Why choose Solihull Autism Assessment Service?
We know how overwhelming it can feel when you are looking for the right service to reach an accurate diagnostic decision and it's important to be aware that the costs, accessibility, timescales, clinical expertise, quality of the assessments and detail of reports provided by private diagnostic assessment providers does vary significantly. With our team of expert clinicians who have extensive training, skills and experience in identifying neurodivergence, both in the NHS and in independent practice, you can feel reassured that you will be in safe hands. It is really important to us that your journey through the assessment process is a positive experience and Solihull Autism Assessment Service has been passionate about providing a good service since its founding, either in our comfortable clinic or within your own home. Whilst ensuring we provide a NICE-compliant multi-disciplinary assessment to reach a diagnostic conclusion, we are equally committed to promoting the neuroaffirmative reframing of neurodivergence. In doing so we use neuroaffirmative language, refer to individual strengths and foster positive neurodivergent identity throughout assessment sessions and within the final diagnostic report.
What is a 'neuroaffirmative approach'?
The term neuroaffirmative refers to the acknowledgement that all brain types ('neurotypes'), including those that are different to what society considers the norm ('neurodivergent'), are equal in value, valid in their right to exist and most importantly no longer seen as deficit-based disorders but different ways of experiencing the world. In practice, this means valuing an individual’s strengths, accommodating their challenges, breaking down barriers in order to facilitate skills and accepting differences in ways of communicating, interacting socially, behaviours and learning styles. For our service, amongst other things this means promoting independence and clients making their own informed decisions, including the children we see. It also means avoiding judgements based on preconceived ideas and instead, giving clients the opportunity to show us what they can be capable of with the right supports in place. This might be, for example, allowing clients to communicate with us in whichever form they are most comfortable. Finally, we really try to seek out the lived experience of neurodivergent individuals (including our own clinicians) and incorporate this into our clinical practice. In summary, we try to honour our clients' neurodivergence by giving them a safe space to be themselves, accommodating their needs and being accepting of their neurodivergent styles.
How can I be confident of the clinicians' skills and expertise?
All our clinicians are registered with the Health & Care Professionals Council, the independent body that regulates the work of healthcare professionals. They are also registered with their individual professional bodies, including the British Psychological Society and the Royal Colleges of Nursing and Speech & Language Therapists. These bodies set professional standards and keep a register of professionals who continue to meet these standards, evidenced by ongoing professional development. You can check the registration of our clinicians by visiting the HCPC website.
Doesn't an assessment need to be done by a Psychiatrist or doctor?
The NICE Guidelines for Autism assessment in adults as well as the NHS National Framework and Operational Guidance for Autism Assessment (2024/25) stipulate that assessments and diagnoses can be formulated by Clinical Psychologists and Speech and Language Therapists (and other clinical professionals), as well as psychiatrists and/or paediatricians. The NICE Guidelines state that a comprehensive Autism assessment should be undertaken by a team of professionals who are trained and competent and draw on a range of professions and skills, specifying that access to a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist be available if necessary for child assessments, which we have. Further, the NHS Operational Guidance for Autism Assessment states that at least one clinician conducting the Autism assessment should be a mental health professional (for example, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, mental health nurse) and the Autism assessment must include a clinical interview with the person, which ours all do. The NICE Guidelines for ADHD assessment state that a diagnosis of ADHD should only be made by a specialist psychiatrist, paediatrician or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in the diagnosis of ADHD. All of the clinicians undertaking our ADHD assessments are qualified healthcare professionals, registered with the HCPC, and have specialist experience, training, knowledge and skills in ADHD. However, it is important to note that our team of clinicians, whilst able to give the ADHD diagnosis are not able to recommend or prescribe medication for ADHD as this needs to be done by a medical doctor. We are in partnership, however, with Malvern Hills Private Practice who are able to offer medication following one of our assessments, if suitable.
How long do the assessments take?
We aim to see clients for their first appointment within one month of an enquiry being made and it then takes up to six weeks to complete the diagnostic assessment and receive the full report. There are some exceptions to this; school holidays and Christmas, for example, may cause a delay.
Do I need a referral from my GP?
