Autism and ADHD: assessments and support

Assessments for autism and ADHD for children and young people 

As with most areas across the country, we are currently receiving an increasing number of referrals for children and young people for both autism and ADHD assessments, which may mean you have to wait a long time to be seen.

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) is working hard to identify additional resources to increase the capacity to help meet this increasing demand. We know that this can be a concerning time for you and your family. We are doing all we can to reduce assessment wait times and highlight the support available while you wait.

The referral process

We accept referrals for children and young people aged over two years for autism and five and a half years for ADHD. They will only be considered if additional supporting information from another setting, outside the family home (usually the school or nursery), is provided.

Children and young people will be seen in date order of the acceptance of the referral. Priority will only be considered for children who are under the care of a local authority or children of military families where an assessment has been started outside of LLR and the child has moved to the local area.

If you do not agree with the outcome of an assessment a team will review it. They may agree with the original decision or request further assessments.

If, after a minimum period of two years of the assessment outcome, there is additional information which you feel supports another assessment, a re-referral will be considered by the appropriate service.

Right to Choose

Right to Choose allows patients to have a choice on who can provide healthcare services funded by the NHS. Right to Choose covers patients and families seeking an ADHD or autism assessment and treatment. If a GP refers a child for an ADHD or autism assessment, the family can choose which hospital or service to use, including private providers that have contracts with the NHS.

Read more about Right to Choose

Private assessments

We recognise that some families pursue a private assessment, particularly for ADHD. If this is something you wish to do, please read this guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on diagnosis and management. This provides information on what you should expect from a quality assessment and could help you make a more informed choice.

When you receive the private report, the local NHS team can review it in line with this guidance to clarify the assessment, diagnosis and to review any treatment that has started. When you receive a private report, please contact your local GP who will then begin a process to get the report reviewed. Please be aware this is likely to take several months / years and NHS treatment plans may differ from that initiated from other providers.

Details of a NICE compliant assessment can be found on the ADHD UK website and the National Autistic Society website.

Support for your child while awaiting diagnosis 

When you are seeking support for your child, it is important to ask your early years setting or school about their ‘ordinarily available provision’. The term ‘ordinarily available provision’ comes directly from the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice. It covers the support that mainstream settings and schools should be able to provide, through their agreed funding and resource arrangements and expectations set out by local authorities.

This support for your child should be made available in line with their specific needs and should not be dependent on any formal diagnosis.

The following links are for the three SEND Local Offer websites which provide further information and signposting about what support is available for you:

• Family Information | SEND Local Offer (leicester.gov.uk)
• Special educational needs and disability | Leicestershire County Council
• SEND Local Offer | Rutland County Council

Further advice, support and information

We know that this can be a concerning time for you and your family. We are doing all we can to reduce assessment wait times. Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust has produced this booklet to help you while you wait for your assessment.

Please take advantage of the wide range of information and support listed below whilst you wait. You do not need a formal diagnosis to access any of the services below.