Your questions, answered

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. You can still book an initial consultation directly, and we will tell you honestly if assessment is not the right next step for you.

Our assessments follow NICE guidance and are carried out by clinicians registered with the HCPC, GMC or RCSLT. Schools and local authorities must consider private reports as evidence. Individual NHS trusts and GPs set their own policies on accepting private diagnoses for shared care, particularly for ADHD medication, so we always advise checking with your GP before starting a medication pathway.

Most pathways run six to ten weeks from the initial consultation to receiving the written report, depending on how quickly questionnaires and school or workplace information come back.

Many can, and for some adults online assessment is clinically preferable. Certain observational tools are better delivered in person, particularly with younger children. We will tell you which applies at consultation rather than after you have paid.

A significant minority of assessments do not lead to a diagnosis. When that happens you still receive a full report describing what we found, alternative explanations for the difficulties, and specific recommendations. Nobody leaves with nothing.

Yes. Your report belongs to you, and nothing is shared with a school, employer or GP without your written consent. The only exceptions are the standard safeguarding duties that apply to all registered clinicians.

No. Masking is one of the most common reasons families are told 'there's nothing to see'. Our assessments deliberately gather information from more than one setting, ask about the cost of coping rather than only visible behaviour, and treat home presentation as valid clinical evidence. If school reports no concerns, we explore why, that difference is often part of the picture, not a contradiction of it.

We send you age-appropriate wording before the first appointment. Most families find it helps to describe it as meeting someone whose job is to understand how your brain works best, not a test, and nothing they can pass or fail. Children are told what will happen, how long it will take, and that they can pause at any point.

Understanding usually changes the story from 'difficult' to 'differently wired and doing their best'. Families consistently tell us the shift in language at home and school is the single biggest benefit, often more than any formal entitlement.

No. Neurodevelopmental differences are lifelong, so they can be identified at any age. We regularly assess people in their forties, fifties, sixties and beyond. Later identification often follows a child's diagnosis, a period of burnout, or a change in demands at work. The value of an adult assessment is rarely the label alone, it is the accurate self-understanding, the adjustments it unlocks, and the end of assuming you were simply failing at something everyone else found easy.

It is helpful but not essential. Where a family member is unavailable, we use school reports, photographs, early memories and structured developmental history tools. Many of our adult clients complete assessment without any informant, and we will tell you clearly at consultation whether that affects confidence in the outcome.

A private assessment report belongs to you and is not shared with anyone without your written consent. Most people find it strengthens their position at work because it evidences the adjustments they are entitled to under the Equality Act 2010. Certain regulated roles have their own disclosure rules, and we will talk this through with you before you commit.

Yes. Local authorities must consider all evidence submitted with a request for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment, including private reports. Our reports are structured to support that process: they describe need, the impact on access to education, and provision in specific, quantified terms rather than general advice. We cannot guarantee an outcome, and the statutory decision always rests with the local authority.

Where families consent and the school agrees, yes. A classroom or playground observation adds context that no questionnaire captures, particularly for pupils who present very differently at home and at school.

We run twilight and INSET sessions on neuroaffirming practice, sensory-aware classrooms, demand avoidance and supporting girls and masking pupils. Sessions are tailored after a short call with your SENCo.

Under the Equality Act 2010, an adjustment is reasonable if it removes a substantial disadvantage without imposing disproportionate cost or disruption. In practice most neurodiversity adjustments are low or no cost: written follow-ups after verbal instructions, flexible start times, noise-reducing equipment, a quiet workspace, agendas in advance, and clarity about priorities. The legal duty is triggered by knowledge of the disadvantage, not by a formal diagnosis.

No. Adjustments can and should be made based on described need. A formal assessment can add clarity, but waiting for one is a common and avoidable source of harm and risk.

Yes. We offer employer-funded assessment and coaching packages with clear boundaries: the clinical relationship is with the employee, and nothing is shared with you without their consent.

Yes, and most people start exactly there. Our free screening conversation exists so you can describe what you are noticing without committing to anything. We will explain the options in plain English, tell you honestly if an assessment is unlikely to help, and point you towards support that may fit better.

A short, informal call with a member of our team. You describe what has brought you to us, we ask a few questions about how it affects daily life, and we set out the routes available with timescales and costs. There is no pressure and no obligation to book anything.

We will say so. Sometimes the most useful next step is parent support, coaching, an education conversation with school, or simply information while you take your time. We would rather you got the right support than the most expensive one.

