Autism & ADHD Assessments
We provide private autism and ADHD assessments for children and young people across Bath, Bristol and the surrounding areas. Our multidisciplinary team also offers practical support to help your child and family confidently navigate neurodivergence.
Our assessments are carried out by one of our Neurodivergence Advocacy & Support Specialists and Occupational Therapists, who both have many years of experience working with children and young people.
Our approach ensures a rigorous, child-centred assessment, as well as a diagnostic decision that is verified by our Clinical Psychologist and provides an outcome that meets the DSM 5 criteria and NICE guidelines … in other words, we offer the very best multi-disciplinary assessment for your child.
Diagnostic Autism Assessments
We offer a thorough Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessment that includes using the ADI-R or ACIA and ADOS, as well as gathering detailed information from the young person, home and school. For young people aged 16 years and over, we use the ACIA.
An extra we include in our report is a range of recommendations to make everyday life feel easier and immediately better supported.
The NICE guidelines.
Diagnostic ADHD Assessments
We offer a thorough assessment for ADHD that includes using the Conners, Vanderbilt, RCADS and Young DIVA 5, as well as gathering information from the young person, home and school.
Two extras we include are a sensory observation carried out in school, and a range of written recommendations to enhance everyday life which are added to our report.
The NICE guidelines.
Please be aware that we do not prescribe medication.
There are some cases when a child or young person may appear to present with characteristics both conditions (AuDHD). These two diagnostic conditions are assessed separately, but elements of the process can overlap, and so an all encompassing assessment can be arranged when needed.
Advocacy & Support for the Neurodivergent
No diagnosis needed. Just practical, child centered support for whenever life feels like some specialist help could make a difference (feedback is always glowing). Coaching is available for families too.
Read more about it here.
Occupational Therapy bolt-on
There is evidence that 95% of autistic children and 47% of those with ADHD have sensory processing challenges, and many have pockets of difficulty in their developmental profile too.
We have the very best Occupational Therapists available to assess, identify and explain any functional challenges associated with being neurodivergent and so we offer a ‘bolt-on’ option to the diagnostic assessment if you would like to explore this too.
Find out more about our Occupational Therapy support
What is the autism assessment process?
You will complete our online Request and Consent form to start the process. This will be sent to you.
We meet with you as parents/carers to complete the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised). This takes between three and four hours (with a break to put the kettle on), and takes place online.
If your child is over 16 years, we meet with them instead and complete the ACIA (Autism Clinical Interview for Adults).
We meet with your child or young person to complete the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule). This takes just over an hour and happens in our therapy base. You will be able to wait or have time to go and grab a coffee.
We gather and collate information from you and your child’s teachers through questionnaires.
We present all the information gained at our multi-disciplinary diagnostic meeting.
We call you with the diagnostic outcome.
We send you a robust diagnostic report.
We meet with you and your child’s SENCO and teacher (if requested), for feedback and exploration of our recommendations.
How long does it take?
The whole process takes four to five weeks. It may be slightly longer if we need to ask for more information.
What is the ADHD assessment process?
You will complete our online Request and Consent form to start the process. This will be sent to you.
You will be sent a range of standardised questionnaires for your careful completion. Some of these will also be sent to your child’s school or college. These include:
A developmental History (non-standardised), The Conner’s 4, The RCADS and The Vanderbilt.
We will visit your child’s school to discretely carry out a classroom observation to observe their sensory processing strengths and challenges, and how they participate in their day.
We meet with your child or young person to complete the Young-DIVA. This takes approximately two hours (sometimes longer) and takes place at our therapy base. We invite you to join him/her/them.
We present all the information gained at our multi-disciplinary diagnostic meeting.
We call you with the diagnostic outcome.
We send you a robust diagnostic report.
We meet with you and your child’s SENCO and teacher (if requested), for feedback and exploration of our recommendations.
How long does it take?
The whole process takes four to five weeks. It may be slightly longer if we need to ask for more information.