Child and Adolescent Autism and ADHD Services
Child and Adolescent Autism and ADHD Assessments and Post-diagnostic Support in Brighton and Hove
Autism and ADHD Assessment and Post-Diagnostic support
Watching your child struggle to keep up, regulate their emotions, or navigate the school day while feeling like they don't quite fit in can be deeply worrying for a family. Many parents spend months or years trying to understand what is driving their child's distress, behavioral challenges, or academic hurdles, often facing long waits or confusing systems along the way.
Getting a clear assessment isn't about collecting a label; it’s about finally making sense of your child’s unique mind. Understanding how they process the world allows you to secure the right educational provisions, stop second-guessing parenting strategies, and give your child the tailored support they need to thrive. We also recognize that neurodivergent traits often overlap. Which is why our senior clinical psychologists specialize in comprehensive, systemic assessments—looking closely at how conditions like autism, ADHD, anxiety, or learning differences interact so you don't have to repeat your story across multiple fragmented services.
A Rigorous, Transparent Pathway
Our child assessments adhere strictly to NICE guidelines and are led by senior clinical psychologists with specific training in developmental diagnostic formulation. Teasing apart how overlapping presentations—such as developmental trauma, anxiety, or sensory processing differences—interact with neurodivergence requires deep clinical expertise to avoid diagnostic error.
Because our assessments are thorough and objective, we do not guarantee a diagnosis. However, every pathway begins with a clinical pre-assessment consultation acting as a vital safeguard—reviewing early developmental history and screening for suitability to ensure you do not incur the cost of an unnecessary full assessment if clinical indicators point elsewhere.
Regardless of the outcome, your comprehensive report includes a robust psychological formulation designed to stand up to absolute scrutiny from schools, local authorities (for EHCPs), and paediatric professionals.
Medication & Post-Diagnostic Support
While our clinical psychologists do not prescribe medication, we work closely with specialist psychiatric prescribers within an established partnership programme to seamlessly facilitate review and medication management if medical intervention is clinically indicated for an adolescent.
We also provide dedicated post-diagnostic support and specialist interventions under the same roof—including specialist child therapy and family support—to help you and your child navigate the next steps.
What can I expect to gain from an assessment?
We understand that neurodivergent children and young people rarely fit into neat boxes. Our practice specialises in assessing complex or atypical presentations—including girls, demand-avoidant profiles (such as PDA), high-masking children, and those whose distress is frequently mislabeled or misunderstood by schools and standard screening tools.
Built on a proudly neuro-affirming, individualised, and trauma-informed framework, our senior clinical psychologists look far beyond surface-level behaviours or rigid checklists. We explore the emotional, sensory, and nervous-system drivers behind what you are seeing at home and in the classroom. Regardless of whether a formal diagnostic threshold is met, the process is designed to provide tangible, life-changing outcomes for your family:
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A Deeper, More Compassionate Understanding of Your Child's Behaviours: Moving away from shame, blame, or behavioral guesswork to truly understand why your child struggles, helping you see the world through their unique neurodivergent lens.
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Tools to Help You Advocate More Effectively: Robust, comprehensive documentation and clinical recommendations that empower you to stand up for your child with absolute confidence—whether securing the right educational support, an EHCP, or school accommodations.
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Strategies That Work for Your Child’s Neurotype: Moving away from standard, non-adapted parenting programs that often lead to resistance or increased anxiety. You receive actionable, trauma-informed interventions and a clear roadmap tailored specifically to how your child's nervous system actually operates.
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Access to Treatment & Next Steps (Where Appropriate): Clear guidance on and pathways to further clinical support, including targeted mental health interventions or medical management (such as ADHD medication pathways) when indicated, ensuring you aren't left stranded after a diagnosis.
How the Process Works
We want to make sure your child is on the right pathway from day one. To protect you from paying for an expensive assessment your child might not need, our pathway is broken down into clear, manageable steps:
Step 1: The Pre-Assessment Consultation (90 Mins)
Before any formal diagnostic assessment takes place, we recommend a thorough pre-assessment consultation with a Senior Clinician.
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Prior to the meeting, you’ll complete detailed screening questionnaires and a full developmental history.
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You’ll meet with one of our Senior Clinicians for an in-depth discussion (1.5 hours).
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The Clinical Safeguard: This appointment helps us determine whether a formal diagnostic assessment is clinically indicated. If we find that a full assessment isn't the right path, we will explain our rationale clearly and guide you toward alternative support, saving you time and unnecessary expense.
If you have been referred by a clinician or you are already on a waiting list for an assessment, a pre-assessment may not be necessary. Please get in touch with us directly to discuss further contact@thepsychologicaltherapycentre.com
Step 2: The Formal Diagnostic Assessment
If the pre-assessment indicates that moving forward is appropriate, we carry out the formal diagnostic process across a series of appointments.
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For Autism: We use gold-standard, NICE-recommended tools such as the ADOS-2, MIGDAS-2, and ADI-R.
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For ADHD: We use structured tools like the ACE, alongside objective measures like the QbCheck(a 15–20 minute computerised test that measures attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity).
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We gather information from multiple perspectives, reviewing school reports, medical history, and—where applicable—conducting school or home observations and teacher interviews
Step 3: Comprehensive Report & Feedback Session
Following the assessment, you will receive an extensive, highly detailed report containing our findings, clinical rationale, and practical recommendations. We also provide a feedback session to discuss the conclusions, answer your questions, and map out next steps—including post-diagnostic support options or any necessary onward referrals for psychiatry or prescribing, occupational therapy, speech therapy, or educational support. You will also be given access to our parent portal which has a wealth of information and resources to help you and your child navigate their diagnosis.
The Tools and Standards We Use
All of our child assessments are led by Senior Clinical Psychologists, with multidisciplinary input from Speech & Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists where needed.
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Gold-Standard Frameworks: We strictly follow NICE-recommended guidelines and structured assessments.
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Objective ADHD Testing (QB Check): Administered and interpreted by qualified professionals, the QB check provides an objective measurement of attention and activity levels to support accurate ADHD diagnosis and evaluate future treatment interventions.
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Cognitive & Learning Profiles: If your child is struggling academically, we can also integrate cognitive assessments or speech and language evaluations to get a complete picture of how they process information, learn, and experience the world.
How Can I Find Out More?
If you are unsure where to start or want to talk through your child’s specific situation, you can book a Free Initial Telephone Consultation or a Pre-assessment with one of our Clinical Leads, or you can submit a general enquiry below.
To find out more please see our Neurodevelopmental Services page for Frequently Asked Questions
Fees
How much does a diagnostic assessment cost?
Initial Pre-assessment (Child 7+) £300 (90 Minutes)
QB Check + Feedback £280
Formal Diagnostic Autism Assessment (Child) £2,350
Child ADHD Assessment + QB Check £1,450
Child ADHD Assessment + QB Check + Cognitive Assessment £1,900
Joint ADHD and Autism Assessment + QB Check (Child) £3,195
Additional consultation work £150 (60 Minutes)
Pre-assessment reports (if required) £120
Diagnostic Assessments - Reports are included
We allow plenty of time covered within the fee to gather all the information we need. Occasionally additional appointments are required to gather further clinical information to avoid an inconclusive outcome, which are charged at £150 per hour. This is only when there is more information to collate than we typically need. You will always be consulted in advance of any additional fees. Home / School Observations also incur additional fees.
