Autism assessment frequently asked questions

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We will discuss your unique circumstances with you in your initial consultation appointment. The exact tools we use will depend on the difficulties you have noted as well as who might be available to contribute to the assessment. We will always aim to complete the most robust assessment according to the current NICE guidelines for assessment of autism, but there is a balance to be struck depending on your circumstances and presentation. Examples of assessment tools we use regularly include the ADOS, ADI-R, ACIA, RAADS-r, AAA, CAT-Q and CAST.

We will also ask you to complete some screening questionnaires to find out more about your current mental health. Due to the high rates of overlap between autism and ADHD, we include a screening tool for ADHD but there is no obligation to be formally assessed for this.

All information gathered from all sources is synthesised into your comprehensive report.

In line with diagnostic criteria, we need to establish that some autistic features were present when you were a young child. Usually, asking a parent is the best way to determine this. Often, we will agree not to involve a parent, perhaps because the parent is no longer around or well enough to participate. Sometimes, people prefer not to involve their parent because they do not have a good relationship or they do not want to disclose the possibility they are autistic to them. Often, we hear that our clients feel their parents would not have recognised or remembered autistic features because they were masking their difficulties. Parents themselves can struggle with the idea that their adult child might be autistic, which might be due to a less contemporary understanding of autism, difficulty accepting that there might be something "wrong" or different about their child, or maybe even a sense of guilt at not spotting the difficulties and seeking support sooner. These are all really valid concerns.

In your initial consultation, we will explore any hesitation to involve a parent. Assessments including parents are administered very sensitively, with a lot of reassurance, normalising and validating. You also get the chance to respond to any comments your parent makes in the assessment. In case of any disagreement, we would use our clinical judgement but generally speaking we place a higher weight on the internal experience of the person rather than those around them (e.g. if your parent tells us your eye contact was "fine", but you tell us how uncomfortable and unnatural it feels, we will take that seriously).

If, after this discussion, it still feels inappropriate or impossible to involve a parent, we will discuss whether anyone else might have something to contribute. We have carried out assessments with our clients' partners, friends and siblings in the past. They may not be able to tell us much about your early years, but corroborating your current concerns is always helpful.

It is still possible to arrive at a diagnostic decision without another informant involved, but in the interests of robustness this would usually be a last resort.

The total cost of an autism assessment on its own is £1200. This covers all 5 steps listed on the assessment process page. Other packages are available if you have more than one question about your neurodiversity. Please see fees page for more information.

The initial consultation (£150) is payable before step 2, with the remainder due prior to starting step 3 if you decide to proceed.

If cost is a concern, you have the option of spreading your sessions over several months, allowing you to spread the cost over several paychecks. Please let us know if you would like to discuss this option.