Young person autism assessment

Assessment process

Dr Isobel Robb and her team provide high quality diagnostic assessments for autism. We offer this service for children age 8 and above. 

All our assessments are NICE compliant and are recognised by the NHS, schools, colleges and other organisations.

Our young person autism assessments are carried out by our expert multi-disciplinary team, led by one of our clinical psychologists. The process is outlined below.

Throughout the assessment, we will be exploring whether your young person's experiences fit with the diagnostic criteria for autism, as set out in the DSM-5. 

Here is an outline of the assessment process:

♦ Questionnaires & background information

First of all, you will complete questionnaires at home about your young person's development, strengths, differences and needs. We’ll also request information from your child's school or, if not in school, another professional or someone outside the family who knows them well. Any relevant medical, school, or professional reports will also be reviewed.

♦ The assessment day

On the assessment day we will meet with you and your young person at our venue in Whitstable. We will use "gold standard" diagnostic assessment tools, carried out to consider whether your young person's experience fits with autism diagnostic criteria as set out by the DSM-5. This includes the Autism Diagnostic Inventory - Revised (ADI-r).  We will also meet with your young person to carry out the ADOS-2, which includes finding about about their strengths, interests, and day to day experiences from their perspective, as well as our observations of their interactions and behaviour. 

♦ Clinical discussion & feedback

We will consider the assessment outcome immediately after we have met with you and your child on the assessment day. We will then feedback the outcome to you in person. 

♦ Detailed report 

Our detailed report will be sent to you securely via email. Individualised recommendations and support suggestions are provided regardless of the diagnostic outcome, tailored to reflect your child's individual strengths, needs and differences. 

Autism Kent is in Whitstable, Kent, which is within easy reach of Canterbury, Faversham, Herne Bay, Maidstone, Medway, Ashford, Sittingbourne, Thanet, Dover and Deal.