No, the FREE screening is exactly that… FREE. We provide feedback with recommendations, but it is entirely your choice if you take your enquiry with us any further.
Free Child Autism Screening
As part of our comprehensive assessment service for Autism, we offer a free, no obligation, online screening service to help determine if your child has signs of Autism. This screening has been developed based on decades of combined experience and assessing thousands of individuals. We always use the caveat ‘possible’ within our feedback until we can formally assess a child face-to-face or online. We offer a 3-step process for Autism assessments for children:
- Initial FREE screening
- Initial parental consultation (optional)
- Formal assessment
See further details of the process below.
1 – Free Screening
The first step involves the parent completing our free autism initial screen. Our autism screening tool helps us determine whether your child may be Autistic. Once you complete the online screening, we will provide immediate feedback via email.
What makes our screening different?
It is important to note, that, unlike some autism screening tools which consist of limited questions, our screening does take longer to complete as it goes into a lot more depth. This is so we can gain a better picture of your child, rather than just providing well-used generic questions (of which some are now out of date) linked to autism.
Autism is on a spectrum, so it is misleading to think all autistic children will present in the same way. If we see very few, or indeed no signs of possible autism, we will inform you. Our screening and consultation process is to help you avoid paying for an assessment if a diagnosis is ultimately highly unlikely.
2 – Initial Consultation (optional)
If the initial screening only shows limited, but some, possible signs of autism, we would suggest an initial consultation with one of our clinical team to discuss matters further before undertaking a formal assessment.
This is priced at £100. If, following the consultation it is considered there is sufficient possible evidence to carry out a full assessment, and that assessment is subsequently booked with us, we provide a £50 discount on the normal assessment price to contribute towards the cost of the consultation.
If we see strong evidence of possible Autism at the screening stage, we may suggest parents opt out of the consultation step and consider going straight to a formal assessment. This enables you to access an earlier appointment for your child and reduce your costs.
It is however important to note that the initial consultation does NOT provide a diagnosis, nor a report.
3 – Formal Assessment
Unlike many autism assessment providers, we include a cognitive assessment as part of the formal process in all except one of our packages. While not an essential part of an autism assessment, it can be very useful.
Most neuro-typical children have similar abilities in the different areas of the assessment, such as verbal and non-verbal reasoning, working memory and processing speed. However, many autistic children will have an uneven or ‘spiky’ profile of strengths and difficulties. Some may be extremely able verbally 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 non-verbal information much more efficiently. The results of a cognitive assessment can be shared with the child’s school and used as supporting evidence to help secure an EHCP.
Autistic Masking
One of the biggest reasons why an autistic person may not receive a formal diagnosis is due to autistic masking, sometimes known as camouflaging. As a team we have exceptional knowledge and experience in this area, and where other health and education professionals fail to ‘see behind the mask’, we know what to look for and can identify signs of masking.
Throughout our website, we have a number of blog articles and help guides on the subject. If you have a concern that your child masks, then please start by reading our blog article; Diagnostic concerns and revisions to the DSM 5 , which explains one of the key reasons why so many clinical teams end up not giving a diagnosis when a child is clearly autistic.
What happens after I complete the free screening?
After you’ve completed the screening on behalf of your child, and filled out your details, we will send you a report with the results of your screening. Based on the results, we will make suggestions on the next steps, which may be an initial parental consultation, or a full assessment if there are significant possible signs of autism. If we see very little, or indeed no signs, of possible autism, we will inform you of this too.
We understand that everyone’s journey to diagnosis is different, so we will leave it to you to contact us should you wish to book a consultation or full assessment.
Recommended Reading
If your child is a girl you may also be interested to know that our clinical director, Dr Judy Eaton, has written the following books:
Autism Missed and Misdiagnosed: Identifying, Understanding and Supporting Diverse Autistic Identities
Autism presents in a multitude of different and highly nuanced ways – particularly as it intersects with variance in class, gender, race and age.
