Our 5-step assessment process (for Adults and Children)

1.Pre-Assessment Consultation - Online - 1 hour

This takes place BEFORE embarking upon a full assessment. During the consultation, we explore your concerns, gather background information, answer questions about our approach and decide together which type of assessment is best for you or your child. 

2.Background Information Interview(s) - Online - variable times

These are an an opportunity to explore the areas of your / your child’s life that help us understand your / their possible neurodivergence. We follow a structured interview format to ensure that we do not miss anything important, but the appointment will feel very much like having a conversation. 
*For child assessments - it is preferable for both parents to attend. If this is not possible, the parent who has primary child caring responsibilities (in early years and currently) is best placed to answer the questions.

3a) Observational Assessment(s) - In person - Approximately 1 hour

This appointment is held in-person at our Salisbury base. We complete a series of activities and tasks that most people find interesting. It is not a test and there is no sense of ‘right or wrong’ or of ‘failing’ anything. Breaks can be taken at any time during the assessment.

For Autism assessments, we use the ADOS - 2 to structure this appointment

For ADHD assessments, the QbCheck, a computerised task, forms part of this appointment

*For child assessments - it is standard practice for school-aged children to complete this assessment without a parent present. If, however, your school aged child needs you there to feel safe, we are happy for you to be there. A parent or carer typically stays with preschool children.

b) School based Observation

ADHD Assessments - our Assistant Psychologist completes a school observation to help us understand your child in that setting. Assessments can be completed without this if your child is home-educated or has difficulties attending their school.

Autism Assessments - school observations are only added as an extra should we need more information following steps 1-3. It is rare that we need to add this and it would incur and extra fee.

4.Online Feedback Meeting - Online - 1 hour

This online appointment is held with the team member who has led you through the process. It is an opportunity to discuss the outcome of the assessment including discovery and confirmation of any neurodiversity or whether there is an alternative way of understanding the differences you have noticed. There will be time to start exploring the “what does this mean for us?” and “what next?” during this appointment.

5.Our Report

You will then receive a full report based on our findings, confirming our outcome and with individualised recommendations. You will have a chance to review the report before it is finalised to ensure it is accurate and meaningful to you.

Making a diagnosis of any type of neurodivergence can, at times, be controversial. Should our decision differ from your expectations we will discuss this with you and reflect this in our report. As a team our priority is to provide the most complete and relevant assessment possible for you or your child, which will lead to a clear outcome and recommendations. We make diagnostic decisions based upon current guidelines and criteria and our professional training and experience. We take it very seriously and would not make a diagnosis without the relevant evidence. In exceptional cases (3% of assessments at review date) we ultimately describe someone’s neurodevelopmental profile and do not make a diagnostic decision. In all cases our reports describe a great deal about you or your child’s way of being, make well-reasoned suggestions about support or potential diagnoses that may be worth further exploration a make individualised recommendations.