily tips enabling parents / carers to promote their child’s independence.

Download App
References

Policy & Frameworks

[1] UK Government (2014) Children and Families Act 2014. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/contents

[2] UK Government (2015) SEND Code of Practice (0–25). Available at: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25 

[3] UK Government (2022) UK Digital Strategy. Available at: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uks-digital-strategy 

[4] NHS England (2025) Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England. Available at: 
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/fit-for-the-future-10-year-health-plan-for-england/

Demand & System Pressure

[5] UK Government (2023) SEND reform: putting children and young people first. Available at: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first

[6] Russell, G., Stapley, S., Newlove-Delgado, T., Salmon, A., White, R., Warren, F., Pearson, A. and Ford, T. (2022) ‘Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: a UK population-based cohort study’, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63, pp. 674–682. Available at: 
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13505 

[7] National Autistic Society (2023) Autism Assessment Waiting Times. Available at: 
https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/news/autism-assessment-waiting-times-2023 

[8] Nions, E. et al. (2023) [Article title not provided]. Available at: 
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2666-7762(23)00086-5/fulltext 

[9] The King’s Fund (2023) Key facts and figures about the NHS. Available at: 
https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/key-facts-figures-nhs 

Inequalities & Access

[10] National Audit Office (2019) Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Available at: 
https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/support-for-pupils-with-special-educational-needs-and-disabilities/ 

[11] Rutherford, M., McKenzie, K., Johnson, T., Catchpole, C., O’Hare, A., McClure, I., Forsyth, K. and McCartney, D. (2016) ‘Gender ratio in a clinical population sample, age of diagnosis and duration of assessment in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder’, Autism, 20(5), pp. 628–634. Available at: 
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1362361315617879 

Outcomes & Families

[12] Absound, M (2022) Social determinants, inequality, and autism. The Lancet Child and Adolescent health, 6(12), 832-833. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(22)00273-5/abstract 

[13] Sharpe, R., Curry, W., Brown, R., and Shankar, R., (2019). A public health approach to reducing inequalities among adults with autism. British Journal of General Practitioners, 69(688) ,534-535. https://bjgp.org/content/69/688/534 

[14] Edmunds, S.R., Tagavi, D.M., Harker, C.M., DesChamps, T. and Stone, W.L. (2025) ‘Quality of life in caregivers of toddlers with autism features’, Research in Developmental Disabilities, 161. Available at: 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2025.104999 

[15] Cheng, S. and Lai, W. (2023) ‘Caregiver burden and quality of life in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder’, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Available at: 
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-023-05992-x 

[16] Ali, M., Hassan, M., Ahmad, R.N. et al. (2026) ‘The Emotional and Psychological Impact on Families Raising Children With Special Needs: A Primary Care Perspective’, Health Science Reports, 9, e71928. Available at: 
https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.71928 

[17] Oisakede, E.O. and Cinnamond, J. (2026) ‘A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the lived experiences of parenting a child with an autism spectrum disorder’, Research in Autism, 131, p. 202800. Available at: 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2026.202800 

Intervention & Digital

[18] Dawson, G., Rogers, S., Munson, J., Smith, M., Winter, J., Greenson, J., Donaldson, A. and Varley, J. (2010) ‘Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism: the Early Start Denver Model’, Pediatrics, 125(1), pp. e17–e23. Available at: 
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/125/1/e17/29731/Randomized-Controlled-Trial-of-an-Intervention-for 

[19] Van Herwegen, J., Masterman, T., Dockrell, J., Marshall, C., Gordon, R. and Thomas, M.S. (2026) ‘Raising educational outcomes for students with special educational needs and disabilities: A systematic review and meta-analysis’, Review of Education, 14(1), e70127. Available at: 
https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rev3.70127