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Signs, assessment and diagnosis

What happens at a child's autism assessment in the UK

Updated 12 minute readApplies to: UK

Sourced and dated · professional review pending

In short

A child's autism assessment is a set of conversations, observations and checks by a team of professionals, often over more than one appointment. The team asks about your child's development, watches how they play and communicate, reads reports from nursery or school and looks for other explanations. NICE recommends a core team of a paediatrician or child psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist and a psychologist, and a written report at the end.

Key points

  • Start with your GP, health visitor or nursery or school SENCO. In some areas the school or health visitor makes the referral.
  • NICE recommends a team of professionals and several sources of information, not a single test, checklist or appointment.
  • Your notes, examples and nursery or school reports help the team see your child as they are day to day.
  • You should hear the findings in person and get a written report. If your child is diagnosed, NICE recommends a follow-up within 6 weeks.
  • Standard private prices ranged from about £1,900 to £3,800 in September 2026. Check the team, registration and local acceptance first.
On this page
  1. In short
  2. How do I get my child assessed for autism?
  3. What does NICE say a good assessment should include?
  4. Who is on the assessment team?
  5. What happens on the day?
  6. How can I prepare myself and my child?
  7. What happens after the assessment, and what if I disagree?
  8. Should we pay for a private assessment?
  9. Where can I get help and advice?
  10. Questions parents ask
  11. How this guide was made
  12. Sources

How do I get my child assessed for autism?

Start by talking to your GP, your health visitor if your child is not at school yet, or the SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator) at your child's nursery or school. The NHS says GPs can often refer a child to the local autism team, but in some areas the school or health visitor needs to make the referral.

The National Autistic Society suggests taking notes or a list of the signs you have noticed to the appointment. If the GP will not refer your child, it says you can ask a different doctor for a second opinion.

Who carries out the assessment depends on where you live. In England, children are often assessed by a community paediatric team (children's doctors who work in local clinics) or by CAMHS, the children and young people's mental health service (Children's Commissioner). Ask your GP which team covers your area.

Waits are long. In June 2026, 294,792 people of all ages in England had an open referral for suspected autism, and 86.8% had been waiting 13 weeks or more (NHS England Digital). These figures leave out children assessed by community paediatric teams. In 2022 to 2023, children waited an average of 527 days from referral to diagnosis in children's mental health services, and 791 days in community health services (Children's Commissioner).

In England you can also use Right to Choose to pick a different NHS-funded provider, which may have a shorter wait, although some NHS areas paused or restricted new referrals from late 2025 (Special Needs Jungle). Our guide explains how Right to Choose works. You do not have to wait for the assessment to get help: see what you can do while you wait.

Get help now: If your child loses words, social skills or movement skills they used to have, see your GP promptly rather than waiting for the assessment. NICE guideline CG128 sets out specific referral routes for children who lose skills.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Right to Choose applies in England only. Scotland follows SIGN guidance rather than NICE (National Autistic Society), and support there is meant to be based on needs, not on a diagnosis (SPICe). Wales aims to assess 80% of children within 26 weeks, but in June 2023, 67% of children waiting for an autism or ADHD assessment had already waited 26 weeks or more (Senedd Research). In Northern Ireland, parents can also raise concerns directly (Autism NI).

What does NICE say a good assessment should include?

NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) sets out what a good assessment looks like in guideline CG128 and quality standard QS51. Together they say:

  • The assessment should start within 3 months of the referral to the autism team.
  • A multidisciplinary team (professionals from different specialities) should carry it out, not one person.
  • It should cover your concerns, your child's life at home and at nursery or school, their development, how they communicate and interact, their medical history (including pregnancy, birth and family history), a physical examination and other possible explanations.
  • Your child should also be checked for other physical and mental health conditions.
  • The team should get a report from nursery or school, and should not rely on any single autism test or tool.
  • It should produce a profile of your child's strengths, skills and needs, and share it with you.

These are recommendations, not legal deadlines, and the waiting figures above show that many children wait far longer than 3 months. NHS England's national framework cites a UK survey of children's autism teams that put a team assessment at about 13 hours of professionals' time, as a conservative estimate. It also says services should offer reasonable adjustments, such as interpreters, other ways to communicate and flexible appointments.

