Frequently Asked Questions
Assessment process, ages and timescales
What happens during an assessment?
During an autism assessment, we gather a wide range of information, which allows us to ascertain whether the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder or ADHD are met. The process involves gathering historical information and observing how you or your child currently presents. You can find out more about our child autism assessment, child combined assessment, adult autism assessment, and adult combined assessment processes on the relevant website pages.
From what age do you complete autism assessments?
We complete autism assessments for adults and children aged 2 years and over.
From what age do you complete combined autism and ADHD assessments?
We complete combined autism and ADHD assessments for adults and children aged 6 years and over.
How long is your waiting list?
We do not have a waiting list. You can expect your first appointment within 2 -3 weeks of commissioning your assessment with us.
How long does the assessment process take?
Depending on your circumstances and availability, you can expect the process to be completed in around 4 weeks.
Do I need a GP referral?
You do not need a referral from your GP or another professional to access an autism assessment with us. Adults can self-refer for assessment, and parents can refer their children directly. To make a referral, complete our online form, call or email us.
What if I don't have an informant who knew me as a child?
There are different approaches that can be used to gather the information needed for an autism assessment. If you do not have someone who knew you as a child, or do not want your parents involved in your assessment, we can gather information about your childhood directly from you. We can also use an informant who knows you as an adult, such as a partner or good friend. You can find out more here.
Compliance and recognition
Are your assessments NICE-compliant?
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) sets out the expected standards for autism assessments in its NICE Guidelines. Our assessments follow NICE guidelines; therefore, you can be assured that our autism and ADHD assessments are NICE-compliant. You can find out more about the NICE guidelines here.
Are your clinicians HCPC registered?
The claim that ‘Autism assessments must be carried out by staff who are HCPC registered’ is not correct. The HCPC is the professional body for certain professionals, such as occupational therapists and clinical psychologists. Other professions have different professional bodies, for example, for doctors it is the GMC and for nurses the NMC. All qualified healthcare professionals must be registered with a professional body to be able to practice. All of our clinicians are registered with the HCPC, GMC, NMC, or another appropriate professional body.
Will the NHS recognise a private diagnosis?
The NHS will recognise a private autism assessment as long as it has been completed in line with national standards, and this is evidenced in the diagnostic report. By using a reputable company, such as ourselves, you can be assured that your assessment, report and diagnostic outcome are evidence-based and will be recognised by other services.
To be recognised, an assessment must:
- Meet NICE guidelines
- Be completed by appropriately registered clinicians (HCPC, NMC, etc.)
- Produce a comprehensive diagnostic report
You can read more about whether a private autism assessment will be recognised by the NHS in our information section here.
Will my child’s school accept a private assessment?
Yes, schools must accept a private assessment that has been completed by registered professionals and meets National standards.
Can I use a private autism diagnosis for education or workplace adjustments?
Schools, universities and employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for students or employees with a disability. They must ensure that the student or employee is not at a disadvantage because of their disability. Some educational institutions or employers will require proof of the disability, and your private autism diagnosis can be used as evidence for this.
Can a private autism diagnosis be used as evidence for an EHCP?
You can use a private autism diagnosis as evidence of your child’s special educational needs during the EHCP process. There is no legal difference between a private and NHS diagnosis. You can find out more here.
Cost and payment options
How much does a private autism assessment with you cost?
The cost of an autism assessment with us ranges between £1995 and £2095, depending on whether you choose a fully online assessment or the in-person option. We only offer fully online assessments for those aged 10 and over. You can find out more here.
What is the cost of a combined autism and ADHD assessment?
The cost of a combined assessment with us ranges between £2995 and £3095, depending on whether you choose a fully online assessment or the in-person option. Children aged under 10 will need to be seen in person. You can find out more here.
Do you offer Right to Choose?
We do not offer Right to Choose assessments. We are a service for private clients, which allows us to offer short wait times.
Do you accept credit cards?
Yes, we work with our partner Stripe to process payments from both credit cards and debit cards.
Do you offer a payment plan?
You can pay for your assessment in stages, but we do not offer a monthly payment plan. You can find out more about this here.
Do you accept private health insurance?
We work with a number of health insurance providers on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us to find out if we can accept your private insurance claim.
High-masking and complex presentations
What are the signs of autism in females?
Women often present with more subtle signs of autism, which are often not recognised by untrained professionals. Females often engage in masking and camouflaging behaviours, which can also contribute to difficulties being missed.
Read more about the signs of autism in girls under 5, children, teenagers and women in the information section of our website.
How do you recognise autism in high-masking presentations?
Camouflaging and masking are strategies used by many autistic people to hide their differences. Our clinicians are specialists and observe the nuances of social communication and interactions during the assessment. Whilst autistic characteristics may not be obvious to untrained adults, our team will be able to recognise the signs.
You can find out more here.Is your team experienced in assessing females?
Our clinicians are highly experienced in assessing complex autism presentations, including women and girls who may be high-masking. You can rest assured that we are highly skilled in recognising female autism presentations.
I’ve been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Could I have been misdiagnosed?
It is common for autistic adults to have been previously diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression. Anxiety and depression are common amongst autistic people, often undiagnosed autistic adults feel that anxiety and depression diagnoses do not adequately explain their experiences. Autism traits are present from birth. If you have been experiencing lifelong issues with social interaction, difficulties with changes, sensory differences and/or intense interests, your difficulties could well be related to undiagnosed autism rather than anxiety and depression alone.
What if I don't have an informant who knew me as a child?
There are different approaches that can be used to gather the information needed for an autism assessment. If you do not have someone who knew you as a child, or do not want your parents involved in your assessment, we can gather information about your childhood directly from you. We can also use an informant who knows you as an adult, such as a partner or good friend. You can find out more here.
Can anxiety or trauma look like autism?
Anxiety and trauma can cause difficulties with social interaction and a preference for familiar people and routines. However, there are many differences between the characteristics of autism and the behaviours that occur as a result of anxiety and trauma. It is, of course, possible to be autistic and to have experienced trauma. Our experienced team will work with you to understand your individual experiences.