To do that, an assessment needs to involve a minimum of two clinicians from different roles. The assessment content requires a Developmental History, along with the assessment of the child using a recognised assessment tool, such as the ADOS. Third-party input (generally the child’s school) and a report (of no determinate length) completes the necessary requirements. A report of just a page or two, providing a diagnosis, would technically suffice.
Here at Help for Psychology, we go beyond what is needed to just ‘tick a box’, and therefore look at providing the best assessment service possible. We use additional assessment tools to provide families with reports which don’t just acknowledge a diagnosis (if a diagnosis is the correct outcome), but guide them and schools in the best way of supporting the needs of their child, both now and in the future.
The first step to using our service is to complete our FREE online screening, which will provide guidance on the most appropriate next step. In the meantime, listed below, you will find details of the assessments and options we offer, which can be utilised to fully meet the specific needs of your child.
To do that, an assessment needs to involve a minimum of two clinicians from different roles. The assessment content requires a Developmental History, along with the assessment of the child using a recognised assessment tool, such as the ADOS. Third-party input (generally the child’s school) and a report (of no determinate length) completes the necessary requirements. A report of just a page or two, providing a diagnosis, would technically suffice.
Here at Help for Psychology, we go beyond what is needed to just ‘tick a box’, and therefore look at providing the best assessment service possible. We use additional assessment tools to provide families with reports which don’t just acknowledge a diagnosis (if a diagnosis is the correct outcome), but guide them and schools in the best way of supporting the needs of their child, both now and in the future.
The first step to using our service is to complete our FREE online screening, which will provide guidance on the most appropriate next step. In the meantime, listed below, you will find details of the assessments and options we offer, which can be utilised to fully meet the specific needs of your child.
Gold Standard –
Autism Assessment
Price – £1,750
Gold Standard – Autism Assessment
Price – £1,750
- Developmental history taken by a Neurodevelopmental Specialist* and supervised by a Clinical Psychologist or equivalent
- ADOS-2 (we use age-related versions) carried out by either a Speech and Language Therapist or Occupational Therapist
- SRS-2
- SPM-2
- School report
- Multi-disciplinary case review led by a Clinical Psychologist or equivalent
- Up to 30 minutes feedback via Google Meet
- Report (approx 25 pages, with additional pages for optional assessments selected) including recommendations
A cognitive assessment is not an essential part of an autism assessment in terms of providing a formal diagnosis, but it can be very useful. Most children (and young adults) have reasonably similar abilities in the different areas of the assessment (e.g., verbal and nonverbal reasoning, working memory, and processing speed). Many autistic children will have an uneven or ‘spiky’ profile of strengths and difficulties.
Some may be extremely verbally able but struggle in many other areas. They may have difficulties retaining and manipulating information or copying information off the board. Others may have significant language difficulties but process nonverbal information much more efficiently.
Gold Premium –
Autism Assessment
Price – £2,475
Gold Premium – Autism Assessment
Price – £2,475
- Developmental history taken by a Clinical Psychologist, Educational Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Paediatrician
- ADOS-2 (we use age-related versions) carried out by either a Speech and Language Therapist or Occupational Therapist
- Cognitive assessment
- SRS-2
- SPM-2
- School report
- Multi-disciplinary case review led by the lead clinician
- Up to 60 minutes feedback via Google Meet
- Report (approx 45 pages, with additional pages for optional assessments selected) including recommendations
The ADOS-2 improves on the original ADOS, which at the time was already viewed as ‘the Gold Standard’ for the observational assessment of autism. It can be used to evaluate almost anyone suspected of having autism from very young children with no speech, to adults who are verbally fluent. (We assess children from the age of four).
- Provides a highly accurate picture of current symptoms, unaffected by language
- Semi-structured, standardised assessment of communication, social interaction, play, and restricted and repetitive behaviours
- Presents various activities that elicit behaviours directly related to a diagnosis of autism
- Find out whether symptoms indicate autism, a social communication disorder, or something else
- Assess social impairment in natural settings and from more than one perspective
- Multiple perspectives approach on behaviour uncovers a wide range of symptoms, including those that are relatively subtle
- Numerous independent studies demonstrate that the SRS-2 is unmatched in its ability to measure severity of social impairment in the mildest, and most common, forms of autism – including Social Communication Disorder, a new diagnosis included in DSM-5
- Brevity and sensitivity of the SRS-2 make it highly useful for a variety of assessment needs
- Social Communication and Interaction
- Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behaviour
The SPM-2 is a norm-referenced measure of function in the visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, proprioceptive (body awareness), and vestibular (balance and motion) sensory systems, as well as praxis and social participation.
We offer the following optional assessments for all packages:
Ten specific Adaptive Skills are measured by the ABAS-3; Communication, Community Use, Functional Academics, Home/School Living, Health and Safety, Leisure, Self Care, Self-Direction, Social skills, and Work. Measurement of an individual’s adaptive or functional skills is an important part of a diagnostic assessment; alongside the measurement of cognitive skills as it indicates an individual’s level of actual disability in everyday life. The ABAS-3 is compatible with DSM-5.
Price – £245
Price – £245
The key features of this screening:
- Provides information which can indicate that an ADHD diagnosis may be appropriate (however, a diagnosis would need to be confirmed by a formal assessment. Additionally, a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist, would also be able to discuss the possibility of medication with you.)
- Informing intervention and treatment strategies with information on a broad range of childhood disorders and concerns
- Details of where functioning is most impacted with impairment items that indicate how the child or young person functions in academic, home, and social settings
- Provides a multi-rater perspective of the child or young person’s difficulties with a Parent, Teacher, and Self-report version
Price – £195
Price – £295
- Distractibility/Hyperactivity
- Adaptability
- Reinforces Parent
- Demandingness
- Mood
- Acceptability.
The parent personality and situational variables component consists of seven subscales:
- Competence, Isolation
- Attachment, Health
- Role Restriction
- Depression
- Spouse
In both scales, the higher the percentile value, the more significant the level of difficulty.
Price – £295
If you are concerned that your child is showing difficulty with one or more of the areas shown below, they may benefit from a full speech and language assessment.
- Listening, attention, memory and language processing, particularly when lots of information is being given orally
- Following instructions, understanding questions and narratives
- Understanding and using vocabulary
- Expressing what they want to say, including difficulties with word finding, grammar, and sequencing their thoughts
- Social interaction, including difficulties joining in conversations, understanding jokes, and non-literal language
- Using language to express their thoughts and feelings, and to regulate their behaviour and their interactions with other people
Price – £595
The DASH assessment identifies words per minute in relation to national averages under both test and non-test conditions. This gives a more accurate description of why the child is struggling to write legibly and at a normal speed.
All children may require some help with their handwriting at some point; however, profound handwriting difficulties are more likely to occur with the following conditions: Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and Dysgraphia.
The key features of this assessment:
- Examine the child/adolescent’s fine motor and precision skills.
- Examines the child/adolescent’s speed of producing well-known symbolic material.
- Examines their ability to alter the speed of performance on two tasks with identical content and free writing competency.
- Underlying problems that may mean your child may benefit from the DASH assessment:
- Difficulty identifying an object from a crowded background
- Poor fine motor control
- Difficulty doing up buttons/zips
- Difficulty manipulating objects
- Difficulty drawing/copying pictures
- Uncontrolled pencil movements
- Cramped or illegible handwriting
Price – £195
Price – £150