Who is on the assessment team?

NICE recommends a core team of a paediatrician and/or child and adolescent psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist and a psychologist with experience of autistic children, with regular access to other professionals (NICE CG128). You may not meet everyone, so ask who you will see at each appointment.

Professional Place in NICE's team What they may focus on
Paediatrician or child and adolescent psychiatrist Core Development, health, physical examination, other conditions
Speech and language therapist Core How your child understands and uses words, gestures and play
Psychologist, such as a clinical psychologist Core Development, learning, behaviour and wellbeing
Occupational therapist Included or regularly available Senses, movement and everyday skills
Specialist health visitor, nurse, teacher or social worker Sometimes included Everyday life at home, nursery or school

What happens on the day?

An assessment should include a detailed talk with you, time with your child, information from nursery or school, and health checks (NICE CG128). Ask the team how many appointments to expect and how long each one lasts.

Talking about your child's development

The team will ask about your child's development, such as when they started talking, and about their health (NHS). Many teams use a structured interview with parents, such as the ADI-R, DISCO or 3di (National Autistic Society). Ask how long to allow and whether your child needs to come.

Watching your child play and communicate

A professional will see how your child plays and interacts with you, and may ask your child to do tasks that show how they communicate, move, think and react (NHS). Many teams use the ADOS-2, a structured observation built around play and activities (National Autistic Society). For a young child, much of it can look like playing. Ask whether you will be in the room.

Nursery and school information

NICE says the team should get a report from your child's nursery or school if it does not already have one (NICE CG128). The team may also speak to people who know your child well, such as their teachers (NHS).

Health checks and other explanations

The team may ask about your child's medical history and do a physical examination. NICE says it should consider other explanations, such as a language disorder or ADHD, check for co-occurring conditions (conditions that often come alongside autism) and gather results of hearing and vision tests (NICE CG128). If your child has not had a recent hearing test, ask your GP, who can refer them to a hearing specialist called an audiologist (NHS).

NICE says medical tests should not be done routinely. It says to consider genetic tests in specific situations, such as when a child has a learning disability, and an EEG (a test of brain activity) if epilepsy is suspected.

Myth: "My child makes eye contact and gives cuddles, so they can't be autistic." NICE says autism should not be ruled out because of good eye contact, smiling, showing affection to family, pretend play or reaching language milestones (NICE CG128). The team also uses your account and reports, not just what it sees on the day.

How can I prepare myself and my child?

Good preparation helps the team see your child as they are day to day, not just in one unfamiliar room.

Preparing yourself

  1. Write down examples of what you have noticed at home, at nursery or school and out and about, with rough dates.
  2. Note milestones such as first words, pointing and walking, and any words or skills your child has lost.
  3. Jot down family history and anything important about pregnancy and birth, which NICE says the team should ask about.
  4. Gather reports from nursery or school, the health visitor, any speech and language therapy, and any hearing or eye tests.
  5. If something mostly happens at home, such as meltdowns, ask the team whether a short phone video would help and how to share it safely.
  6. Write your questions down, and bring a partner, relative or friend if you can.
  7. Ask for any adjustments you or your child need, such as a longer appointment, a different time or a separate place to wait (Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust).

Preparing your child

  • Tell your child where you are going, in words or pictures they understand.
  • Ask the service for photos, a visit or a virtual tour, and for written or picture information about what will happen (Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust). Ask what the room is like, who will be there and whether there will be toys.
  • Pack comfort items, snacks, a drink, and ear defenders or headphones if your child uses them.
  • There is nothing for your child to pass or fail, so there is nothing to practise.
  • Plan something calm and familiar for afterwards.

Try this: Make a four-picture picture story about the day: the car or bus, the building, a room with toys and a grown-up, then home and a favourite snack. Read it together a few times beforehand. Our guide to making appointments easier has more ideas.

What happens after the assessment, and what if I disagree?

The team should talk you through its findings in person and without delay, including your child's profile of strengths and needs (NICE CG128). If the team is still unsure, NICE says it should consider a second opinion.

