Understand more about autism in children and young people, and find out how we can help.
Autism assessments
Understanding your child is the first step. Finding the right support comes next.
At Clinical Partners, we offer autism assessments for children and young people, and psychological therapies that can be tailored to your child’s needs. Our approach focuses on understanding, clarity, and practical support, helping you understand what is going on and what may help at home and in education.
What is an autism assessment?
An autism assessment helps build a clear picture of how your child communicates, interacts, and experiences the world. It explores strengths as well as areas that may be harder for your child, such as sensory overload, change, uncertainty, or social situations. The assessment helps determine whether your child’s profile is consistent with autism, or whether something else may better explain what you are seeing.
Our assessments are led by specialist clinicians with experience in assessing autism and other neurodevelopmental differences. They bring together information from multiple sources, including questionnaires and structured appointments, to understand your child’s development over time and their current presentation.
As part of the process, clinicians consider recognised diagnostic criteria for autism, which focus on two main areas:
Differences in social communication and interaction such as understanding social cues, forming relationships, and sharing or interpreting emotions.
Restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or sensory experiences such as a strong need for routine, focused interests, and sensory sensitivities to noise, lights, textures, or change.
The goal is to help you understand your child better and identify practical recommendations and next steps that can support your child’s wellbeing and development, whether or not the outcome includes a formal diagnosis.
Why might I want an assessment for my child?
Families seek autism assessments for many reasons. You might be considering an assessment if your child:
is struggling with social situations or friendships
finds change, uncertainty, or transitions difficult
experiences sensory overwhelm, such as noise, busy places, or clothing textures
masks at school then seems exhausted, overwhelmed, or dysregulated at home
has big emotions, meltdowns, or shutdowns that are hard to manage
is coping academically but finding day to day life difficult emotionally or socially
needs clearer understanding and support in school
An assessment can help you understand what is driving your child’s needs, provide appropriate support for them at home, explain them more clearly to others, and access the right support and adjustments.
Talking therapies
Many autistic children and young people find talking therapies helpful, especially when it’s shaped to how they communicate, process emotions, and experience sensory input.
Therapy is not about changing who your child is. It is a supportive space to help them understand themselves, build coping strategies, and feel more confident in daily life. For younger children, this may include working with parents or carers so strategies can be used consistently at home.
Our approach
Our therapists use evidence-based approaches, adapted to the needs of autistic children and young people. Together with your child’s clinician, you’ll agree the pace, structure, and focus of sessions so they feel comfortable, practical, and relevant for your child and your family.