Autism Assessments for Children

Our assessments include:

• A comprehensive interview to learn about your child’s development conducted by a specialist clinician from our core team.
• The Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised Edition (ADI-R) or 3Di. This is an extended interview designed to elicit a full range of information needed to assist in the diagnosis of autism.
• The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, second edition (ADOS-2). The ADOS-2 is a structured observation that assesses a child’s social communication and their interaction style with an unfamiliar adult.
• A review of reports and information from past assessments with other professionals.
• We gather information and/or liaise with the pre-school, nursery, school or college prior to the assessment. We may arrange an observation if required.
• We endeavour to provide an outcome in person on the day of the clinic appointment. However, in some circumstances this may not be possible, and further assessment may be required.
• Face-to-face consultation about particular concerns or difficulties.
• A comprehensive and detailed report within two to three weeks of the assessment. The report contains details about how the conclusion was reached with recommendations based on what your child’s particular needs are. This may include recommendations of management strategies for your child or the whole family, resources that may be helpful for parents and siblings, signposting to relevant local support services, and recommendations for current or future education.
• We offer all our clients a free follow up consultation with a clinician, and do not add additional charges for letters or completion of forms post assessment.

Autism Assessments for Adults

Our assessments include:

• A comprehensive developmental interview.
• The Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised Edition (ADI-R). This is an extended interview designed to elicit a full range of information needed to assist in the diagnosis of autism.
• A mental health screening.
• Autism screening and Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q).
• The Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA).
• The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, second edition (ADOS-2). The ADOS-2 is a structured observation that assesses a person’s social communication abilities and their interaction style.
• We endeavour to provide an outcome in person on the day of the clinic appointment. However, in some circumstances this may not be possible, and further assessment may be required.
• Face-to-face consultation about particular concerns or difficulties.
• A comprehensive and detailed report within two to three weeks of the assessment. The report contains details about how the conclusion was reached with recommendations based on what your particular needs are. This may include resources that may be helpful for you or your family, signposting to relevant local support services, and recommendations for current or future support.
• We can provide additional letters for your employer to help them to make reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
• We offer all our clients a free follow up consultation with a clinician, and do not add additional charges for letters or completion of forms post assessment.

All of our diagnostic assessments are carried out by a multi-disciplinary team who are highly experienced and trained in the assessment of autism and ADHD. We use diagnostic assessment tools that are recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Effectiveness (NICE).

ADHD Assessments for Children

Our assessments include:

• A specialist and comprehensive interview to learn about your child’s development.
• Gathering information regarding ADHD symptoms from school or college.
• Administration of the Conners-4 ADHD Screen.
• Administration of the ADHD Children’s Evaluation (ACE).
• Administration of the QbCheck.
  School observation (where required).
• A comprehensive and detailed report within two to three weeks of the assessment. The report contains details about how the conclusion was reached with recommendations based on what your particular needs are. This may include resources that may be helpful for you or your family, signposting to relevant local support services, and recommendations for current or future support.
• We offer all our clients a free follow up consultation with a clinician, and do not add additional charges for letters or completion of forms post assessment.

ADHD Assessments for Adults

Our assessments include:

• A comprehensive developmental interview including education, work history and relationship history.
• A psychological and emotional health assessment.
• Administration of the ADHD Evaluation (ACE+).
• Administration of the QbCheck.
• A mental health screening.
• A comprehensive and detailed report within two to three weeks of the assessment. The report contains details about how the conclusion was reached with recommendations based on what your particular needs are. This may include resources that may be helpful for you or your family, signposting to relevant local support services, and recommendations for current or future support.
• We offer all our clients a free follow up consultation with a clinician, and do not add additional charges for letters or completion of forms post assessment.

A learning difficulty is a condition that affects how a person understands, processes, or remembers information, making learning more challenging than it is for others of the same age. We recommend assessment from 7 years of age.

It does not mean someone is not intelligent. Many people with learning difficulties have average or above-average intelligence, but they may struggle with specific skills. A person with a learning difficulty might have trouble with:

• Reading and spelling
• Writing clearly
• Understanding numbers or maths
• Processing information quickly

These difficulties are usually long-term and can vary from mild to severe. Some well-known learning difficulties include:

• Dyslexia – affects reading and spelling
• Dyscalculia – affects understanding numbers and maths

An assessment of learning will include the following:

• Gathering information about the child’s development, their education, and their physical and emotional health.
• Understanding current concerns or difficulties.
• Gathering information from the school or tutor.
• An assessment in clinic with a Clinical Psychologist. This will include completing a series of short tests to look at several areas of cognitive functioning and learning ability.
• Following the assessment, you receive feedback and a comprehensive report. This will include recommendations for local support services and further assessment or interventions that may be helpful.

A learning disability is a lifelong condition that affects how a person understands information, learns new skills, and copes independently with everyday life.

The person may have been diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay (GDD) which is a term used when a child has developmental delays in several areas but is too young to be formally assessed for a learning disability. We recommend an assessment of learning disability when a child is over 6 years old. We can assess both children and adults for a learning disability.

An assessment of learning disability will include:

• Gathering information about the child or adult’s development, their education, and their physical and emotional health.
• Understanding current concerns or difficulties.
• Gathering information from the school or tutor (children only).
• Conducting a cognitive assessment in the clinic with a Clinical Psychologist. This is a series of short tasks that assess various cognitive abilities (e.g., verbal ability, nonverbal ability, memory and speed of thinking).
• A questionnaire about how the person copes with day-to-day living.
• Following the assessment, you receive feedback and a comprehensive report. This will include recommendations for local support services and further assessment or interventions that may be helpful.
• Support to apply for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and referral to other services for support, such as Adult Social Care.

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) can significantly affect a child’s ability to understand and engage with the world around them. Children with SLCN may find it difficult to express their thoughts, feelings, wants and needs effectively, to understand what others are saying, to form and use sentences or to produce clear and accurate speech sounds.

With the right support and early intervention, children can build the skills and confidence they need to communicate successfully and thrive in everyday situations.

A Speech and Language Therapy assessment is a detailed and structured evaluation carried out by a qualified Speech and Language Therapist (SLT). It is designed to build a clear understanding of an individual’s communication strengths, as well as any areas of difficulty. The assessment helps to identify specific needs and forms the basis for personalised support or therapy, ensuring the right strategies and interventions are put in place.

An assessment of speech and language will include:

• Gathering information about the child’s development, their education, and their physical and emotional health.
• Understanding current concerns or difficulties.
• Gathering information from the school or tutor.
• Conducting a structured assessment in the clinic with a Speech and Language Therapist, using a combination of formal and information assessments.
• Following the assessment, you receive feedback and a comprehensive report. This will include recommendations for local support services and further assessment or interventions that may be helpful.

Our speech and language therapists also provide assessments with specific recommendations for Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP).