Frequently Asked Questions

Prior to Covid-19 all our assessments were carried out all in one day, at one of our clinics. However, this we had to change to enable us to provide an ongoing service after the initial full lockdown. We now offer assessments in a variety of ways as follows:

1. A developmental history is carried out online, using Zoom, with parents (for child assessments) or the adult being assessed, by a clinical psychologist. Following this we can then carry out the ADOS and cognitive assessment (optional extra for adult assessments, but included in our standard child assessment) face-to-face in either our Norwich or Solihull clinic. (This of course is subject to any changes in local or national restrictions announced by the government.) The team responsible for managing the clinical diary will advise on availability once a request for an assessment is received by us.
2. We can now offer the entire process online. This new service will remain available post Covid-19 for anyone preferring this option. An article about the benefits of online ASD assessments can be found by following this link here.
3. Once there are no Covid-19 restrictions we will review the different ways in which assessments can be offered.

There are different pricing packages for different kinds of assessment.

Click here to view the pricing for our services.

This will depend upon the specific assessment you are considering, but generally we have about an eight week waiting list. Of course, we do get the occasional cancellation/postponement which will create an earlier available appointment.

Yes, we do assess and diagnose the PDA profile within autism. For further details of assessments please click here.

No, providing we can contact another professional, or individual outside of your family and friends, who has regular contact with your child, such as a music teacher, sports coach, scout or guides leader, etc.

No. However, if your GP recommends an assessment, we are more than happy to receive a referral letter from your GP when you book an assessment. We can then add to the report that we have received a referral from your GP to have you/your child assessed.

Prior to Covid-19 all our assessments were carried out all in one day, at one of our clinics. However, this we had to change to enable us to provide an ongoing service after the initial full lockdown. We now offer assessments in a variety of ways as follows:

1. A developmental history is carried out online, using Zoom, with parents (for child assessments) or the adult being assessed, by a clinical psychologist. Following this we can then carry out the ADOS and cognitive assessment (optional extra for adult assessments, but included in our standard child assessment) face-to-face in either our Norwich or Solihull clinic. (This of course is subject to any changes in local or national restrictions announced by the government.) The team responsible for managing the clinical diary will advise on availability once a request for an assessment is received by us.
2. We can now offer the entire process online. This new service will remain available post Covid-19 for anyone preferring this option. An article about the benefits of online ASD assessments can be found by following this link here.
3. Once there are no Covid-19 restrictions we will review the different ways in which assessments can be offered.

Initially we ask for just the initial screening to be carried out. If the final outcome is a formal assessment, then we would look at a number of relevant external reports prior to the assessment, but there is a page limit based upon our standard assessment price.

Yes. One way we have helped overcome some of the anxiety shown by some children is by providing a ‘My Visit’ leaflet for children prior to their assessment. This tells them what will happen on the day, what they will be doing, and who they meet. In turn this helps to remove some of the uncertainly which drives much of the anxiety.

Unfortunately we are unable to have siblings attend assessments, as in the past we have had a number of assessments significantly disrupted by siblings, and as a result had to change our policy.

As stated on the NHS website – “By law, healthcare professionals only need 1 person with parental responsibility to give consent for them to provide treatment.” It isn’t therefore necessary for both parents to attend. Additionally, at the moment, during this Covid-19 pandemic, we can only invite one family at a time to our clinics for face-to-face assessments, and these visits are limited to the child being assessed, and one accompanying adult. Please see our Covid policy page

Our clinical team are exceptionally good and very experienced at ‘seeing behind the mask’.

We have an article within our blog which discusses ‘masking’. Click here to read it.

Not at all. We meet some incredibly avoidant children and are able to assess them.

Yes, but this will depend upon the specific support/therapy required. The clinicians carrying out the assessment can advise what type of therapy may be appropriate following an assessment, and if it is something we can offer. If it isn’t something we offer we will try and help you find an appropriate specialist if possible.

Providing there are no clinicians who were involved in the assessment on holiday (or off sick) immediately following the assessment, and all documentation from third parties has been provided as requested, we aim to have our very comprehensive reports with you within 20 working days following the assessment.

Providing your child is at school, we can send schools a comprehensive report to complete, together with other documentation.

Because PDA isn’t currently in the diagnostic manuals (such as DSM V), which many clinicians cite, then acceptance across the entire UK is currently a grey area. However, our position is quite clear, and we advise the following:

If an assessment has been carried out utilising NICE Guidelines, by a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals, who are registered (such as with the HCPC), and with the appropriate experience and skills, (which is our approach), then local authorities would need to give a valid reason for dismissing a diagnosis following such an assessment. Also, it is important to establish upon whose say so that private diagnoses are not accepted. Many clinicians make this statement without foundation, and for a variety of reasons. If a clinician is claiming the local authority don’t accept the outcome of an assessment carried out in the manner described above, then they should be asked to provide written evidence. This should be in the form of a formal written ‘position statement’ from the local authority and/or NHS Trust, stating that they won’t accept a private diagnosis, and providing the rationale behind such a decision. We are happy to contact, and challenge, any local authority when we are provided with such written evidence of their refusal to accept a private diagnosis.

Furthermore, we have heard from many frustrated parents that some clinicians are claiming ‘PDA does not exist’. The question the clinicians who make this claim perhaps need to be asked is ‘Do you actually mean PDA doesn’t exist, or do you mean it isn’t recognised in DSM V?’ It is worth noting that in the original DSM only 106 disorders were mentioned. In the latest version, DSM V, around 370 disorders are listed, so clearly newly recognised disorders are being added over time. (Autism didn’t feature as a distinct diagnostic category until DSM version 3, but it certainly ‘existed’ in the lifetime of the original DSM and DSM II.)

We get commissioned to carry out a lot of assessments for local authorities and NHS Trusts. Our position is quite clear – If an assessment has been carried out utilising NICE Guidelines, by a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals, who are registered (such as with the HCPC), and with the appropriate experience and skills, (which is our approach), then local authorities would need to give a valid reason for dismissing a diagnosis following such an assessment. Also, it is important to establish upon whose say so that private diagnoses are not accepted. Many clinicians make this statement without foundation, and for a variety of reasons. If a clinician is claiming the local authority don’t accept the outcome of an assessment carried out in the manner described above, then they should be asked to provide written evidence. This should be in the form of a formal written ‘position statement’ from the local authority and/or NHS Trust, stating that they won’t accept a private diagnosis, and providing the rationale behind such a decision. We are happy to contact, and challenge, any local authority when we are provided with such written evidence of their refusal to accept a private diagnosis

For children yes, but at the moment we are not offering ADHD assessments for adults. This may of course change in the future, and if so we will update the website accordingly.

For further details of child ADHD assessments please click here.

We do offer therapy, but you would need to contact us to discuss what specific therapy you are seeking.

We collect only sufficient personal data for us to carry out the service we are providing. NONE of the data we collect is shared with any third party, nor do we use it in the future to bombard you with marketing emails etc. We let you take the lead with how far you want to take your enquiry. For example, if we offer you an assessment date, and you don’t want to book an assessment, then we totally respect your decision.