NICE-compliant Autism Assessments for children and adults
TRUSTED, REGULATED, CLINICALLY LED
For the first time in a long time, I felt "heard". Sensational Minds have assisted me through more ways than one and the whole team have been a huge support. Thank you so much for everything
Georgina, Essex
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Alex Centurion-Eyre, BABCP, NMC, is our autism clinical assessment lead for children and adults.
He is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Neurodevelopment and CYP Mental Health, and
a Highly Specialist Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist.
Gold-standard autism assessments
Details of the assessment
We assess you or your child according to the highest levels of clinical excellence, delivered by experienced specialist clinicians.
To begin, we need a referral from a GP, another health professional, or a SENCO.
Once your referral is accepted, you'll be invited to complete our enrolment forms via our secure online portal, followed by a set of pre-assessment questionnaires.
These are completed by you, parents or carers, the school (for child assessments), and, for adult assessments, an informant: someone who has known you for most of your life, such as a parent or sibling.
The direct assessment includes an in-person ADOS-2 observation at our Chill Out Centre in Colchester, with online options available if needed.
For children, the process also includes an ADI-R clinical interview with a highly experienced assessor, conducted virtually (unless in-person is needed) and lasting around three hours.
For adults, the equivalent step is an ACIA clinical interview, carried out with the support of your informant.
All assessments are reviewed in a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting before a virtual feedback session is arranged.
A comprehensive written report is issued within four weeks of feedback.
Cost
£2150 (child assessment)
£2150 (adult assessment)
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If a full mental health assessment is required to support the assessment process, an additional fee of £450 will be quoted ahead of the assessment.
What is the Autism assessment process?
Rated as 'Excellent' on Trustpilot by clients. Read their experiences
Questions people often ask about autism assessments
What is an autism assessment at Sensational Minds?
An autism assessment at Sensational Minds is designed to help you understand whether autism may be part of the picture for you or your child in a way that feels thoughtful, respectful and genuinely useful. We want you to come away with clearer understanding, not just a label or a report that leaves you with more questions.
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Who do you offer autism assessments for?
We offer autism assessments for children and adults.
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Do you offer autism assessments online and in person?
Yes. We offer autism assessments both online and in person because we know that different people need different things. For some people, online feels safer, easier and more manageable. For others, in-person assessment gives us a better opportunity to understand the full picture. We shape the process around the person, not around a fixed model.
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Is your autism assessment one size fits all?
No. We know people are not one size fits all, so assessment should not be either. We adapt the process according to need, presentation and what will help us understand you or your child properly.
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Who carries out the autism assessment?
Our autism assessments are carried out by a specialist multi-disciplinary team. That matters because autism should not be looked at from only one angle. A multi-disciplinary approach helps us build a fuller, more balanced understanding.
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Do you only use one assessment framework?
No. We use recognised best-practice frameworks to support a thorough and robust assessment, but we do not reduce the process to one framework alone. We know that real people do not always fit neatly into a single model, so we use clinical judgement alongside recognised assessment approaches to build the fullest picture possible.
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Why does a multi-disciplinary approach matter in an autism assessment?
Because autism can present in different ways, and no single viewpoint tells the whole story. A multi-disciplinary team allows us to look at communication, behaviour, sensory experience, relationships, development and day-to-day life in a more joined-up way.
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Do you take a neuro-affirming approach?
Yes. We believe autism should be understood in the context of the whole person. That means we do not just focus on difficulties. We also look at strengths, differences, patterns, needs and the ways you or your child experience the world.
We want the experience to feel respectful, human and supportive, while still being clinically robust.
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Do you have a calm space for a face-to-face assessment?
Yes. We have a dedicated space for a face-to-face assessment when needed, including our chill-out room. This helps create a calmer, more comfortable environment for people who may find standard clinical spaces overwhelming.
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What happens during an autism assessment?
We take time to build a fuller picture of development, communication, sensory experiences, relationships, patterns of behaviour and everyday life. We want the process to feel thorough and meaningful, so you come away with understanding, not just paperwork.
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Will you only look at autism?
No. People are complex, and experiences do not always fit neatly into one category. We consider the wider picture so that the assessment feels thoughtful, balanced and genuinely helpful.​
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What happens if autism is identified?
If autism is identified, we help you understand what that means in real life, not just in theory. We want you to come away with clearer insight and a better sense of what support or next steps may help.
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What happens if autism is not identified?
If autism is not identified, that does not mean your experiences are not real or that your concerns were wrong. We still want you to leave with a clearer understanding of what may be going on and what support could be helpful.
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What do I do after the autism assessment?
Being given a diagnosis can feel like a relief and overwhelming at the same time. Now what? Is the question people tend to ask a lot. We have set up Sensational Minds to be with you for your journey. So we offer support after diagnosis via coaching and pathways.
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What if I'm not sure whether me or my child is autistic?
You may strongly suspect autism, or you may simply know that something has never fully made sense. You do not need to have everything figured out before coming to us. We don't charge for the pre screening and if you or your child's presentation is for example more complicated, we refer to a support team of additional specialists to ensure we give you the most robust report possible so that you can begin to put support in place.
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Why do people choose Sensational Minds for an autism assessment?
People often choose Sensational Minds because they want an assessment that feels more thoughtful, more flexible and more personal. They want a process that is clinically robust, but also human, respectful and built around understanding the real person.
Where next?
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