How to choose the autism assessment that’s right for you

Going through life without an autism diagnosis is more common than many people think. Lots of autistic people reach adulthood accepting they don't fit in as well as others, teaching themselves different methods to cope with life's challenges. But for many, this can be extremely exhausting.

The path to self-discovery can begin at any time. You may have been wondering if you're autistic for a while. You might have read something or seen something on TV that you identify with. Your child may have been diagnosed. Someone you know might have said you have autistic traits.

The only way to know for sure whether you are autistic is to get a formal diagnosis. But for many people, this can be a problem in itself: with various diagnostic methods available, all promising to deliver the best results, how do you decide which one’s right for you?

It often starts with an online autism test. But, as we always remind people, an online test should only be seen as a guide. Receiving a formal diagnosis is the result of a far more comprehensive process. For an autism assessment to be truly valuable, it needs to be detailed enough to capture each person's unique experiences, and accurate enough to draw clear recommendations from.

This is crucial. Only with the right level of detail can clinicians make truly personalised recommendations that have the potential to genuinely change someone's life for the better.

This is why we've chosen to rethink the way we conduct our autism assessments.

Until recently, our standardised assessments took around three hours. When we started using this approach, it was widely considered to be the best available. But diagnostic measures have come a long way and there is now a more sophisticated, more accurate and, ultimately, more valuable way to diagnose autism. 

The most reliable and well-validated diagnostic measures available 

Our revised autism assessments use the two most reliable diagnostic measures in autism: the Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2). This includes: 

• Four pre-appointment psychometric questionnaires 
• Clinical interview to explore past medical history and development 
• Observation of communication and interaction skills  
• Second appointment to explore current strengths and difficulties 
• Collaborative analysis of results by a team of senior clinicians 
• Feedback appointment to discuss results and plan recommendations for report 
• Detailed report of clinical findings with advice, guidance and recommendations

Widely recognised as the gold standard in autism assessments, this approach requires around 12-14 hours of clinical team time, in addition to the administration, scoring and analysing before and after the assessment. This connection of services ensures the most reliable and trustworthy outcomes. 

Conducted by specialist senior clinicians

This combination of clinical experience and knowledge and an assessment robust enough to draw out the finest details is what enables specific recommendations that deliver genuinely life changing outcomes.

All of our autism assessments are carried out by a team of two senior clinicians who specialise in autism assessments. Every clinician is extremely experienced in diagnosing and working with autistic adults, both through their work in the NHS and through independent practice.

The cost of the assessment is £1950 (correct as of May 2021). Please note that we are no longer able to offer the reduced assessment option that was previously available at lower rate.

Opening the door for meaningful change

Ultimately, this is all about giving people the answers they've been searching for, empowering them to take control, confident they have the most accurate understanding of the issues they may have been living with.

As of May 2021, we are placing all enquiries on a waiting list due to high demand. This is only a temporary measure and we hope to be able to deliver more autism assessments soon. Our priority at this stage is to provide everyone already on the waiting list with the best service in the most efficient manner.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this delay. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please contact us using the details below and a member of our team will call you back as soon as we have the availability to provide you with an assessment.