From initial consultation to written report, most pathways complete in six to ten weeks. The report is sent within four to six weeks of the feedback session. Complex presentations, or those needing an additional speech and language or cognitive strand, can take longer, and we tell you at consultation if we expect that.

Either at The Chill Out Centre, our sensory-adjusted clinic space in Essex, or within your child's school or education setting. We agree the setting with you based on where your child is most comfortable and where we will see the most typical picture.

That is fine. In place of a school pre-assessment form, we ask tutors, sports coaches or other adults who know your child well to offer insights into the assessment process.

Our assessments follow NICE guidance and are carried out by clinicians registered with the HCPC, GMC or equivalent, so reports are widely accepted by schools, universities, employers and local authorities. Individual NHS trusts set their own policies for shared care, and some may wish to review a private report before accepting it, we provide everything needed for that review.

Masking is the conscious or unconscious suppression of natural responses in order to appear to fit in. It is more common in girls, and it is the single biggest reason autistic children are missed, particularly the child who is 'fine at school' and falls apart at home. We ask specifically about internal experience and the cost of coping, not just observable behaviour, and we weight home evidence accordingly.

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 after the assessment so your child's records are complete.

That happens, and it is workable. We can adapt to observation-led and history-led approaches, offer home or school-based sessions, extend the number of shorter appointments, or build rapport over time. We will never force a child to participate.

Yes. Reports include the specific, quantified language local authorities look for when considering an Education, Health and Care needs assessment: description of need, impact on access to education, and recommended provision. The statutory decision remains with the local authority.

Yes, and it is often the wiser route. Around one in three autistic children also meet criteria for ADHD, and assessing separately risks each explaining away the other. See our combined assessment pathway.

The child autism assessment is £2,250. Pathway pricing is fixed and confirmed in writing before you commit, so there are no add-ons partway through. Ask us about payment plan options.

For children, the informant is usually a parent or primary carer, someone who has known your child since birth or early childhood and can speak in detail about their early development, first words, play, social responses, routines and sensory reactions. Where possible we value input from two people who know your child well, for example both parents, or a parent and a grandparent, because different people notice different things.

If a child has been in care, has changed carers, or nobody who knew them in their early years is available, tell us before booking. In some circumstances we can use alternatives, such as early health visitor records, nursery reports or another adult involved at the time, but where we cannot gather reliable developmental history at all, we may not be able to proceed. We will always talk the options through with you honestly first.

The ADI-R history covers pregnancy and birth, early milestones, language development, play and imagination, social approaches and friendships, repetitive behaviours and interests, sensory responses and significant life events. It takes three to four hours online, and we encourage informants to answer from what they genuinely remember rather than what feels 'right'. There is no preparation needed beyond honest recollection.

Yes. Informant information is used only to inform your child's assessment, is stored securely on encrypted, access-controlled systems in line with UK GDPR, and is seen only by the clinicians involved. During the multidisciplinary team review, informant information is discussed among the assessing clinicians to reach a decision; it is never shared outside the team, and it is not passed to schools, GPs or anyone else without your explicit consent.

From initial consultation to written report, most pathways complete in six to ten weeks. The report is prepared within four to six weeks of the feedback session. Where additional considerations arise at MDT screening, we tell you promptly and explain what that means for timescales.

An informant is required because a reliable autism assessment depends on developmental information from across your life, not only how you describe yourself today. Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental difference, so we need someone who knew you when you were younger to help us build an accurate picture of your early development, social communication, play, routines and sensory responses. This independent, historical evidence is essential for a robust, defensible clinical decision.

A parent, mother or father, is preferred. Siblings who are older than you and remember your early childhood can also be very helpful. The best informant is someone who knew you well during your younger years and can speak honestly about your development, behaviour and daily life at that time. A partner, close friend or another family member can add useful current information, but they cannot replace someone who knew you as a child.

If we cannot identify a person who knew you during your younger years and can provide reliable developmental information, we will not be able to proceed with the assessment. This is not a refusal of support; it is a clinical safeguard. Without this evidence the assessment would not meet the standards needed for a robust diagnosis. If you are unsure whether your informant is suitable, contact us before booking and we will talk it through with you.

Your informant may be invited to attend part of the clinical interview with you, or they may be asked to complete a detailed supporting questionnaire in their own time. They do not need to prepare a formal statement. We simply ask them to answer questions openly about what they remember, what they noticed then and what they notice now. Our free informant preparation guide, available to download, explains everything they can expect.

Yes. Information your informant shares is used for one purpose only: to inform your assessment. It is stored securely on encrypted, access-controlled systems in line with UK GDPR, and only the clinicians involved in your assessment can see it. During the multidisciplinary team review, the clinicians who assessed you discuss the informant's account alongside your interview and questionnaires in order to reach a robust decision. It is not shared outside that team, not sent to your GP or employer, and not disclosed to anyone else without explicit consent. Your informant's contribution is summarised within your report in clinical terms; the report itself belongs to you.

Yes. Adult autism assessments run very well online, and all of our adult pathway, from questionnaires to clinical interviews and feedback, is completed securely online. Many adults prefer it because they are in their own familiar environment.

Depending on your circumstances and the information gathered, one or more of the following may be used: the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised), the ACIA (Adult Clinical Interview for Autism) or the RAADS-R (Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised). The choice depends on the nature of your referral and the clinical judgement of the assessment team.

No. Autism is lifelong and can be formally identified at any age. Many adults are identified in their thirties, forties or later, often after a child's diagnosis or a period of burnout. Adult assessment focuses on early developmental history alongside current experience, using adult-validated tools and interviews.

Masking is the conscious or unconscious suppression of natural responses in order to appear to fit in, making eye contact that feels uncomfortable, scripting conversation, or holding distress until you are home. It is more common in women and adults, and it is the single biggest reason autistic people are missed. We ask specifically about internal experience and the cost of coping, not just observable behaviour.

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 after the assessment so your records are complete.

A private report is your confidential property and is not shared without your written consent. Where people choose to share it, it usually strengthens their position by evidencing reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.

Yes, and it is often the wiser route. Around one in three autistic people also meet criteria for ADHD, and assessing separately risks each explaining away the other. See our combined assessment pathway.

Tell us. You can request a review meeting at no cost, submit further evidence, or ask for a second opinion within the team. We would rather revisit a decision than have you leave with something that does not fit.

The adult autism assessment is £2,250. Pathway pricing is fixed and confirmed in writing before you commit, so there are no add-ons partway through. Ask us about payment plan options.

You need a quiet, private space, a reliable internet connection, a device with a camera and microphone, and a piece of paper and a pencil to hand. Having water nearby and minimising interruptions helps the session feel calmer.

Most families complete the pathway in four to eight weeks. The online clinical session lasts between one and two hours, preceded by forms and the school observation, and followed by an MDT review, a feedback appointment and a written report.

Yes, but only for the beginning. Your child needs to be present for the start of the online clinical session so the clinician can meet and observe them; afterwards, you speak openly with the clinician without your child present.

Parental consent from one parent is sufficient for the assessment to proceed. Where a young person is old enough to understand the assessment and its implications, we also apply Gillick competence, considering their own views and agreement alongside parental consent.

Gillick competence is the legal principle used to decide whether a young person under sixteen has enough maturity and understanding to make decisions about their own assessment and care. Where a young person is Gillick competent, we take their wishes seriously, including how they want information shared, and we explain everything directly to them as well as to you.

Diagnostic criteria require evidence of difficulties in more than one setting, and many children hold everything together at school and unravel at home, or the reverse. We coordinate the observation directly with the school or education setting, so you do not have to arrange it. If a setting does not allow professionals to attend, we gather the same information through a phone call and questionnaire with a member of education staff instead.

That happens and it is workable. We arrange a structured phone call with a teacher, SENCO or other member of education staff, together with a detailed questionnaire about your child's presentation in the setting. This still gives us the cross-setting evidence the assessment needs.

Where the pre-assessment forms show mental health needs, we may ask for further information or encourage a full mental health assessment first. Anxiety, depression and trauma can all affect attention, and assessing ADHD without addressing that picture first risks an unclear or inaccurate answer. We will always explain the reason and the options before changing course.

We do not prescribe. Our role is a thorough, NICE-compliant diagnostic assessment and a detailed report, which you can take to your GP if you want to explore medication. Medication is only ever one option alongside strategies, coaching and environmental change.

You receive a full written report and a feedback session is offered. If you want to explore ADHD medication, we will refer you to ADHD Plus, our trusted partner, who offer comprehensive ADHD assessments in the UK. With your consent, we share your report and contact details with ADHD Plus so they can contact you directly about their next steps.