Misunderstanding and misinformation around variant and differing presentations means that misdiagnosed individuals and those who do not receive a diagnosis at all are often failed by medical, education, social care and criminal justice systems. They are detained in inappropriate settings; don’t receive beneficial therapeutic input; have their families accused of fabricated or induced illness (FII); are kept in prison or youth offending institutions longer than their original tariffs, and shockingly their life expectancy is often curtailed as a result.
This comprehensive resource will help multidisciplinary professions to understand, contextualise, and better identify diverse autistic presentations. It includes an overview of the autism diagnostic process, an exploration of controversial and commonly confused diagnoses such as PDA, ODD, CD, ASPD, and BPD; discussions of best practice for investigating FII; and analysis of the specific challenges of autism diagnosis in relation to women and girls, BAME communities, schools, and the criminal justice system.
A Guide to Mental Health Issues in Girls and Young Women on the Autism Spectrum: Diagnosis, Intervention and Family Support
This book addresses the specific mental health needs of girls and young women with autism spectrum disorder (Autism). Looking at the ways autism presents differently in girls than in boys, and the mental health conditions that occur most frequently in girls with Autism, this is the essential guide for clinicians and educators on tailoring interventions and support to meet girls’ needs.
Describing the current assessment process for autism diagnosis, the book explains why girls are under- or mis-diagnosed, leading to later mental health issues. It outlines the types of intervention that are particularly helpful for working with girls to reduce anxiety, improve social interaction skills, and manage self-harm. The book also covers how to manage eating disorders and feeding difficulties, focusing on working with girls with sensory processing difficulties. There is advice on how to deal with the emotional impact on parents, carers and families, and the challenges they face when negotiating appropriate psychological and educational support.
Autism Missed and Misdiagnosed: Identifying, Understanding and Supporting Diverse Autistic Identities
Autism presents in a multitude of different and highly nuanced ways – particularly as it intersects with variance in class, gender, race and age.
Misunderstanding and misinformation around variant and differing presentations means that misdiagnosed individuals and those who do not receive a diagnosis at all are often failed by medical, education, social care and criminal justice systems. They are detained in inappropriate settings; don’t receive beneficial therapeutic input; have their families accused of fabricated or induced illness (FII); are kept in prison or youth offending institutions longer than their original tariffs, and shockingly their life expectancy is often curtailed as a result.
This comprehensive resource will help multidisciplinary professions to understand, contextualise, and better identify diverse autistic presentations. It includes an overview of the autism diagnostic process, an exploration of controversial and commonly confused diagnoses such as PDA, ODD, CD, ASPD, and BPD; discussions of best practice for investigating FII; and analysis of the specific challenges of autism diagnosis in relation to women and girls, BAME communities, schools, and the criminal justice system.
A Guide to Mental Health Issues in Girls and Young Women on the Autism Spectrum: Diagnosis, Intervention and Family Support
This book addresses the specific mental health needs of girls and young women with autism spectrum disorder (Autism). Looking at the ways autism presents differently in girls than in boys, and the mental health conditions that occur most frequently in girls with Autism, this is the essential guide for clinicians and educators on tailoring interventions and support to meet girls’ needs.
Describing the current assessment process for autism diagnosis, the book explains why girls are under- or mis-diagnosed, leading to later mental health issues. It outlines the types of intervention that are particularly helpful for working with girls to reduce anxiety, improve social interaction skills, and manage self-harm. The book also covers how to manage eating disorders and feeding difficulties, focusing on working with girls with sensory processing difficulties. There is advice on how to deal with the emotional impact on parents, carers and families, and the challenges they face when negotiating appropriate psychological and educational support.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the free screening is not a diagnostic tool. It should be used only to determine whether your child has signs of possible Autism. We can only provide your child with a diagnosis after meeting with them face-to-face or online to conduct a formal assessment.
No, we don’t share the details with any third parties. Please see our privacy policy to find out more about how we process your information.
It is possible to get your child assessed for autism for free through the NHS, but waiting times are long. Even through the Right to Choose programme, you may be waiting for a considerable amount of time.
While this autism screening is free, it does not provide a diagnosis. If you want a diagnostic assessment outside of the NHS, you will have to pay for this privately.
© Copyright Help for Psychology Services Ltd 2021
© Copyright Help for Psychology Services Ltd 2021