ADHD Services for Children
Every child or teenager with ADHD sees and navigates the world in their own unique way. With a thorough assessment, we can help your family better understand your child’s specific needs and offer the tailored support they need to truly thrive.
Expert Guidance at Every Stage
How a child ADHD assessment works
To support your child in the best possible way, it’s important to gain a clear understanding of their neurodevelopmental profile and needs. Our specialist team will carry out a detailed, professional assessment to determine whether your child does or doesn’t have ADHD.
Step
1
Screening
If you’re concerned your child might have ADHD, our free screening can provide valuable clarity and insight. Led by a consultant clinical psychologist, our psychology team will guide this process. If the results suggest ADHD, we’ll recommend a full diagnostic assessment to give you clear, confident answers.
Step
2
Gathering Insight - School/pre-school report
We ask your child’s school to complete a report form and an online screening questionnaire so we can understand how they behave in different social settings. This helps our clinical team build a clearer picture of your child’s strengths and needs. If your child is home-schooled, there’s no need to worry — this won’t impact the assessment. Instead, we’ll request input from another suitable professional or someone outside your home who knows your child well.
Step
3
Assessment
The diagnostic assessment is carried out by either a clinical psychologist, consultant paediatrician, or consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist — all experts in recognising ADHD in children and young people. Where needed, we’ll triage your referral to ensure the most suitable professional leads your child’s assessment. During the appointment, the clinician will ask both you and your child about their strengths, needs, interests, and early development, including key milestones. They’ll also observe your child’s behaviours and mannerisms throughout. Combining this with information from the screening and questionnaires, the clinician will carefully consider everything against the DSM-5 criteria to decide if a diagnosis is appropriate. You’ll receive the outcome on the same day, along with tailored recommendations for any further support or treatment your child may need.
Step
4
Diagnostic Report
Working collaboratively, our team will create a detailed report that clearly explains the assessment findings. The outcome will be straightforward and easy to understand, and the report can be shared with your child’s school to support open, informed discussions about their needs. Because our assessments fully comply with NICE guidelines, you can be confident that our diagnostic reports are recognised and accepted by both the NHS and educational settings.
Step
5
Ongoing Support
If the assessment shows that your child or teenager has ADHD, we’ll guide you through all the support options available. This usually involves exploring a ‘menu’ of choices — from medical to behavioural and psychological approaches — and we’ll help you decide what feels best for your child. If medication is chosen, a specialist prescriber will assess your child’s suitability, carry out routine checks, and, if appropriate, start a treatment plan. After the first prescription, your child will have regular reviews so the prescriber can monitor how well the medication is working and check for any side effects. Once you, your child, and their clinician are confident that the treatment is effective and stable, we’ll refer them to your local NHS ADHD service or GP to continue managing prescriptions and routine care.
Understanding Adult Autism
Valuing Neurodiversity
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting millions of children today. It means your child’s brain manages attention, activity, and impulses differently from neurotypical peers — shaping their unique way of seeing and engaging with the world.
When ADHD goes unrecognised, it can lead to real challenges at school, at home, and socially. Through a thorough private assessment and diagnosis, we can offer practical strategies, tailored support, and clear guidance to help your child grow with confidence, joy, and success.
Speak to a member of our teamAutism Signs
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Although there are many things that autistic people share, every person’s brain is unique, so autism can be experienced in different ways.
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Frequently Asked Questions Anything
Anything you’d like to ask us?
Taking the first steps to understanding why you feel different, unhappy, or struggling takes courage. We’re here to help you find the support that’s right for you.
Can ADHD develop in adolescence? What are the symptoms of ADHD in teens?
Many people first recognise ADHD traits during adolescence, as increased demands at school and socially can highlight challenges that previously went unnoticed. Teens with ADHD often experience difficulty concentrating, managing their impulses, or staying organised, even when they're genuinely trying their best. If you observe these traits in your teenager, a professional assessment by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist can help clarify if ADHD support is appropriate.
What happens if my child is not diagnosed?
If your child does not receive a diagnosis, this does not mean there isn't a problem. ADHD can present like many other conditions and part of the assessment is ensuring that we can evidence that the traits we see are neurodevelopmental. A child’s experiences can influence how they operate and sometimes this can look like ADHD. It is important to establish the cause of the difficulties so that the best support and understanding can be offered. If a child’s presentation is better understood by behavioural or psychological factors, the approach would be very different than if they have ADHD.
What if the assessing clinicians don't see what I see (masking)?
Having assessed thousands of children for ADHD, we are used to seeing it present in many different ways. Our assessments are designed to take masking and camouflaging into account – especially with girls. Our team are very well trained in understanding this area and our assessment includes information gathered from both home and school, as well as data captured from what’s called a QB check. A QB check is an online test created by experts in the field to objectively compare the reactions of your child against key ADHD symptoms, the results of which are compiled in a report which is used by the clinician to inform the diagnostic assessment.
Will my child or teenager's ADHD diagnosis be accepted by the NHS/school?
Our assessments fully comply with NICE guidelines, and we use the highest quality and well-regarded clinical model within our service. Importantly, your child will be seen by a doctor (paediatrician or psychiatrist) as part of the assessment, which isn't always the case with private assessments. We are also a trusted NHS provider and often support different NHS Trusts and ICBs with waiting lists. This means a diagnosis made by our service should be accepted the NHS and schools/colleges.
My child's school doesn't have any concerns; how will this affect the assessment?
We always take the school’s observations into account, as this is an integral part of the assessment. To diagnose ADHD, it must be clear in multiple environments. As school is very structured, it is often a great place to be able to see it. However, if school does not report any observations of ADHD traits, it does not mean there will be no diagnosis, as there can be other reasons for this. Not all children present with clearly with ‘classic’ observable signs of ADHD – particularly females. Children with ADHD can concentrate extremely well if they are working on a task that is exciting or interests them and not all children show their hyperactivity by moving and fidgeting. Just as it’s true that not all children who fidget and are distractable have ADHD. It’s our job to look deeper and see what might be expected and what might be ADHD.
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We're with you at every step
Every mind is unique, and many of us are neurodivergent. While these differences can bring challenges, we believe that with empathy, understanding, and expert care, everyone can thrive. We’re here to support you throughout your neurodevelopmental journey.