ADHD Plus work independently of Sensational Minds. Once we refer you and share your report and contact details with your consent, their clinicians review the information and contact you directly. They will explain their process, fees and any further appointments needed. We cannot guarantee their timescales, so we encourage you to call ADHD Plus after two weeks if you have not heard from them.

No. Medication is one option, but many people manage well with strategies, coaching, environmental adjustments, sleep improvements and workplace or school support. We discuss all of these in your report and feedback session, whether or not you choose to be referred to ADHD Plus.

Not necessarily. Prescribing decisions depend on a full clinical review by ADHD Plus, including your physical health history, current symptoms and whether medication is safe and appropriate. They may recommend further assessment, monitoring or non-medication approaches first.

Yes. Reports include the specific, quantified language local authorities look for when considering an Education, Health and Care needs assessment. The statutory decision remains with the local authority.

Yes, and it is often the right choice. The two frequently co-occur and each can mask the other. Our combined pathway assesses both in one coordinated process.

The child ADHD assessment is £1,550, confirmed in writing before you commit, with the school observation included as standard. Ask us about payment plan options.

A parent or carer must be present in the background throughout the online session. You will also need a piece of paper and a pencil, plus a quiet, private space with a reliable internet connection and a device with a camera and microphone.

Most people complete the pathway in four to eight weeks. The main diagnostic appointment lasts one to two hours online, preceded by questionnaires and followed by a multidisciplinary review, an outcome phone call and a written report sent within four to six weeks of the feedback phone call.

Yes. ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition and many adults reach diagnosis only after their coping strategies stop working, or after a child is diagnosed. Adult diagnosis requires evidence that symptoms were present in childhood, but not that they were recognised or documented at the time.

Fully online. After your forms are reviewed by the clinical team, you meet one of our clinicians online for the main assessment. An informant completes questionnaires, and the assessor may contact them if more detail is needed. The case is then discussed in a multidisciplinary team review between the assessing clinician and another trained professional.

Corroborating evidence strengthens an adult ADHD assessment significantly, because symptoms must have been present in childhood. A partner, parent, sibling or someone who has known you a long time is ideal. Your informant completes questionnaires and is not interviewed as standard, although the assessor may contact them to discuss you if more detail is needed. Where nobody is available, we use structured recall and historical records, and we will be honest if the absence of corroboration limits diagnostic confidence.

Where the pre-assessment forms show mental health needs, we may ask for further information or encourage a full mental health assessment first. Anxiety, depression and trauma can all affect attention, and assessing ADHD without addressing that picture first risks an unclear or inaccurate answer.

They help, but they are not essential. Where reports are unavailable we use structured recall, family accounts and other historical evidence. We will be honest if the absence of childhood evidence limits diagnostic confidence.

We do not prescribe. Our role is a thorough, NICE-compliant diagnostic assessment and a detailed report, which you can take to your GP if you want to explore medication. Medication is only ever one option alongside strategies, coaching and environmental change.

You receive a full written report and an outcome phone call. If you want to explore medication, we will refer you to ADHD Plus, our trusted partner, who offer comprehensive ADHD assessments in the UK. With your consent, we share your report and contact details with ADHD Plus so they can contact you directly about their next steps.

ADHD Plus work independently of Sensational Minds. Once we refer you and share your report and contact details with your consent, their clinicians review the information and contact you directly. They will explain their process, fees and any further appointments needed. We cannot guarantee their timescales, so we encourage you to call ADHD Plus after two weeks if you have not heard from them.

No. Medication is one option, but many people manage well with strategies, coaching, environmental adjustments, sleep improvements and workplace or school support. We discuss all of these in your report and feedback session, whether or not you choose to be referred to ADHD Plus.

Not necessarily. Prescribing decisions depend on a full clinical review by ADHD Plus, including your physical health history, current symptoms and whether medication is safe and appropriate. They may recommend further assessment, monitoring or non-medication approaches first.

Many will, under a shared-care agreement, which usually reduces long-term cost. Shared care is voluntary for GPs and some practices decline it. We provide the full shared-care documentation either way.

The underlying condition is the same, but presentation and consequences often differ. Inattentive and internalised presentations are more common, hyperactivity may appear as restlessness or fast speech rather than visible movement, and symptoms can fluctuate with the menstrual cycle and perimenopause. This is a major reason women are diagnosed later and more often misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression first.

