Autism and ADHD Assessments for Children and Young People
Helping you understand your child's individual strengths, differences and support needs.
We provide comprehensive, compassionate and neuroaffirming autism and ADHD assessments for children and young people.
Our aim is not simply to determine whether your child meets criteria for a diagnosis. We want to develop a meaningful understanding of how they experience the world, what may be contributing to the difficulties they are experiencing, and the support that may help them thrive.
For children and young people, assessment considers development and everyday functioning across relevant settings, bringing together information from the young person, their family and education where appropriate.
The process is adapted to the child's age, communication style, strengths and individual needs, with the aim of developing a fuller understanding of what may be contributing to their experiences.
You May Be Wondering...
Parents come to us for many different reasons. You may have been wondering about Autism or ADHD for some time, or questions may have been raised more recently by your child's school or another professional.
You might be noticing:
• Difficulties with attention, organisation or completing tasks
• High levels of activity, impulsivity or internal restlessness
• Emotional overwhelm or difficulty regulating emotions
• Sensory sensitivities or sensory-seeking behaviours
• A strong need for predictability or difficulty managing change
• Differences in social communication or friendships
• Masking or appearing to cope at school before becoming overwhelmed at home
• Anxiety, exhaustion or reduced self-esteem
• Difficulties attending or coping within education
• A sense that everyday demands require considerably more effort for your child than they seem to for their peers
Sometimes the picture is relatively clear. At other times, it can be difficult to understand whether a child's experiences relate to Autism, ADHD, anxiety, learning needs, emotional wellbeing, or a combination of factors.
A comprehensive assessment can help make sense of the whole picture by bringing together developmental history, information from different settings and recognised assessment approaches to develop a clearer understanding of your child's strengths, needs and experiences.
Our Assessments
We offer ADHD, autism and combined autism and ADHD assessments for children and young people.
If you are unsure which assessment may be most appropriate, we can help you determine this during an initial consultation, you do not need to decide before contacting us.
ADHD Assessment
£1,495
Where ADHD is being explored, we consider areas including:
• Attention and concentration
• Organisation and planning
• Working memory and executive functioning
• Starting, completing and maintaining effort with tasks
• Activity levels and internal restlessness
• Impulsivity
• Emotional regulation
• The impact of these experiences across home, education and everyday life
We consider these experiences developmentally and across different settings, recognising that ADHD presents very differently between children and young people.
Combined Assessment
£2,495
Where both Autism and ADHD are being explored, the assessment considers how characteristics associated with each may be present and interact within your child's individual profile.
Autism and ADHD can overlap in some areas, while in others they may influence a child's experiences in different ways. Looking at both together can help us develop a clearer understanding of areas such as attention and executive functioning, communication and relationships, sensory experiences, routines and flexibility, activity and impulsivity, emotional regulation and everyday functioning.
Autism Assessment
£1,795
Where Autism is being explored, we consider areas including:
• Social communication and interaction
• Friendships and relationships
• Sensory experiences and preferences
• Interests and areas of strong focus
• Routines, predictability and responses to change
• Communication style and individual ways of expressing themselves
• Developmental history and how experiences may have changed over time
We also consider how your child experiences and responds to different environments, recognising that what is visible at school may look very different from what families see at home.
Looking Beyond Diagnostic Criteria
We consider the whole person during our assessments and always hold in mind that not every experience fits neatly within one diagnostic explanation.
Alongside considering Autism and/or ADHD, we think about the wider factors that may help us understand your child's individual presentation. This may include emotional wellbeing, anxiety, learning needs, executive functioning, sensory experiences, relationships, the demands of their environment and other developmental or psychological factors.
We also consider your child's strengths, interests and the environments in which they feel most comfortable and able to thrive. This helps us understand not simply whether diagnostic criteria are met, but what your child's individual profile tells us about their experiences, strengths, needs and the support that may be helpful.
What Do The Assessments Involve?
All assessment pathways begin with an initial consultation. This gives us an opportunity to understand what has brought you to assessment, learn more about your child's current experiences and development, and consider the questions you would like the assessment to help answer.
