Before the assessment starts, we will send you a brief questionnaire to ask for updated information since your child’s referral was made. This helps us to ensure the correct range of professionals are involved in the assessment from the beginning. We are unable to book your first appointment until we have received this information.

Once we have received your questionnaire, a Case Lead will be allocated, and parents/carers will then receive an appointment letter with a date and time for an initial appointment and a face-to face appointment for their child.

For more information on our team and what kind of professions work within the team, please see our About the Autism Team page.

Case Leads 

Most members of the Specialist Assessment Service Autism Assessment Team work as Case Leads. In this service, a Case Lead supports children, young people and their families through the assessment process.

The process involves completion of assessment to make a diagnostic decision of whether a child or young person presenting with difficulties in their communication, social interaction and/or flexibility of thought and behaviour meets the criteria for an underlying Autism Spectrum Disorder.

When required, the Case Leads is able to consult with or request further assessment from team members from different professions in order to gain a full picture of a child/young person’s strengths and areas of differences. As part of the assessment the Case Lead will liaise with other professionals involved and meet with children/young people and/or their parents/carers to discuss the outcome of the assessment and agree on recommendations for on-going support.

A child/young person’s Case Lead will be the main point of contact for the family or other professionals who contact the Specialist Assessment Service during the assessment process.

The Assessment Process

Once a Case Lead has been allocated, parents will then receive an appointment letter with a date and time for an initial appointment.

At the first appointment, the lead clinician will meet with parents/carers on video call, without the child present. This is a lengthy appointment and can last up to 3 hours. At this appointment, parents/carers will be led through a series of questions so that we fully understand the child’s development and the difficulties they may be experiencing. Parents may ask any questions they wish or explore any issues important to them at this appointment.

At the end of this appointment, an assessment plan will be agreed between parents and the Case Lead. Some children may require a range of appointments, whilst others may only require 1 or 2 appointments. This plan depends on how much is already known about a child and what areas may need further assessment.

Many children are cared for in different ways. If children reside with parents at different homes, we do like to get the views of both parents. If you feel this may cause difficulties, please speak to your Case Lead.

Any parents or carers who may need adjustments to be made during the assessment process, e.g. Support with English, understanding/reading documentation, needing to bring along someone to support them or difficulties attending, should always speak to their Case Lead who will be able to support and discuss the support available.

After each step in the assessment process, the Case Lead may wish to gain the views and input from other professionals within the team and wider services. Parents will be informed of the details of this if it needs to happen. Some children may also need to be seen at home or at school.

Once the assessment process has started, the appointments will be fairly close together. Most children’s appointments are spread over just 2 to 3 weeks.

At the end of the assessment process, the Case Lead will meet with parents and/or the child. At this final appointment, the outcomes from the assessment will be explained, a diagnosis may be given or an alternative explanation for difficulties offered. Whether or not to include the child/young person in this appointment will be decided between parents, the child and the Case lead

We have created an Easy-Read guide to the Autism Assessment process for young people and families to access.

All clinic appointments take place at Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre.

Below are images are of the reception, a clinic room, and the waiting area.