No, we accept self-referrals but if any further information is needed from your GP, we will let you know.
Do I have to attend an initial consultation if I'm sure I want to go ahead with the full diagnostic assessment?
Yes, we ask all clients (and their families if applicable) to attend an initial consultation with one of our experienced clinicians. The initial consultation is an opportunity for us to learn about each client's journey to us and reasons for assessment, to identify likelihood of neurodivergence, to consider whether a client can engage in the full assessment and to screen for alternative explanations of difficulties. Our initial consultation is generally structured to discuss issues such as peer relationships, social communication, early development and behaviour in order to help clarify what the presenting needs are and whether a full autism, ADHD or combined autism/ADHD assessment is the most appropriate next step (if any). There is, of course, no obligation to continue with the full assessment following the initial consultation if you choose not to, even if it is recommended. Please note that we do require consent from both parents to continue with a full assessment if both hold shared Parental Responsibility and we encourage both parents to be involved in the assessment process.
Is a diagnosis from Solihull Autism Assessment Service recognised by schools, local authorities and NHS services?
Families are often concerned about local statutory services accepting our assessment and diagnosis given that we are an independent service. Ensuring the validity of an assessment is, of course, very important. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines as mentioned above are in place to ensure consistency and validity of assessment, diagnosis and treatment across different services. As already detailed, our assessment complies with the relevant NICE Guidelines and our clinicians have the relevant training, qualifications, experience and professional registrations including, of course, HCPC registration. We would point you towards the ‘Special Educational Needs and Disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years’ from January 2015. This states in the ‘Advice and Information for EHC needs assessments’ section paragraph 9.47: “The local authority should consider with the child’s parent or the young person and the parties listed under paragraph 9.49 the range of advice required to enable a full EHC needs assessment to take place. The principle underpinning this is ‘tell us once’, avoiding the child’s parent or the young person having to provide the same information multiple times. … The local authority must not seek further advice if such advice has already been provided (for any purpose) and the person providing the advice, the local authority and the child’s parent or the young person are all satisfied that it is sufficient for the assessment process. …” We take that to mean that requesting a reassessment would not be advised unless there is a clear and pressing concern about the outcome of the first assessment. Furthermore, in paragraph 9.49, the local authority must (documents highlight) seek: “Medical advice and information from health care professionals with a role in relation to the child’s or young person’s health .. and Advice and information from any person requested by the child’s parent or young person, where the local authority considers it reasonable to do so. For example, they may suggest consulting a GP or other health professional” The Code of Practice does not suggest that all assessments have to be conducted by statutory services. Your local services will be familiar with students or patients accessing private healthcare for a wide range of concerns, whether it be diagnosis, treatment and intervention for a physical health condition, a mental health condition or developmental disability, such as Autism or ADHD. We would be happy to provide any information they may require to fulfil any protocols they have to ensure that independently sourced healthcare, of any type, is appropriate and valid for their students or patients. We would also be happy to answer any specific concerns about our work or conclusions that other services raise with you. We would also be happy, with your consent of course, for our report to be considered by your local NHS Autism / ADHD Diagnostic team so that it can be reviewed by clinicians with the appropriate expertise. We would, of course, hope that they would confirm that the assessment has been completed appropriately but would be open to any conversation that a review would require.
Do you accept NHS referrals for assessment?
As we are an independent service, we accept referrals from any source. However, it is the client’s responsibility to ensure that funding from the relevant NHS Trust or CCG is in place prior to arranging an assessment with our service.
Do you offer medication for ADHD?
There are many treatment options for ADHD and what works best can depend on the individual person and family; ADHD can be managed effectively with appropriate support in school/the workplace and at home, alongside medication if necessary. This medication needs to be prescribed by a Paediatrician, Psychiatrist or independent Nurse Prescriber. We are in partnership with Malvern Hills Private Practice who offer ADHD medication on an independent basis following one of our assessments, if suitable.
What is a neurodiversity-affirmative approach?
