Assessment & costs

We believe that it is crucial to assess individuals as carefully and as thoroughly as possible enable those around you to help as much as possible. A thorough and professional assessment allows for much more positive outcomes.

Our Neurodevelopmental Assessments cover:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • ADHD, Developmental Language and Co-ordination Disorders, Dyslexia, OCD and Tic Disorders.
  • Mental health difficulties such as Anxiety, Depression, Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders.

All of our assessments are Multi-disciplinary and conform to NICE Guidelines (National Institute of Clinical Excellence), and we are able to work well together with Local Authorities and Health Services, with whom we have built positive collaborative relationships.

Format of Assessment

You will meet with one of our experienced team members for an initial consultation where you can talk through your concerns and any difficulties you have, and ask any questions you may have. Following this a plan will be developed with the following elements as appropriate:

Children:

1. Specialised Clinical interview(s) with individual and/or parents/carers

2. Observation of the child at nursery/school (if appropriate)

3. Specialist assessment (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – ADOS 2)

4. Specialist Speech and Language Assessment

5. Feedback and comprehensive report

Adults (over 18 years):

1. Specialised Clinical interview(s) with individual (and a friend or relative if appropriate)

2. Information gathered from a friend or relative who can give a third party perspective

3. ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – ADOS 2)

4. Speech and Language Assessment (to look at complex and ‘higher level’ language)

5. Feedback and comprehensive report

We try to complete the assessments within 4 to 6 weeks. When people are travelling to us from a distance we try to do as much in one visit as we can to minimise trips.

Results of the assessment

Once assessment is complete, we meet up with you to let you know the outcome, what we consider to be yours or your child’s strengths and needs, and any diagnosis if appropriate.  A comprehensive report is provided, outlining all of our findings, and this is usually shared with your GP, but can be sent to any other people whom you would like to receive a copy.

You are encouraged to bring along someone that you feel would be helpful to meetings – this is your assessment and you should be fully involved in all aspects of decision-making along the way.

For adults we are happy to be guided by you – if it would be helpful for us to meet up with you along with your work and managers we can arrange this. We can also provide guidance to employers regarding how best to support you.

If a diagnosis is not reached

Our assessments are very comprehensive and can result in a different issue being identified as being at the centre of what you or a child/young person is experiencing.  If this is the case we give a thorough and detailed explanation of what we think may be the main issue, and discuss what options for intervention are available. Please see the ‘Intervention’ page for further information. Again, we keep individuals and families fully informed at all times and as soon as we begin to think that there may be other important factors involved we explain this to you, parents and carers to enable as much choice as possible.

Costs

Our charges can vary but we aim to keep costs down by only conducting the parts of the assessment that are necessary to reach a conclusion. We will send you out a full information pack with a breakdown of costs.

  • Child Assessment – £2445 – includes feedback and comprehensive report
  • Adult Assessment – £2345 – includes feedback and comprehensive report

We have Bupa registered clinicians and as such we are able to accept referrals from Bupa insurance holders with a pre-authorisation code.

Please get in touch by email or fill in our contact form about arranging an appointment.

The care we received from Autism North East was second to none and the speed with which we had our first meeting for assessment was exceptionally quick. I would not hesitate to recommend them.
Parents