You should get a written report. The NHS says it should say whether your child is autistic, what they are good at, what they might need help with and whether the team found any other conditions. NICE says the report should be shared with your GP, and with nursery, school or social care only with your consent.

If your child is diagnosed, NICE says you should be offered a follow-up appointment with the team within 6 weeks, and information about support in your area. Our guide to your first 12 weeks after a diagnosis covers what to do next.

If you disagree with the outcome:

  1. Ask the team to explain how it reached its conclusion (NHS).
  2. Send anything the team did not have, such as a nursery report or examples from home. NICE says an earlier assessment that found no autism should not rule it out if new information becomes available (NICE CG128).
  3. Ask for a second opinion. The NHS says you can ask the GP or the assessment team to refer your child to another team, and NICE says a second opinion should be considered when parents disagree with the diagnosis.
  4. You can pay for a private assessment, but check the provider first (see below).

Good to know: Whatever the outcome, your child's needs are real. In England, a child does not need a diagnosis to get support at nursery or school; support should be based on their needs (IPSEA).

Should we pay for a private assessment?

Some families pay privately rather than wait. It is expensive, and not every local service accepts private reports. When we checked in September 2026, standard published prices for a child's private autism assessment ranged from about £1,900 to £3,800 (Autism 360; Acorn Autism Specialists; Clinical Partners), and one provider listed a lower price for families on Universal Credit. The National Autistic Society's own service says its fees "typically range from £2,290 to £3,800". We list these to show typical prices, not to recommend anyone. For comparison, NHS England's non-mandatory guide price for a child's face-to-face autism assessment in 2026/27 is £1,350 (NHS England).

Before you pay, check:

  • The team. NICE's core team is a paediatrician or child psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist and a psychologist. Ask who will see your child.
  • Registration. The National Autistic Society suggests checking that professionals are registered with a professional body such as the Health and Care Professions Council. You can search the HCPC register for psychologists and speech and language therapists, and the General Medical Council register for doctors. The Care Quality Commission lists registered health services in England.
  • The method. Expect a developmental history, observation and information from nursery or school, not one test or questionnaire.
  • What you get. A full written report, a feedback appointment and a follow-up.
  • Local acceptance. The National Autistic Society says some people have difficulty getting a non-NHS diagnosis accepted by council and NHS services. Ask your GP and council before you pay, and ask whether your child can stay on the NHS waiting list meanwhile.

Where can I get help and advice?

Questions parents ask

How do I get my child assessed for autism in the UK?

Talk to your GP, your health visitor if your child is not at school yet, or the SENCO at your child's nursery or school, and take notes and examples of what you have noticed. The NHS says GPs can often refer a child to the local autism team, but in some areas the school or health visitor makes the referral. In England you can also ask about Right to Choose, which lets you choose a different NHS-funded provider, although some areas paused or restricted new referrals from late 2025.

Can a GP diagnose autism in the UK?

Usually not on their own. The GP's role is to listen to your concerns and refer your child to the local autism team. NICE recommends that a child's autism assessment is carried out by a team including a paediatrician or child psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist and a psychologist, and that no single autism test or tool is relied on alone to make a diagnosis.

What happens at an autism assessment for children?

The team asks you detailed questions about your child's development, health and family history, watches your child play and communicate, reads reports from nursery or school, and may do a physical examination. It can take more than one appointment. NICE says the team should explain its findings to you in person, give you a written report and, if your child is diagnosed, offer a follow-up appointment within 6 weeks.

What is an ADOS assessment and what should we expect?

The ADOS-2 is a structured observation often used in UK autism assessments. A trained professional sets up play and activities to see how your child communicates, plays and interacts, so for a young child much of it can look like playing. It is only one part of the assessment: NICE says no autism tool should be relied on alone, so the team also uses your account and reports from nursery or school.

What questions will they ask at a CAMHS autism assessment?

Whether your child is seen by CAMHS or a community paediatric team, expect questions about pregnancy and birth, early milestones such as first words, how your child plays, communicates and gets on with others, how they cope with change, their senses, their health and any family history. It helps to write examples down beforehand, with rough dates, and to bring any nursery or school reports.

