Fully Online Private Autism Assessments

Arranging a fully online private autism assessment

Frequently Asked Questions

• Will a private autism assessment be recognised?

  Yes, it absolutely will — as long as it has been completed in a robust manner. There are many myths about a private autism assessment not being as good as NHS standards or that you can pay just to get a diagnosis. This is not the case. As long as you use a reputable company, such as ourselves, you can be assured that your assessment, report and diagnostic outcome are robust 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.

• Will the NHS accept a private autism assessment?

  The NHS accepts our autism assessments. National standards for autism assessments are laid out in the National Standard for Clinical Excellence Guidelines (NICE Guidelines). The NHS require that these guidelines be met. Our detailed reports evidence that the assessment has been completed to this standard and are therefore readily accepted by the NHS.

  You can find out more here.

• Do I need a GP referral?

  No, you can refer yourself or your child for an autism assessment. We do not need a referral from your GP or your child’s school.

• What if I am high-masking, will you still see autism?

  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 masking a recognised part of adult autism?

  Yes. Masking — sometimes called camouflaging — is widely described by autistic adults and is now well recognised in clinical research and practice. It involves consciously or unconsciously hiding autistic traits in order to fit in socially, for example by scripting conversations, copying other people’s mannerisms, or suppressing stimming.

  Masking is one of the main reasons autism is harder to spot in women and in adults who have spent years adapting to a neurotypical world. It often comes at a cost: many people describe significant exhaustion, anxiety or burnout after long periods of masking.

• Can a teenager have a fully online autism assessment?

  Yes. Teenagers aged 10 and over with fluent language can have a fully online private autism assessment. The assessment uses ADOS-2 Module 4 — the version designed for verbal adolescents and adults — alongside a detailed developmental history and clinical evaluation. It follows the same clinical standards as an in-person assessment and is delivered by our experienced UK autism clinicians.

• Is an online autism assessment as accurate as in-person for teenagers?

  Yes, for teenagers and young people who meet the criteria for ADOS-2 Module 4. Research published in 2023 by Cambridge University Press, on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, compared online and in-person ADOS-2 assessments and found no difference in total scores between the two formats. Online Module 4 assessments produce equivalent outcomes to in-person ones when delivered correctly, with the same diagnostic robustness.