It can, and they frequently co-occur. The key distinction is timeline and pattern: ADHD attention difficulties are present across situations from childhood, whereas anxiety-driven concentration problems tend to track with periods of worry. Careful history-taking is how we separate them.

Our assessments follow NICE NG87 and are conducted by GMC- or HCPC-registered clinicians, so the diagnosis is widely accepted for education, workplace and DWP purposes. NHS trusts and individual GP practices set their own shared-care policies, which we cannot guarantee on their behalf.

Yes, and it is often the right choice. The two frequently co-occur and each can mask the other. Our combined pathway assesses both in one coordinated process.

Yes. It evidences reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, supports Disabled Students' Allowance applications, and underpins Access to Work funding for coaching or assistive technology.

Achievement is not evidence against ADHD; it is often evidence of cost. Impairment can look like exhaustion, relationship strain, unfinished private projects or a career built entirely on deadline adrenaline. We assess impact, not job title.

The adult ADHD assessment is £1,550, confirmed in writing before you commit, with no add-ons partway through. Ask us about payment plan options.

You need a quiet, private space, a reliable internet connection, a device with a camera and microphone, and a piece of paper and a pencil to hand. Having water nearby and minimising interruptions helps the session feel calmer.

The combined autism and ADHD assessment is £3,300. Pathway pricing is fixed and confirmed in writing before you commit, so there are no add-ons partway through. Ask us about payment plan options.

Yes, usually significantly. Developmental history, informant gathering and clinical review are shared rather than duplicated, so the combined pathway typically costs less than two standalone assessments and takes less of your time.

AuDHD is an informal community term for being both autistic and ADHD. It is not a formal diagnostic label, reports record both diagnoses separately, but it is a useful shorthand for a profile whose lived experience is genuinely different from either condition alone.

Typically eight to twelve weeks end to end, with five to eight hours of direct contact across several appointments. Your written report is sent within six weeks of the feedback session.

Neither. Both are considered together in the same clinical review, which is precisely the point of the combined pathway. We usually complete the autism strand first, including the ADOS-2 observation, before moving to the online ADHD assessment.

We complete the autism assessment first because the ADI-R and clinical history inform part of the overall assessment. The ADOS-2 observation also takes place in person at The Chill Out Centre in Colchester, so it is scheduled before the online ADHD assessment.

The ADOS-2 observation takes place at The Chill Out Centre in Colchester. This is our shared clinic space, used by appointment only.

Yes. The ADHD assessment is completed online, using a structured diagnostic interview and rating scales.

Yes. Where ADHD is diagnosed, your report supports a conversation with your GP about medication, alongside the strategies and support we recommend. If you want to explore ADHD medication privately, we will refer you to ADHD Plus with your consent.

You receive a full written report and a feedback session is offered. If you want to explore ADHD medication, we will refer you to ADHD Plus, our trusted partner, who offer comprehensive ADHD assessments in the UK. With your consent, we share your report and contact details with ADHD Plus so they can contact you directly about their next steps.

ADHD Plus work independently of Sensational Minds. Once we refer you and share your report and contact details with your consent, their clinicians review the information and contact you directly. They will explain their process, fees and any further appointments needed. We cannot guarantee their timescales, so we encourage you to call ADHD Plus after two weeks if you have not heard from them.

No. Medication is one option, but many people manage well with strategies, coaching, environmental adjustments, sleep improvements and workplace or school support. We discuss all of these in your report and feedback session, whether or not you choose to be referred to ADHD Plus.

Not necessarily. Prescribing decisions depend on a full clinical review by ADHD Plus, including your physical health history, current symptoms and whether medication is safe and appropriate. They may recommend further assessment, monitoring or non-medication approaches first.

Often, yes. Inconclusive outcomes are common where ADHD has not been considered alongside. We review previous reports as part of the pathway rather than starting from zero.

Both. The tools change with age and communication style; the structure of the pathway does not.

Yes. Recommendations are written separately for home, education and employment as relevant to your situation.

For the online ADHD session, you need a quiet, private space, a reliable internet connection, a device with a camera and microphone, and a piece of paper and a pencil to hand. Where the assessment is for a child or young person, a parent or carer must be present in the background.

We assess children from age four. Below that age we can offer developmental consultation and guidance, and advise whether waiting is the right call, for very young children, early support often matters more than an early label.

