Autism Services for Children
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) impacts every child or teenager in their own unique way. Having a clear diagnosis allows your family to move ahead with confidence, ensuring your child receives the specialist support they need to flourish.
Expert Guidance at Every Stage
How a child autism assessment works
To support your child in the best possible way, we begin by gaining a complete understanding of their neurodevelopmental profile and needs. Our specialist team carries out a detailed, professional autism assessment to determine whether your child is autistic.
Step
1
Screening
If you’re concerned your child might be autistic, our free screening can provide valuable clarity and insight. Led by a consultant clinical psychologist, our psychology team will guide this process. Should the results point towards autism, we’ll recommend a comprehensive diagnostic assessment to give you clear answers.
Step
2
Gathering Insight
We ask your child’s school to complete a report form and an online screening questionnaire. This allows us to see how your child behaves in various social environments and helps our clinical team build a fuller picture of their strengths and needs. If your child is home-schooled, there’s no need to worry — this won’t affect the assessment. We’ll simply request input from another professional or someone outside your household who knows your child well.
Step
3
Assessment
Your child’s assessment is carried out by a team of three specialists — this will include either a paediatrician or a child and adolescent psychiatrist, plus two professionals from clinical psychology, speech and language therapy, or occupational therapy. On the day, we’ll engage with your child in a playful, comfortable way while using the ‘gold standard’ ADOS-2 to observe their behaviour. We also conduct a detailed developmental history with you and review a report from your child’s teacher (or another relevant professional). After carefully discussing all the findings, our team will share the results and next steps with you immediately following the assessment.
Step
4
Diagnostic Report
Working collaboratively, our team will create a detailed report that clearly explains the assessment findings. The outcome will be presented in an easy-to-understand way, and the report can be shared with your child’s school to support open, informed discussions about the diagnosis. Because our assessments fully meet NICE guidelines, you can feel confident that our diagnostic reports are recognised and accepted by both the NHS and educational settings.
Step
5
Ongoing Support
After your child or teenager’s autism assessment, whether a diagnosis is given or not, our team will guide you through the support options available at Arete Health. This may include tailored therapeutic packages delivered by our experienced clinical psychologists through our dedicated children’s wellbeing service.
Understanding Child Autism
Valuing Neurodiversity
Every child’s mind is wonderfully unique. Some are neurodivergent, meaning their brain processes and experiences differ from neurotypical children. An autism assessment can help uncover your child’s distinct way of engaging with the world.
When these differences aren’t recognised or supported, they can lead to real challenges. With a thorough assessment, we can offer tailored strategies, support, and therapies that empower your child to grow with confidence, comfort, and joy.
Speak to a member of our teamAutism Signs
You may be experiencing…
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.
Is autism different in girls?
Whilst the assessment process and diagnostic criteria are the same across the gender spectrum, it is true that autistic girls can present very differently to autistic boys. The criteria on which a diagnosis is made is largely known to be associated with symptoms in boys and men, and this can mean that girls who are autistic may go undiagnosed. Boys often present their symptoms in a more obvious or ‘stereotypical’ way, whereas girls may have more subtle traits. This is because they often learn how to hide their symptoms (mask) in order to fit in with their peers. Having assessed thousands of children for autism, we are used to seeing it present in many different ways. Our assessments are designed to take masking and camouflaging into account – especially in girls. Our team are very well trained in understanding the female presentation of autism and that traits and symptoms can be trickier to see.
Can autism develop in adolescence and teens? What are the symptons?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference that begins in early childhood, though it often becomes more apparent during adolescence as social expectations, relationships, and school pressures change. Teenagers might start to notice they feel socially different, communicate in unique ways, or struggle with routines and sensory challenges. If this sounds familiar for your teen, a professional assessment by a specialised multidisciplinary team can provide valuable insight into these differences and guide you towards personalised support.
What if the assessing clinicians don’t see what I see (masking)?
Having assessed thousands of children for autism, we recognise just how differently it can present from one child to another. Our assessments are carefully structured to account for masking and camouflaging behaviours — particularly common in girls. Our team is highly experienced in identifying how autism can appear more subtly in females and understands that these traits can often be harder to spot.
My child’s school doesn’t have any concerns, so how will this affect the assessment?
We always include insights from your child’s school as part of the assessment, since observing behaviours across different settings is essential for an autism diagnosis. Schools, being structured environments, often reveal traits that help build a clearer picture. However, if teachers don’t report any noticeable autistic behaviours, it doesn’t mean a diagnosis won’t be given. Many autistic children are ‘model’ students — they follow rules, work quietly, and mask their difficulties, only to release their stress once home. Our experienced team fully understands this pattern and will consider all factors carefully during the assessment.
Will my child or teenager's private autism diagnosis be accepted by the NHS and their school?
Our assessments are fully aligned with NICE guidelines, using the highest quality, evidence-based clinical models. A key part of our process is that your child will be seen by a doctor — either a paediatrician or psychiatrist — something not always offered in private assessments. As a trusted NHS provider, we regularly support NHS Trusts and ICBs in managing waiting lists. This means that a diagnosis from our service is recognised by both the NHS and educational settings, helping ensure your child gets the support they need.
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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.