This means that our clinicians do not see Autism or any other neuropsychological difference as something that is 'wrong' with the person or something that needs to be fixed, healed or changed. We view any neuropsychological difference as part of the natural diversity of human beings, which is in contrast often with the traditional medical model of diagnoses, and rather than identifying 'impairments' and offering 'treatments' we instead help individuals realise their differences and find ways to improve their quality of life and well-being.
Why do you not assess children under 7 years old?
Although there is some variability between services, we choose not to offer autism or ADHD assessments for children until they are at least 7 years old as difficulties they experience can be so changeable in the early years and misdiagnosis before this age is therefore much more of a risk. Up until this age, the NICE Guidelines recommend taking a 'watchful waiting' approach.
Do you diagnose PDA?
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is not currently a valid diagnosis in itself as it is not recognised in any of the validated diagnostic manuals. Although we may talk about a 'demand-avoidant profile' within neurodivergence and can provide sources of support around this, we do not offer assessment and diagnosis service for PDA itself.
What is the QB Check?
The QB check (www.qbcheck.com) is a computer-based activity that objectively measures the three core symptoms of ADHD; activity, inattention and impulsivity. Your test result is compared with people of the same age and gender, who have ADHD and those who do not. The test is performed on your home computer and takes 15-20 minutes, without the involvement of a clinician, and the results contribute to your overall ADHD assessment.
Do you provide Fit for Work assessments?
Unfortunately, we cannot provide these assessments as they need to be completed by an Occupational Health service.
What are the advantages of an autism or ADHD diagnosis in adulthood?
The most common outcome we experience in giving an autism and ADHD diagnosis to an adult is the feeling of relief and understanding. After many years, often, of struggles with social interaction, relationships, behaviour and even mental health problems, clients given a diagnosis as an adult often feel they have greater understanding and clarity about the the context of their difficulties. Having a good understanding of these conditions also allows future planning and predicting obstacles, as well as planning how to overcome or manage them. Future support and interventions around any mental health or well-being difficulties can also be adapted to be more appropriate and suitable, making them more effective. On a practical level, with awareness of an autism or ADHD diagnosis, employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to allow the employee to access their role and the workplace as fully as possible.
For more consideration of the pros and cons of seeking an autism assessment and diagnosis in particular, see this document.
We know how overwhelming it can feel when you are looking for the right service to reach an accurate diagnostic decision and it's important to be aware that the costs, accessibility, timescales, clinical expertise, quality of the assessments and detail of reports provided by private diagnostic assessment providers does vary significantly. With our team of expert clinicians who have extensive training, skills and experience in identifying neurodivergence, both in the NHS and in independent practice, you can feel reassured that you will be in safe hands. It is really important to us that your journey through the assessment process is a positive experience and Solihull Autism Assessment Service has been passionate about providing a good service since its founding, either in our comfortable clinic or within your own home. Whilst ensuring we provide a NICE-compliant multi-disciplinary assessment to reach a diagnostic conclusion, we are equally committed to promoting the neuroaffirmative reframing of neurodivergence. In doing so we use neuroaffirmative language, refer to individual strengths and foster positive neurodivergent identity throughout assessment sessions and within the final diagnostic report.
What is a 'neuroaffirmative approach'?
The term neuroaffirmative refers to the acknowledgement that all brain types ('neurotypes'), including those that are different to what society considers the norm ('neurodivergent'), are equal in value, valid in their right to exist and most importantly no longer seen as deficit-based disorders but different ways of experiencing the world. In practice, this means valuing an individual’s strengths, accommodating their challenges, breaking down barriers in order to facilitate skills and accepting differences in ways of communicating, interacting socially, behaviours and learning styles. For our service, amongst other things this means promoting independence and clients making their own informed decisions, including the children we see. It also means avoiding judgements based on preconceived ideas and instead, giving clients the opportunity to show us what they can be capable of with the right supports in place. This might be, for example, allowing clients to communicate with us in whichever form they are most comfortable. Finally, we really try to seek out the lived experience of neurodivergent individuals (including our own clinicians) and incorporate this into our clinical practice. In summary, we try to honour our clients' neurodivergence by giving them a safe space to be themselves, accommodating their needs and being accepting of their neurodivergent styles.
How can I be confident of the clinicians' skills and expertise?
