What happens at the assessment? Expand The Assessment process may involve many different professionals for example Physichiatrist, Occupational therapist and Speech therapist. People who have been involved with your child should be involved.The process could involve: Meetings to collect information regarding your child and family history Observations of your child in a variety of settings Collecting reports about your child from all settings Medical examination Each stage of the process should be explained to you, and you should be given time to ask any questions. During the process diagnostic tools will be used, these are to help identify autism within your child. Some of the more common tools used are listed below, but please note there are others : The Autism Diagnosis Interview-Revised (ADI-R) The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G) The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) The Diagnostic Instrument for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO) The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) When conducting an autism assessment there are guidelines which must be followed, please click here for more information.
What can my GP do? Expand At the appointment the GP may ask you about: Antenatal and perinatal history Your child’s development Factors that are associated with an increased prevalence of autism Medical history Information about previous assessments Based on the information you give and the observations made the GP may refer your child for an autism assessment. The NICE guidelines do state that you should get an appointment within three months but waiting times for assessment can vary depending on where you live and what services are available.
Is seeing my GP the only option? Expand There are many professionals and organisations that can provide private assessments for your child. Parents sometimes opt for these as waiting times can sometimes be lengthy, however costs do vary. It’s also important to note that some local authorities may not accept the results of private diagnoses. They might insist upon an NHS diagnosis before they will provide services to you and your child. For this reason, we suggest that you stay on the waiting list for an NHS assessment even if you do go private.
I think my child may be autistic - what do I do? Expand If you think that a person may be autistic the first port of call will be your General Practitioner (GP). After the initial appointment your GP may decide to refer the person on to an autism diagnostic pathway or a different pathway if appropriate. If your child is of school age, you could speak to the schools Special educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), or if your child is under school age, speaking to your health visitor can help. When you visit the GP for the initial appointment take a list of things that are causing you concern, to discuss with your doctor.
Thornbeck College Expand Thornbeck College is an Independent Specialist College (ISC) based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham for learners aged 16-25 years old. If you would like further information on the support we can offer contact Nicola Brown: By telephone: 01325 328 088 By email: [email protected]
What benefits am I entitled to? Expand You may be entitled to claim:• Income or Employment Status• Disability Living Allowance• Carer’s Allowance• Extra Child Tax Credit• Income Support• Housing Benefit or Council Tax reductions• Universal Credit
What is an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP)? Expand An Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document which sets out a description of your child's needs (what he or she can and cannot do) and what needs to be done to meet those needs by education, health and social care. Regarding Special Educational Needs & Disability, Code of Practice: Young people can now specify an Independent Specialist Provider on their Education Health Care (EHC) Plan. Post-16 providers can be invited to a young person’s review from Year 9 onwards. Parents and young people do not need to apply for and be rejected from a General Further Education college (GFE) before requesting a specialist provider. Personal budgets can be included within EHC Plans. Personal budgets can be used to purchase our short-breaks services. Children and Young People must be the centre of their own EHC Plan. You can download education local offers.
Where can I find information about what is happening in my local area? Expand The Local Offer is an internet resource where you will be able to find information for families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). You can fund this information on your local authority website. Contact A Family produce an email every week outlining what is happening across the North East.
What happens if I don’t agree? Expand At the end of this process you may not agree with the decision, in which case you can request a second opinion. You can do this by: Going back to the GP. Tell them that you are not happy with the findings and that you would like to be referred elsewhere for a second opinion. Seeking a private diagnosis.
What will happen after the assessment? Expand At the point of diagnosis you should receive a written report which explains the findings of the assessment and the reasons for any conclusions drawn. You may be asked for consent for the clinician to make referrals to other services such as Occupational Therapy. You may be offered a follow up appointment within six weeks of diagnosis. If you are not offered this, you are within your rights to request one. Some areas offer a post diagnostic autism course after a diagnosis, your clinician would refer you to this.