With your consent, yes. School input is a required part of a robust assessment because diagnostic criteria require evidence across settings. If you would prefer school not to be contacted, tell us at consultation and we will explain how that affects the assessment.

We send photos of the room and clinician in advance, offer a no-pressure familiarisation visit, allow you to stay in the room, and can conduct part of the assessment at home or school. Assessment days are never rushed to fit a slot.

Initial consultations are usually available within one to two weeks, with the full pathway completing in six to ten weeks.

Yes. Recommendations are written in the specific and quantified language local authorities require. Whether an EHC needs assessment is agreed remains their statutory decision.

That is your choice, and we will help you think it through. Where young people are told, we provide age-appropriate feedback and a strengths-first explanation, most children find it a relief.

We screen for both as part of assessment and can add a cognitive or occupational therapy strand where indicated, or refer on to a specialist assessor.

We adapt. Home visits, school-based sessions, shorter appointments and history-led approaches are all possible. Refusal is information, not a barrier.

They are assessed individually, but we coordinate appointments and share the developmental history interview where appropriate to reduce the burden on families.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yes, and it often helps. With your consent we will liaise with your therapist so your support continues coherently.

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.

ADHD pathways typically complete in four to eight weeks; autism pathways in six to ten. Combined pathways take eight to twelve.

Post-diagnostic sessions, coaching, neuroaffirming therapy, workplace support and peer signposting. Nobody is handed a report and shown the door.

£650, including the assessment session, the full diagnostic report and a feedback conversation.

A Level 7 PATOSS qualified assessor holding an Assessment Practising Certificate.

Yes. The report is a full diagnostic assessment written to be usable by schools, colleges, universities and Disabled Students' Allowance assessors.

We assess from age 8 upwards. The tests used are selected to suit the person's age and stage.

No referral is required for a dyslexia assessment. Start with our free screening enquiry and we will confirm it is the right pathway.

Yes. Many people have more than one profile, and we can sequence assessments so each informs the other rather than duplicating work.

Most assessments are completed online over 3 to 4 hours. Face to face appointments in Colchester run every 8 weeks and are limited, so book early.

Complete the pre-assessment forms, arrange any school forms if relevant, and confirm an eye test within the last year. For the online session, make sure you have a quiet, private space, a reliable internet connection, a device with a camera and microphone, and a piece of paper and a pencil. For children, a parent or carer must be present in the background.

The report can include recommendations for maths or writing difficulties where they sit within a dyslexia or SpLD profile. We do not offer separate dyscalculia or dysgraphia assessments.

Yes. We work with a trusted educational psychologist at Swithenbank Psychology Ltd who can contribute to our assessment process where it would add value, for example for a complex SpLD profile. This is optional and client led, not required for a standard assessment. Their involvement is an additional cost agreed separately from your assessment fee. For more information, please contact us.

No. We welcome people diagnosed by the NHS or other providers. Bring your report and we will work from it.

Most people take between two and six. Some want a single session to talk the report through; others prefer a longer block covering identity and workplace disclosure.

It is supportive and practical rather than formal psychological therapy. Where deeper therapeutic work is indicated, we will say so and can offer our therapy service instead or alongside.

Yes, and most do. Parent-only sessions are often the most useful place to start.

Yes. We help you decide whether to disclose at all, and if you choose to, we can draft wording and a supporting letter setting out recommended adjustments.

Whenever it feels useful. Some people want a session within days; many find that six to eight weeks later, once the initial reaction has settled, is the more valuable moment.

Yes. Joint sessions with a partner or family member are often transformative, particularly around energy, communication and division of household demand.

We signpost to reputable local, national and international peer communities, including online groups, and can advise on which are well moderated.

No. Support is based on need, and many families start well before or entirely without assessment.

Yes, and we encourage it. Separated parents can attend together or separately, whichever works.

Yes. We prefer the term emotionally based school avoidance, because it points at the cause. Support covers understanding the driver, working with school on a graduated return, and knowing your rights around attendance.

PDA, pathological or persistent demand avoidance, describes a profile where anxiety-driven avoidance of everyday demands dominates. It is not a standalone diagnosis in DSM-5-TR or ICD-11, but it is a clinically meaningful description and it changes what works. We use low-demand, collaborative approaches with these families.

Yes. Sleep difficulties are extremely common in neurodivergent children and rarely respond to standard sleep hygiene advice alone. We look at sensory, anxiety, routine and, where relevant, melatonin discussion with your GP.

