Frequently asked questions: autism in children

Your child can have an assessment either through the NHS funded Right to Choose route or through private funding arranged by you. We do accept funding from insurance companies. These assessments can be solely online or a mix of online and in person. 

For the NHS Right to Choose route please go to your GP to explore whether an assessment would be suitable and if so, ask to be referred to Evolve Psychology. For a privately funded assessment please contact us for the details of costs and appropriate forms. 

Your child’s assessment will include a meeting with a clinician to discuss your child’s history; a one to one assessment with your child and one of our clinicians; and a feedback meeting with the outcome. We tailor your assessment according to your individual needs. If additional assessment is required we will discuss this with you once the assessment has begun

Please click here to find out more What to expect at an assessment. 

You can go back to your GP to discuss if another Right To Choose assessment is appropriate. You may need to provide supporting evidence of any changes in order to be accepted for another assessment or they may only allow this after a set period of time. 

If you are coming to us through private funding, we would recommend you do not request another assessment within a year of your last assessment and to come only if there are significant changes which would warrant another assessment. 

It can be difficult to explain what autism is to a child, particularly if they are young. We would advise you do discuss with your child why they are coming to us before they start the assessment. In our experience being open with your child helps them manage the assessment. Depending on their age we are also likely to ask them about their view of possibly having autism.

We often explain to children that everybody’s brain works differently. Sometimes this can mean that doing tasks such as getting dressed or doing schoolwork can be difficult for them. Use some examples of what they find more difficult to help explain this. Also discuss your child’s strengths with them to acknowledge all the skills they do have. For primary aged children please see this video which you can show your child to help explain the assessment and why they are coming to us.

For older children and young people this video here will show them what to expect from the one to one session.

After the history assessment and one to one assessment, our team meet to discuss all the information gathered. We will have had school forms already, however we need to gain an up to date picture of your child at school or we may need some additional details. We may benefit from information from another professional involved with your child and may ask them too. We will always contact you first before requesting any further information.

Sometimes the outcome for the children who see us is a no diagnosis. Humans are complex and sometimes what the child is experiencing is not due to autism  but something else. There could be a trauma in their past; a learning disability; or maybe a head injury that make the situation more complex. It may be developmentally this is not the right time to have a diagnosis and your child would benefit from developing further and coming back for an assessment at a later stage. 

Some children have some challenges with areas relating to autism but their overall pattern does not fit the criteria for a diagnosis. When we have our feedback meeting with you, we will signpost you where we can to what else we think it might be. Hopefully this will help you seek the right support. 

Once you have had your feedback meeting the report will be with you via email within 6 weeks. If you have come through Right To Choose this will also be sent to your GP unless you have opted out. We do not send reports to schools or other professionals involved unless agreed with you separately. For privately funded assessments the report is only sent to you. 

We do not usually have parents in the one to one assessment. Our clinicians are skilled at making the sessions interesting and fun.  We understand children will be nervous before coming, please see our location videos to familiarise yourself with the clinic you are coming to. We also have a video about what to expect from the one to one assessment.  Our clinicians are skilled in putting young people at ease so that they can really be themselves.

For younger children, to help explain why they are coming to clinic please click here to see this animation. 

Sometimes children may need their parent for the first few minutes to settle and after that we encourage parents to leave for the session. Parents are required to remain on site throughout the assessment therefore the clinician can always bring your child to you if it is felt appropriate.