Seeing the world through their eyes.
Comprehensive, NICE-compliant autism assessments. We look beyond the behaviour to understand your child’s unique strengths and sensory needs.
Validation First
Beyond diagnosis, insight, understanding and support
As a parent, you know your child best. You may have noticed they experience the world differently; perhaps they find noisy environments overwhelming, struggle with unwritten social rules, or have intense passions that bring them joy but set them apart.
Our goal is to give you a robust, positive framework to help your child thrive at home and in school.
Why Our Assessment Process is Different
The “Gold Standard” for your child.
At AYC our private autism assessments are fully multidisciplinary, follow NICE guidelines and are completed in person. Our reports stand up to scrutiny, are accepted by the NHS and can be used to access reasonable adjustments, helping to support applications for educational health and care plans and disability living allowance.
MDT (Multi Disciplinary Team) Approach
Your child is never assessed by just one clinician. Each autism assessment involves three clinicians from different clinical backgrounds (e.g. Clinical Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists).
Sensory Focused
We complete a sensory processing measure to understand how each child responds to environmental stimuli including, noise, light, crowds and tactile experiences.
Reasonable Adjustments
Our reports include personalised recommendations and can be used to evidence need and to gain reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act, in both schools and universities.
School Collaboration
We do not work in isolation. Instead, we gather structured evidence from both parents and teachers to ensure that we gain comprehensive understanding of your child across the different contexts in which they operate.
The Assessment Pathway
Beyond personal validation, a formal diagnosis unlocks legal protections and tangible support.
Pre-Assessment Screening
We review your initial booking forms to confirm that this is the most appropriate pathway for you. This helps ensure we can provide the right service and expertise to meet your needs. If we feel your needs may be better supported elsewhere, we will contact you to discuss this and, where possible, signpost you to more suitable services.
Developmental History Questionnaire
Our developmental history questionnaire is very thorough and based on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). Information is reviewed by our multi-disciplinary team to help us build a clear picture of your child’s early development and current presentation. Following receipt review of this document, a clinician may get in touch if ask further questions should we need any clarification.
In person assessment session (ADOS-2)
Your child will attend an in-person assessment at our Warrington offices. Depending on the age and the needs of the child, they will be asked to complete a series of activities and puzzles that will help our clinicians understand how their brain processes information. These tasks will also help our clinicians understand your child’s social communication profile and how they understand and maintain relationships.
Multi-Disciplinary Review
Our team of psychologists and specialist clinicians will review all of the evidence that has been gathered throughout the assessment process and reach a consensus regarding whether to offer a autism diagnosis.
Feedback & Report
The outcome of the assessment is explained and the client is provided with a detailed diagnostic report. Our reports give valuable insights into a child or young person’s lived experiences and contain detailed recommendations that can be used across both home and school.
What do we actually assess?
The Whole Child.
Using DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, our assessments focus on the following key areas:
Social Communication
How your child understands and uses language. We consider tone of voice, turn taking, ability to adjust language in different contexts, interpreting implied meanings, humour or sarcasm.
Social Interaction
How your child relates to peers, understands unwritten rules, and manages friendships.
Flexibility of Thought
Your child’s ability to adapt to change and handle the unexpected. Do they display repetitive behaviours or restrictive interests?
Sensory Processing
How your child processes sensory information (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, movement, and body position), including how they notice, respond to, and filter input.
Emotional Regulation
How your child is able to recognise, manage, and express their emotions, including their responses to stress, frustration, and feeling overwhelmed.
Questions Parents Ask Us
We make it as low-stress as possible, most children and adults report that they find the assessment process enjoyable. Our Warrington centre is sensory-friendly, and the ADOS-2 is delivered via a relaxed, non directive and low pressure approach.
No. Masking (hiding traits to fit in) is very common, especially in girls. Our clinicians are trained to look beyond surface level behaviours, so even if a child is masking during a face to face assessment, the clinicians are able to integrate information from your child’s developmental history, multi-setting reports and sensory processing measure to ensure that they get an accurate understanding of your child’s functioning (beyond that which is shown in face to face interactions).
Our clinicians have extensive professional and lived experience in neurodivergence. They are able to integrate various sources of information and apply clinical formulations to best understand a child or young person’s presentation. After your child’s assessment you will receive a detailed report explaining both their strengths and needs. Even if your child doesn’t meet the DSM-5 criteria for autism, we will always guide you on next steps.