All our clinicians are registered with the Health & Care Professionals Council, the independent body that regulates the work of healthcare professionals. They are also registered with their individual professional bodies, including the British Psychological Society and the Royal Colleges of Nursing and Speech & Language Therapists. These bodies set professional standards and keep a register of professionals who continue to meet these standards, evidenced by ongoing professional development. You can check the registration of our clinicians by visiting the HCPC website.
Doesn't an assessment need to be done by a Psychiatrist or doctor?
The NICE Guidelines for Autism assessment in adults as well as the NHS National Framework and Operational Guidance for Autism Assessment (2024/25) stipulate that assessments and diagnoses can be formulated by Clinical Psychologists and Speech and Language Therapists (and other clinical professionals), as well as psychiatrists and/or paediatricians. The NICE Guidelines state that a comprehensive Autism assessment should be undertaken by a team of professionals who are trained and competent and draw on a range of professions and skills, specifying that access to a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist be available if necessary for child assessments, which we have. Further, the NHS Operational Guidance for Autism Assessment states that at least one clinician conducting the Autism assessment should be a mental health professional (for example, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, mental health nurse) and the Autism assessment must include a clinical interview with the person, which ours all do. The NICE Guidelines for ADHD assessment state that a diagnosis of ADHD should only be made by a specialist psychiatrist, paediatrician or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in the diagnosis of ADHD. All of the clinicians undertaking our ADHD assessments are qualified healthcare professionals, registered with the HCPC, and have specialist experience, training, knowledge and skills in ADHD. However, it is important to note that our team of clinicians, whilst able to give the ADHD diagnosis are not able to recommend or prescribe medication for ADHD as this needs to be done by a medical doctor. We are in partnership, however, with Malvern Hills Private Practice who are able to offer medication following one of our assessments, if suitable.
How long do the assessments take?
We aim to see clients for their first appointment within one month of an enquiry being made and it then takes up to six weeks to complete the diagnostic assessment and receive the full report. There are some exceptions to this; school holidays and Christmas, for example, may cause a delay.
Do I need a referral from my GP?
No, we accept self-referrals but if any further information is needed from your GP, we will let you know.
Do I have to attend an initial consultation if I'm sure I want to go ahead with the full diagnostic assessment?
Yes, we ask all clients (and their families if applicable) to attend an initial consultation with one of our experienced clinicians. The initial consultation is an opportunity for us to learn about each client's journey to us and reasons for assessment, to identify likelihood of neurodivergence, to consider whether a client can engage in the full assessment and to screen for alternative explanations of difficulties. Our initial consultation is generally structured to discuss issues such as peer relationships, social communication, early development and behaviour in order to help clarify what the presenting needs are and whether a full autism, ADHD or combined autism/ADHD assessment is the most appropriate next step (if any). There is, of course, no obligation to continue with the full assessment following the initial consultation if you choose not to, even if it is recommended. Please note that we do require consent from both parents to continue with a full assessment if both hold shared Parental Responsibility and we encourage both parents to be involved in the assessment process.
Is a diagnosis from Solihull Autism Assessment Service recognised by schools, local authorities and NHS services?
