Frequently asked questions

Our assessment is multidisciplinary and meets NICE guidelines. We send the final report to your local Health Trust to be ratified, in line with regional guidance on accepting private autism assessments. Once your Trust has ratified it, the Education Authority will accept it.

Not automatically. An autism diagnosis does not by itself lead to extra support or a classroom assistant. In Northern Ireland, an Educational Psychology assessment is needed to access additional support in school. We can't make recommendations about school placement or specialist schools.

Young people aged 13 and over need to know why they're being assessed and give their consent. For younger children, our Preparing for your visit page has a short video and a social story you can share with them beforehand.

For children under 6, we recommend that one adult stays with them during the clinical assessment while another adult takes part in the parent interview in a room nearby. If you can, bring two adults. From age 6, a parent doesn't need to be in the room, but we'll invite you in to help settle your child if needed.

Yes. Let us know when you book if your child has periods of not speaking that may affect the assessment. Our clinicians are experienced in supporting young people with this, and we can often arrange to see them somewhere more familiar.

Tell us in advance if this might happen and we'll talk through other options with you.

We use the adult process for people aged 19 and over. Sometimes we recommend a first consultation to agree the best route. If an assessment goes ahead, it takes place on one day in two parts. We recommend completing everything face to face.

In many cases, once we've gathered all the information, an autism diagnosis is confirmed. If the evidence from home, school and clinic doesn't match, or a young person can't take part in the clinical assessment, we may need a school observation, which has an extra cost. Sometimes another of our specialists will see your child, at no extra cost. Very occasionally we need a screening assessment from a partner provider, and we'll agree any extra charge with you first. In some cases there isn't enough evidence across all areas, and no diagnosis is given.

No, we don't assess for ADHD.

Waiting times depend on demand, and we can often offer a short-notice cancellation. Send us an enquiry and we'll reply by email with current costs and waiting times. A £100 non-refundable deposit secures your place on the waiting list.