Autism Assessments

Multidisciplinary Gold Standard Autism Assessments

If you believe that you, or your child, may be on the Autism Spectrum, it may be beneficial to complete our online screening questionnaires and share the results with your GP if you wish. It is important to note that the screens are simply questionnaires that highlight the presence or absence of certain characteristics rather than a diagnosis. However, they are useful in guiding your next steps regarding potential ASD assessment.

In the NHS, your GP, or other professional, can refer you for an autism assessment for free within the NHS. Sadly, due to excess demand on the NHS, particularly following Covid-19, there are often long waiting lists to be seen and assessed. Understanding the pressure on the NHS and the frequent need to be assessed in a more timely manner, has meant that there are many services in the United Kingdom offering private diagnostic autism assessments. It can therefore be difficult to know which service to use.

In order to help guide your decision when researching services, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellent (NICE) state that the "Gold Standard" comprehensive Autism Assessment for children and adults should consist of the following:

• Be team-based and draw on at least two different professions (i.e. Paediatrician, Clinical Psychologist and/or Speech and Language Therapist) who are registered, trained and competent in autism diagnosis (often registered with the Health and Care Professions Council)
• Where possible involve a family member, partner, carer or another informant.
• Use documentary evidence (such as school reports) of current and past behaviour and early development.
• Not rely on any specific autism diagnostic tool alone to diagnose autism.
• Include a detailed developmental history, focusing on developmental and behavioural features consistent with ICD-10 or DSM-5 criteria using an autism-specific tool to gather this information, such as Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA) or Autism Clinical Interview for Adults (ACIA).
• Include an assessment (through interaction with and face to face observation of the person) of social and communication skills and behaviours, focusing on features consistent with ICD-10 or DSM-5 criteria, using an autism-specific tool to gather this information, such as Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd edition (ADOS-2).
• Multi-disciplinary Clinical Team discussion to consider the differential diagnosis.
• Irrespective of Covid restrictions, NICE does not recommend for autism assessments to be conducted electronically via an online or video approach, in particular ADOS-2.
  

Our approach at

Acorn Autism Specialists

Our promise to you is a thorough, robust assessment consisting of:

• A thorough, person centred, robust diagnostic "gold standard" assessment
• A highly qualified, experienced Multi-Disciplinary Team (Clinical Psychologist and Speech and Language Therapist) with you throughout whole assessment
• Initial telephone discussion with key clinician, who will then become your allocated Key Person to support you during the diagnostic process and be your main contact throughout
• "Gold standard" assessment using "gold standard" assessment tools (ADI-R and ADOS-2) as recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for children and for adults
• Structured observation face to face using the ADOS-2, following Covid restrictions
• Developmental history using the ADI-R, ACIA, AAA or MIGDAS either online or in person, based on your needs
• Liaison with teaching staff for child assessment, including potential for school/nursery observations
• Review of available professional reports
• A highly detailed person-centred report containing informed and useful recommendations to support children and adults to achieve their full potential towards achieving well-being and success
• Multi-disciplinary clinical discussion to discuss comorbidity and differential diagnosis
• Timely assessment and informed of outcome within 24 hours
• Feedback meeting with you to go through report and recommendations

At Acorn Autism Specialists, our autism assessments are based on UK best practice models - they are designed strictly in line with the latest research and meet or exceed government standards including the gold Standard recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). There are no short-cuts and less robust assessment either online or with one sole professional are more likely to result in diagnoses being missed or incorrect diagnosis.

It is important to note that Acorn Autism Specialists diagnostic assessment are accepted by Local Authorities. Our assessments exceed the criteria standards of the SEN and Disability Code of Practice (2015) which Local Authorities are required to take into consideration when issuing an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for a child or young person with a diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).