Families are often concerned about local statutory services accepting our assessment and diagnosis given that we are an independent service. Ensuring the validity of an assessment is, of course, very important. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines as mentioned above are in place to ensure consistency and validity of assessment, diagnosis and treatment across different services. As already detailed, our assessment complies with the relevant NICE Guidelines and our clinicians have the relevant training, qualifications, experience and professional registrations including, of course, HCPC registration. We would point you towards the ‘Special Educational Needs and Disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years’ from January 2015. This states in the ‘Advice and Information for EHC needs assessments’ section paragraph 9.47: “The local authority should consider with the child’s parent or the young person and the parties listed under paragraph 9.49 the range of advice required to enable a full EHC needs assessment to take place. The principle underpinning this is ‘tell us once’, avoiding the child’s parent or the young person having to provide the same information multiple times. … The local authority must not seek further advice if such advice has already been provided (for any purpose) and the person providing the advice, the local authority and the child’s parent or the young person are all satisfied that it is sufficient for the assessment process. …” We take that to mean that requesting a reassessment would not be advised unless there is a clear and pressing concern about the outcome of the first assessment. Furthermore, in paragraph 9.49, the local authority must (documents highlight) seek: “Medical advice and information from health care professionals with a role in relation to the child’s or young person’s health .. and Advice and information from any person requested by the child’s parent or young person, where the local authority considers it reasonable to do so. For example, they may suggest consulting a GP or other health professional” The Code of Practice does not suggest that all assessments have to be conducted by statutory services. Your local services will be familiar with students or patients accessing private healthcare for a wide range of concerns, whether it be diagnosis, treatment and intervention for a physical health condition, a mental health condition or developmental disability, such as Autism or ADHD. We would be happy to provide any information they may require to fulfil any protocols they have to ensure that independently sourced healthcare, of any type, is appropriate and valid for their students or patients. We would also be happy to answer any specific concerns about our work or conclusions that other services raise with you. We would also be happy, with your consent of course, for our report to be considered by your local NHS Autism / ADHD Diagnostic team so that it can be reviewed by clinicians with the appropriate expertise. We would, of course, hope that they would confirm that the assessment has been completed appropriately but would be open to any conversation that a review would require.
Do you accept NHS referrals for assessment?
As we are an independent service, we accept referrals from any source. However, it is the client’s responsibility to ensure that funding from the relevant NHS Trust or CCG is in place prior to arranging an assessment with our service.
Do you offer medication for ADHD?
There are many treatment options for ADHD and what works best can depend on the individual person and family; ADHD can be managed effectively with appropriate support in school/the workplace and at home, alongside medication if necessary. This medication needs to be prescribed by a Paediatrician, Psychiatrist or independent Nurse Prescriber. We are in partnership with Malvern Hills Private Practice who offer ADHD medication on an independent basis following one of our assessments, if suitable.
What is a neurodiversity-affirmative approach?
This means that our clinicians do not see Autism or any other neuropsychological difference as something that is 'wrong' with the person or something that needs to be fixed, healed or changed. We view any neuropsychological difference as part of the natural diversity of human beings, which is in contrast often with the traditional medical model of diagnoses, and rather than identifying 'impairments' and offering 'treatments' we instead help individuals realise their differences and find ways to improve their quality of life and well-being.
Why do you not assess children under 7 years old?
Although there is some variability between services, we choose not to offer autism or ADHD assessments for children until they are at least 7 years old as difficulties they experience can be so changeable in the early years and misdiagnosis before this age is therefore much more of a risk. Up until this age, the NICE Guidelines recommend taking a 'watchful waiting' approach.
Do you diagnose PDA?
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is not currently a valid diagnosis in itself as it is not recognised in any of the validated diagnostic manuals. Although we may talk about a 'demand-avoidant profile' within neurodivergence and can provide sources of support around this, we do not offer assessment and diagnosis service for PDA itself.
What is the QB Check?
The QB check (www.qbcheck.com) is a computer-based activity that objectively measures the three core symptoms of ADHD; activity, inattention and impulsivity. Your test result is compared with people of the same age and gender, who have ADHD and those who do not. The test is performed on your home computer and takes 15-20 minutes, without the involvement of a clinician, and the results contribute to your overall ADHD assessment.
Do you provide Fit for Work assessments?
Unfortunately, we cannot provide these assessments as they need to be completed by an Occupational Health service.
What are the advantages of an autism or ADHD diagnosis in adulthood?
The most common outcome we experience in giving an autism and ADHD diagnosis to an adult is the feeling of relief and understanding. After many years, often, of struggles with social interaction, relationships, behaviour and even mental health problems, clients given a diagnosis as an adult often feel they have greater understanding and clarity about the the context of their difficulties. Having a good understanding of these conditions also allows future planning and predicting obstacles, as well as planning how to overcome or manage them. Future support and interventions around any mental health or well-being difficulties can also be adapted to be more appropriate and suitable, making them more effective. On a practical level, with awareness of an autism or ADHD diagnosis, employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to allow the employee to access their role and the workplace as fully as possible.
For more consideration of the pros and cons of seeking an autism assessment and diagnosis in particular, see this document.
