Assessment, diagnosis and what happens next
Clear information for deciding what an assessment might help with, preparing without rehearsing answers and using the report afterwards.
What you can find here
- What question would an assessment help us answer?
- Which observations, reports and parts of my child’s history are relevant?
- How can I prepare my child without teaching them expected answers?
- What should the report explain if there is a diagnosis, no diagnosis or uncertainty?
- How do we discuss the result and decide which support or assessment comes next?
Begin with the main Library article
Main Library article
Does my child need an assessment, and how do I decide?
A practical way to decide whether an ADHD or autism assessment could answer a useful question, and what support can begin without one.
More from the Library
What should we focus on in the first months after a diagnosis?
A calm plan for understanding an ADHD or autism report, talking with your child and turning recommendations into realistic next steps.
Written July 2026
What is a developmental history, and how do I prepare?
What clinicians mean by developmental history, which information may help, and how to prepare when dates or early records are incomplete.
Written July 2026
What information should school provide for an assessment?
How school can provide specific, balanced and source-labelled information for an ADHD or autism referral and assessment.
Written July 2026
What happens during an ADHD or autism assessment?
What an ADHD or autism assessment may include, how clinicians combine information, and what families can ask at each stage.
Written June 2026
What happens if there is no diagnosis?
How to understand a no-diagnosis assessment result, ask about the reasoning and keep needs-led support moving.
Written June 2026
What can we do while we wait for an assessment?
A practical plan for current school, health and family needs while a child waits for ADHD or autism assessment.
Written June 2026
NHS or private assessment: what should we weigh up?
How to compare NHS-funded, patient-choice and self-funded ADHD or autism assessment routes, including quality, reports, follow-up and ongoing care.
Written June 2026
How do I prepare my child for an assessment without coaching them?
How to give a child honest, practical information about an ADHD or autism assessment without rehearsing diagnostic answers.
Written June 2026
How do I get a referral for an ADHD or autism assessment?
How to identify the local referral route, prepare useful information and respond when an ADHD or autism referral is returned or declined.
Written June 2026
Quick answers from the Blog
What should I ask at the assessment feedback appointment?
A focused set of questions for understanding the conclusion, evidence, uncertainty, recommendations and next actions after assessment.
Written June 2026
What if my child masks during the assessment?
How to explain a difference between clinic, school and home without claiming that one calm appointment proves or rules out masking.
Written June 2026
How do I tell my child about their diagnosis?
How to explain an ADHD or autism diagnosis in a clear, respectful conversation that connects with your child's own experience.
Written June 2026