How much does a private autism assessment cost in the UK?

When we checked in September 2026, standard published prices for a private child autism assessment ranged from about £1,900 to £3,800. The National Autistic Society says its own service's fees typically range from £2,290 to £3,800. For comparison, NHS England's non-mandatory guide price for a child's face-to-face autism assessment in 2026/27 is £1,350. Before paying, check the team, their registration and whether your local services will accept the report.

Will schools and the NHS accept a private autism diagnosis?

It varies. The National Autistic Society says some people have difficulty getting a non-NHS diagnosis accepted by council and NHS services, so ask your GP and council before you pay. In England, a child should not need a diagnosis to get support at nursery or school, because support should be based on the child's needs.

What if they say my child is not autistic but I still think they are?

Ask the team to explain how they reached their decision, and share anything they did not see, such as examples from home or a nursery report. NICE says an earlier assessment that found no autism should not rule it out if new information comes to light, and that a second opinion should be considered when parents disagree. The NHS says you can ask your GP or the team to refer your child to another team.

How this guide was made

Written by
The Rocks Make Pebbles editorial team, using the 24 sources listed below.
How
We researched the topic from UK guidance and published research, drafted the guide with the help of AI tools, and checked it against its sources on 28 September 2026. Read our editorial policy.
Professional review
Not yet reviewed. This guide is waiting for review by a paediatrician or clinical psychologist. We will show their name and the date here once they have checked it.
Last updated
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Sources

Every fact in this guide links to one of these. We checked each link when we last updated the guide.

  1. Autism assessments NHS, 6 May 2026
  2. How to request an autism assessment National Autistic Society
  3. We are robbing children of their childhoods: new data reveals years-long waits for children's autism diagnoses Children's Commissioner for England, 18 October 2024
  4. Autism Statistics, July 2025 to June 2026 NHS England Digital, 13 August 2026
  5. ADHD and Autism Right To Choose referrals paused as at least nine NHS areas tell providers to stop booking assessments Special Needs Jungle, 6 January 2026
  6. Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis (CG128), recommendations NICE, April 2025
  7. Autism (QS51): list of quality statements NICE
  8. A national framework to deliver improved outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways: guidance for integrated care boards NHS England, April 2023
  9. Neurodevelopmental Pathways and Waiting Times in Scotland (SB 25-25) Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), 24 June 2025
  10. The growing demand for ADHD and autism assessments in Wales Senedd Research, 7 November 2024
  11. Autism diagnosis Autism NI
  12. Criteria and tools used in an autism assessment National Autistic Society
  13. Hearing tests for children NHS
  14. Preparing for health care appointments Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
  15. The myth of needing a diagnosis before you can get support IPSEA, 25 April 2025
  16. Diagnostic and Assessment Service National Autistic Society
  17. Pricing Autism 360, 10 September 2026
  18. Fees and funding Acorn Autism Specialists
  19. Private autism assessments for children Clinical Partners
  20. 2026/27 NHS Payment Scheme: ADHD and autism diagnostic assessment services payment guidance NHS England, March 2026
  21. Check the register Health and Care Professions Council
  22. The medical register General Medical Council
  23. Care Quality Commission Care Quality Commission
  24. Information and advice services Contact
Waiting for an autism assessment? What you can do nowYou don't have to wait for a diagnosis to help your child. Practical steps for home, nursery or school, money, your referral and your own wellbeing while you wait.Right to Choose for children's autism assessments in England, explainedA neutral guide to Right to Choose for a child's autism assessment in England: how to ask your GP, what to check, and what the 2025 to 2026 pauses mean.Just diagnosed: your first 12 weeks after an autism diagnosisA calm, week-by-week plan for the first three months after diagnosis: understanding the report, school support, parent courses, money, telling people and your own wellbeing.Signs of autism in young children, and when to ask for helpWhat autism can look like at different ages, what doesn't rule it out, autism or speech delay, loss of skills, and how to raise concerns with your GP, health visitor or SENCO.Dentists, haircuts and doctors: making appointments easierPreparing your child with photos, picture stories and practice, the reasonable adjustments you can ask for, the NHS Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, and tips for teeth and haircuts.

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