The Autism Assessment Process
Step 1 - Screening.
We ask that you complete a short questionnaire and use our screening tool at home on your laptop which will help us to decifer if it is worth pursuing a diagnosis for you.
Step 2 - Initial Interview.
If the screening tools showed a result of a likely diagnosis then we would book you in for an initial interview where you will be introduced to your Lead Assessor.
Your Lead Assessor will take a brief history, explaining the process in more depth, and getting an understanding of how you would prefer the assessment to take place (eg remotely, over several sessions, in one session, with a support person etc). It is vital for your comfort and for a thorough, reliable assessment that we get this part right!
Step 3 - Questionnaire's.
This is quite a laborious but essential part of the process, as we will ask you to fill in many forms, and ask your family members to as well, and gather information (with your permission), from other services such as your GP or counsellor if you have one. If it is a child assessment we will also want to discuss with the school, GP, and any other services involved with the child. This helps us gain a wider knowledge of our client and helps us to make an accurate assessment.
Step 4 - In-depth Interview/s
We use the ADI-R interview for autism, and this is undertaken after all other information is gathered. A full history will be undertaken by your lead assessor and this will be used as part of the assessment. This can last up to 3 hours, depending on the situation but can be spread out if required. If it is a child this will include a parent interview, if an adult it may include interviews with other family members or spouse, but that will be agreed upon at the initial interview.
Step 5 - ADOS Assessment.
This is when the ADOS-2 will be administered. This is very in-depth using gold standard assessment tools and takes around an hour and is standardised as certain steps must be undertaken within the hour for the assessment to be valid. The assessment will be undertaken with your Lead Assessor.
Step 6 - MDT Review.
This is an essential part of the process. After all the history, questionnaires and assessments have been collated by your Lead Assessor, she will meet with our highly trained expert Multi-Disciplinary Team and will have an in-depth meeting to discuss your case, whether you meet the criteria for a diagnosis, whether another diagnosis might be more appropriate, and what recommendations we suggest to help you moving forward. Our team include Educational Psychologists, Mental Health Nurses, Pediatric Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists and Psychiatrists, and their invaluable input will go into the report. You are not required for this meeting.
Step 7 - Report Finalised.
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Each report is person-centred. Once your report has been reviewed and a diagnosis agreed by the team and signed off, it will be sent to you. We understand that this will be an anxious time, and after you have had time to digest it, you will be offered a follow-up appointment to discuss our findings within a few days of receipt. In this meeting we can discuss the results, the recommendations, and deal with any queries or concerns, and you can also ask for any support letters you may need moving forward. Our reports are widely accepted to access services and support in schools, further education, the workplace and other services. We will also signpost you to any services we feel may be helpful to you.
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