Very. It affects capacity, sensory tolerance and what strategies are realistic. Many parents pursue their own assessment after their child's, and we will support either path without pressure.

Yes. We run small, facilitated parent groups in Essex and online, capped at eight so everyone can speak.

Sessions are priced individually with reduced rates for blocks and for families using our assessment pathway. Contact us for the current rates.

No. Coaching works from how you function, not from a label. Many clients coach first and assess later, or never assess at all.

We offer three layers: child and young person coaching, parent support and coaching, and adult work-based coaching. Each is tailored to the person, and families can combine them, for example parent support alongside sessions for a young person.

Sessions are practical, neuroaffirming and tailored to the young person's age. Depending on their stage, they may include discussion, play-based activities, problem-solving tasks, visual supports, goal-setting and confidence-building, focused on skills they can use at home, in school and with friends.

It gives parents and carers practical strategies for everyday challenges at home, a clearer understanding of their child's neurodivergent profile, consistent approaches that work across home and school, and support with their own confidence and wellbeing. It is a space to be heard without judgement.

Practical strategies for the working day, including task initiation, time management, energy and demand budgeting, meetings and workplace communication, preparing for reviews and interviews, and self-advocacy around reasonable adjustments.

Coaching is practical and future-focused; therapy addresses emotional and psychological processing, often including the past. Many people benefit from both, and we will be honest if what you are describing needs therapy rather than strategy.

Frequently, yes, either directly or through Access to Work, which funds coaching for many disabled and neurodivergent employees. We can provide the documentation an application needs.

We recommend a minimum of four sessions, because practical strategies need time to be tried and adjusted. Many people then continue in blocks of six to eight fortnightly sessions before finishing or moving to occasional maintenance sessions. Parent support can be ongoing or taken in blocks.

Coaching and mentoring is £125 per hour, which includes a short written feedback note for parents. Sessions are invoiced monthly, and we work flexibly around school holidays.

Sessions are usually fortnightly, although weekly sessions are available where that suits the young person and family better.

Sessions for children and young people are usually delivered by a fully qualified specialist SENCO, so the approach is grounded in both neurodevelopmental understanding and everyday classroom reality.

Sessions can take place in your child's school, at our centre in Colchester or online, whichever works best for the young person. Adult coaching is usually online.

Yes, including GCSE, A-level and university students. Study coaching also supports Disabled Students' Allowance applications.

Yes, and most clients choose it. Online sessions make it easier to fit coaching around school or work and to use your own environment as the working example.

Then the task was too big, too vague or badly matched, which is data, not failure. We change the approach rather than repeating it louder.

Yes, particularly the demand-budgeting side of it. Where burnout is severe or accompanied by significant low mood, we will recommend therapeutic or medical input alongside.

£650, covering the initial consultation, the school or college observation, the feedback session and a full written report with recommendations.

No. This support is based on need, and many families use it before, during or entirely without an assessment pathway.

Our standard package covers observation, feedback and a written report. Attendance at meetings can often be arranged separately, just ask when you enquire.

No. We do not submit applications on your behalf, but the report and recommendations can be used as supporting evidence and help you understand the process.

Yes. We work with schools, colleges and universities, and can advise on reasonable adjustments and Disabled Students' Allowance evidence.

Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation and we will tell you honestly whether this is the right support for your situation.

No. The Equality Act duty is triggered by knowledge of a substantial disadvantage, not by a diagnostic letter. Waiting for assessment before adjusting is both unnecessary and legally risky.

The employee, always. It is shared with the employer only with their written consent, and we can produce a version that recommends adjustments without disclosing clinical detail.

A UK government scheme that can fund equipment, support workers, coaching and travel for disabled and neurodivergent employees, including the self-employed. Applications are made by the individual and we can provide supporting evidence.

Most cost nothing. Written instructions, agendas in advance, flexible hours and clear priorities are process changes, not purchases. Where equipment is needed, Access to Work often covers it.

Yes, see our corporate neurodiversity service for training, policy review and recruitment work.

No. Occupational health assesses fitness for work; we assess how to make the work fit the person. The two complement each other and we are happy to work alongside an OH provider.

Usually within two to three weeks of instruction, with the report following within ten working days.

Yes, both individuals preparing for interview and employers redesigning selection processes that inadvertently test masking rather than capability.