From there, the assessment pathway differs depending on whether Autism, ADHD or both are being explored. Each pathway brings together information from a range of sources so that conclusions are based on the overall picture rather than any one questionnaire, score or appointment.
ADHD Assessment
An ADHD Assessment typically involves: • An initial consultation to understand what has brought you to assessment and the questions you would like the assessment to explore • Questionnaires gathering information about your child's experiences across home, education and everyday life • A detailed ADHD developmental history with parents or carers • A diagnostic interview with the child or young person where developmentally appropriate • QbCheck, providing objective information relating to attention, activity and impulsivity • Standardised measures including Conners and the BRIEF-2, helping us understand ADHD characteristics and executive functioning across everyday life • A school observation where this would provide useful additional information • Clinical integration of the different sources of assessment information • A feedback session to talk through the findings and outcome • A comprehensive diagnostic report ADHD is not diagnosed on the basis of a single questionnaire, score or QbCheck result. Developmental history, assessment findings and your child's experiences across different settings are considered together to determine whether the diagnostic criteria for ADHD are met.
Autism Assessment
An autism assessment typically involves: • An initial consultation to understand what has brought you to assessment and the questions you would like the assessment to explore • Questionnaires completed by parents or carers and school, and by the child or young person where appropriate • A detailed developmental history with parents or carers using the ADI-R • An ADOS assessment with a Speech and Language Therapist • A school observation where this would provide useful additional information • A team meeting to bring together and discuss the assessment findings • A feedback session to talk through the findings and outcome • A comprehensive diagnostic report No single part of the assessment determines the outcome. Information from across the assessment is considered together to understand your child's developmental profile and whether the diagnostic criteria for Autism are met.
Combined ADHD and Autism Assessment
A combined assessment typically involves: • An initial consultation to understand what has brought you to assessment and the questions you would like the assessment to explore • Questionnaires completed by parents or carers and school, and by the child or young person where appropriate • A detailed developmental history, including the ADI-R and exploration of ADHD development and experiences • An ADOS assessment with a Speech and Language Therapist • A diagnostic ADHD interview with the child or young person where developmentally appropriate • QbCheck • Standardised measures including Conners and the BRIEF-2 • A school observation where this would provide useful additional information • A team meeting to bring together and discuss the assessment findings • A feedback session to talk through the findings and outcome • A comprehensive diagnostic report The findings relating to Autism and ADHD are considered together as part of your child's overall neurodevelopmental profile. The outcome may support a diagnosis of Autism, ADHD, both, or neither. Whatever the outcome, we will explain how the different sources of information have contributed to our understanding of your child's strengths, experiences and needs.
What You Will Receive
More than just a diagnostic outcome.
Following the assessment, you will receive a comprehensive, personalised report bringing together the different sources of information considered throughout the assessment.
The report will explain the assessment findings and any diagnostic conclusions, where appropriate, while also identifying your child’s individual strengths, needs and areas where additional understanding or support may be helpful.
Recommendations are tailored to your child and may include practical strategies for home and everyday life, alongside recommendations relating to education and other settings where appropriate.
You will also have a feedback session where we can talk through the findings, answer questions and consider what may be helpful next.
Helping Your Child Feel Comfortable With Assessment
We understand that meeting someone new and taking part in an assessment can feel unfamiliar, particularly for children and young people who may already be feeling anxious or uncertain about what to expect.
We aim to make the assessment process feel as comfortable, predictable and individualised as possible. We explain what will happen in an age-appropriate way, adapt our communication and approach to the individual child, and allow time for them to settle into the process.
There is no expectation for your child to behave, communicate or interact in a particular way. Our role is to understand them as they are, including their strengths, preferences and individual ways of communicating and engaging
We want your child to feel as comfortable and at ease as possible during their assessment. There is no expectation for them to manage the appointment in a particular way. Parents or carers are welcome to stay in the room with their child if this helps them feel more comfortable. Children can also bring anything that helps them feel settled, such as a favourite comfort item, fidget or other familiar object. Snacks and drinks are welcome, and your child can move around, change position or take breaks when they need to. We can adapt the pace of the session and the way we communicate according to your child’s individual needs. If there is something you already know helps your child feel safe, comfortable or able to engage, please let us know. We are happy to work with you to make the assessment experience as accessible and positive as possible. You can also talk to your child about the assessment in whatever way feels most appropriate for them. If you are unsure how to explain what will happen, we can offer guidance beforehand.
