Diagnosis and reframing
Formal identification, plus support to reinterpret a life history that suddenly reads differently.
Assessment
Adult Assessments
For everyone who has spent years being told they are 'just sensitive', 'a bit scattered', or 'fine, really'.
Overview
Who this is for
- Adults of any age, with referral from a GP, health professional or SENCO, or a GP Summary if a letter is not available
- People identified late, often after a child's diagnosis
- Professionals whose coping strategies have stopped working
- Anyone whose anxiety or depression treatment never quite reached the root
Why someone might seek this
None of the following confirms anything on its own. They are simply the experiences people most often describe when they contact us.
- Life takes visibly more effort than it seems to take other people
- Burnout arrives repeatedly, and rest does not fully resolve it
- Relationships and work follow patterns you can see but not change
- A child's assessment made you recognise yourself in the questionnaire
- You want language for something you have always known
In short
Can adults receive an autism or ADHD diagnosis?
Yes. Both autism and ADHD are lifelong neurodevelopmental conditions, and both can be formally diagnosed at any age. For adult autism assessments, the pathway has eight clear stages. First, you complete a range of questionnaires and pre-assessment forms so we can understand your experiences, developmental history and current presentation. Second, you identify an informant who can provide supporting information about your development and experiences; an informant is required and may be a parent, family member, partner or another person who knows you well. Third, your completed information is reviewed by our multidisciplinary team during a weekly clinical meeting, to confirm we have sufficient information and identify any additional considerations, including whether mental health factors need exploring before proceeding. Fourth, depending on your individual circumstances and the information gathered, one or more assessment tools may be used, such as the ADI-R, ACIA or RAADS-R, chosen by the clinical team. Fifth, your informant may be invited to attend the clinical interview or asked to complete a detailed supporting questionnaire. Sixth, following completion of the assessment, all information is reviewed by the MDT. Seventh, you attend a feedback appointment with a clinician to discuss the outcome, ask questions and plan next steps. Eighth, a comprehensive written report is prepared, typically within four to six weeks of the feedback session. For adult ADHD, the assessment is completed online with one clinician and is then reviewed in a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting with another team member, who uses all pre-assessment questionnaires, the clinical interview and any informant information to reach a formulation. Adult assessment differs from child assessment mainly in how evidence is gathered: because diagnostic criteria require that traits were present in early development, clinicians reconstruct childhood history through structured interview, school reports, family accounts, photographs and memories, alongside detailed exploration of current functioning. Adults are also more likely to have developed compensatory strategies, masking, scripting, over-preparation, rigid systems, which can hide traits from casual observation, so assessment focuses on internal experience and the effort a behaviour costs, not just how the behaviour looks. Where a relative who knew you as a child is unavailable, assessment can still proceed, though clinicians will be explicit about how that affects confidence. Adult diagnosis commonly leads to significant reframing of past experiences, access to reasonable adjustments at work under the Equality Act 2010, eligibility for support such as Access to Work, and, for ADHD, the option of medication.
What information is gathered
- Questionnaires and pre-assessment forms about your experiences, developmental history and current presentation
- A required informant who knows you well, such as a parent, family member, partner or close friend
- Detailed life history from early childhood to now
- Adult-validated diagnostic interviews and rating scales, such as ADI-R, ACIA or RAADS-R for autism
- For ADHD, all pre-assessment questionnaires are reviewed in an MDT discussion with a second clinician
- Informant account from a relative or partner where you have one available
- School reports, old records or photographs if you can find them
- Current impact: work, study, relationships, health, finances, home life
How decisions are made
Evidence is reviewed by at least two clinicians against DSM-5-TR, ICD-11 and relevant NICE guidance, with explicit consideration of masking, compensation and co-occurring mental health difficulties. For adult autism this includes an initial MDT screening of questionnaires, a developmental and clinical assessment, informant contribution, a further MDT review of all findings, and a feedback appointment before the report is written. For adult ADHD this includes a dedicated MDT review of the online assessment and all pre-assessment questionnaires before a conclusion is reached.
What you can expect
- Referral from a GP, health professional or SENCO, or a GP Summary if a letter is not available
- Autism, stage 1: Complete questionnaires and pre-assessment forms about your experiences, developmental history and current presentation.
- Autism, stage 2: Identify a required informant who can provide supporting information about your development and experiences.
- Autism, stage 3: Clinical review and MDT screening at a weekly clinical meeting.
- Autism, stage 4: Developmental and clinical assessment using ADI-R, ACIA or RAADS-R, chosen by the clinical team.
- Autism, stage 5: Informant contribution through attending the clinical interview or completing a detailed questionnaire.
- Autism, stage 6: Multidisciplinary team review of all findings, history, questionnaires and informant information.
- Autism, stage 7: Feedback appointment to discuss the outcome, ask questions and plan next steps.
- Autism, stage 8: Comprehensive written report, typically within four to six weeks of the feedback session.
- For ADHD, the assessment is completed online with one clinician, followed by an MDT review with another team member
- Appointments online or in person, with control over camera, lighting and breaks
- A verbal feedback appointment before anything is written
- Optional post-diagnostic sessions, workplace letters and coaching
The process
Your assessment journey
Every stage explained before it happens. You will never wonder what the next contact is about.
Outcomes
Outcomes and next steps
Workplace and study support
Letters and evidence for reasonable adjustments, Access to Work and Disabled Students' Allowance.
Criteria not met
A clear explanation of what we found instead, and recommendations for the right kind of help.
Treatment options
Where ADHD is identified, a full discussion of medication, coaching and environmental change.
Answers
Adult Assessments: your questions answered
Written to be genuinely useful, and short enough to read at the end of a long day.
Do I need a GP referral for an adult assessment?
We ask for a referral from a GP, another health professional or a SENCO. If a GP referral letter cannot be obtained, we ask for a copy of your GP Summary, which can be sourced from your receptionist GP service. With your consent we write to your GP afterwards so your medical record reflects the outcome.
I have no family member to ask about my childhood. Can I still be assessed?
Yes. We use structured recall, documentary evidence and detailed current-functioning assessment. We will tell you honestly at consultation whether the absence of informant evidence is likely to limit the conclusion.
Will diagnosis change anything practically?
For most people, yes: access to reasonable adjustments, Access to Work funding, university support, and, for ADHD, medication. Many also describe a substantial reduction in self-criticism, which is harder to measure and often matters more.
Is late diagnosis common?
Very. Diagnostic criteria and clinical awareness were built around young boys with obvious external presentations, so entire generations of women, people of colour and academically successful adults were missed. Late identification is now one of the fastest-growing areas of assessment.
Can I be assessed if I'm already having therapy?
Yes, and it often helps. With your consent we will liaise with your therapist so your support continues coherently.
Will this affect my ability to drive or work?
For most people, no. There are specific disclosure rules in some regulated occupations and in relation to certain medications, and we will discuss any that apply to you before you commit to assessment.
How long does it take?
ADHD pathways typically complete in four to eight weeks; autism pathways in six to ten. Combined pathways take eight to twelve.
What support is available afterwards?
Post-diagnostic sessions, coaching, neuroaffirming therapy, workplace support and peer signposting. Nobody is handed a report and shown the door.
What people say
"Receiving our son's autism diagnosis has made such a positive difference. It has given us a much deeper understanding of him, the way he experiences the world and why certain things can be challenging for him. Instead of feeling unsure or worried, we now feel empowered to support him in the right ways so he can thrive and be fully understood. What also meant so much to us was that the care didn't stop once the diagnosis was given."
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Book a no-obligation consultation, or send us a question and we will reply within one working day.