What if my child does not receive a diagnosis?
An assessment is not undertaken on the assumption that a diagnosis will necessarily be made. Our role is to understand your child’s individual profile and consider the assessment information carefully and objectively.
If the information gathered does not support diagnostic criteria for Autism or ADHD, we will explain how the findings have been understood and what they tell us about your child’s strengths, experiences and areas of need.
The assessment can still provide valuable information about how your child experiences the world, what they may be finding difficult and the support that could be helpful. Where appropriate, we will make recommendations based on what the assessment has identified and discuss possible next steps with you.
For combined assessments, the findings may support diagnostic criteria for Autism, ADHD, both, or neither.
Whatever the outcome, our aim is for you and your child to leave the assessment with a clearer understanding of their individual profile and what may help them going forward.
Who Will Be Involved In My Child's Assessment?
Your child’s assessment will be led by Dr Emma Rigby, Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Director of I.N. Therapy Berkshire.
Emma has over 10 years’ clinical experience working with children, young people and families across NHS and independent settings, with specialist experience in Autism, ADHD and wider psychological and developmental needs.
For Autism and combined Autism and ADHD assessments, Emma works alongside the same trusted Speech and Language Therapists on an ongoing basis. This means that assessment is carried out by an established team who are familiar with one another’s clinical approach and work collaboratively to understand each child’s individual profile.
The Speech and Language Therapist completes the ADOS assessment with your child, and information gathered across the assessment is brought together and considered as a team before diagnostic conclusions are reached. This ensures that the outcome reflects your child’s overall developmental and clinical picture rather than relying on any one questionnaire, assessment measure or appointment.
Where additional expertise or support may be helpful, we can also draw upon and signpost to a trusted, established network of professionals. This allows us to consider appropriate next steps based on your child’s individual needs rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
We recognise that families are trusting us with something important. Our aim is for both you and your child to feel listened to, respected and involved throughout the assessment process.
What Happens After the Assessment?
Assessment can provide greater clarity and understanding, but it can also bring new questions about how best to support your child going forward.
During your feedback session, we will talk through the findings, explain any diagnostic conclusions and discuss the recommendations arising from your child’s individual assessment.
Depending on your child’s needs, recommendations may include practical strategies for home and everyday life, support or reasonable adjustments within education, further professional input, or signposting to appropriate resources and services.
Our aim is for the assessment to be useful beyond the diagnostic outcome, giving you a clearer understanding of your child and practical guidance about what may help them going forward.
Optional Ongoing Support
Parent and Family Support
Some families would like more time and support to make sense of their child’s profile and work out how to translate this understanding into everyday family life.
Our six-session Parent & Family Support programme provides a focused space to understand your child’s individual strengths and needs, explore what may be contributing to areas of difficulty or overwhelm, and develop practical, neuroaffirming approaches to supporting them.
A diagnosis is not required to access this support, and the sessions can be tailored around the areas that would be most helpful for your family.
Considering medication following an ADHD diagnosis?
Medication is not prescribed directly through I.N. Therapy Berkshire. If your child receives an ADHD diagnosis and you would like to explore whether medication may be appropriate, we can discuss options for accessing an appropriately qualified medical professional for further assessment and advice.
Not Sure Whether Your Child Needs an Assessment?
You do not need to be certain that your child is autistic or has ADHD before speaking with us.
A standalone Neurodevelopmental Consultation provides an opportunity to discuss what you are noticing, your child's strengths and difficulties, and whether assessment or another form of support might be the most appropriate next step.
60 Minute Session - £150
There is no obligation to proceed with an assessment.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Deciding whether to pursue an assessment for your child can feel like a significant decision, and it is completely understandable to have questions before you begin.
If you would like to discuss an autism or ADHD assessment for your child, please get in touch. We are happy to answer any initial questions and help you consider the most appropriate next step.