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Private Autism Assessment in Wiltshire

If you have been wondering whether your child or young person might be autistic, you are not alone. Many families come to us after noticing differences in how their child communicates, socialises, manages change, or experiences the world around them.

Seeking an autism assessment can feel like a big step. Often parents simply want a clearer understanding of their child, and guidance about how best to support them.

Wiltshire Psychology Service offers private Autism Assessments from our comfortable offices in Brinkworth near Swindon to families across Wiltshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Bath, Bristol and the South West. We offer specialist autism assessments (sometimes referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD assessments) for children and young people aged 5½ to 25 years. Our aim is to provide a thorough, respectful and supportive assessment process that helps families gain clarity, understanding and practical guidance.

We are an established independent psychology practice that has been supporting adults, children and families since 2006, and we have been offering specialist autism assessments since 2017.

Our assessments follow national clinical guidelines and are delivered by a highly-skilled multidisciplinary team with many years of NHS practice, including a Clinical Psychologist and a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist who have worked extensively with autistic children and young people.

Why Families Choose Our Autism Assessment Service

Many parents contact us because they are beginning to wonder whether their child might be autistic, or because a school or other professional has suggested an assessment may be helpful. Seeking an assessment can feel like a big step, and families often simply want a clearer understanding of their child and how best to support them.

Families often tell us they choose our service because we provide:

• A gold-standard multidisciplinary autism assessment following NICE clinical guidelines
• Assessment using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2)
• Experienced HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist specialising in autism
• Experienced HCPC-registered Speech and Language Therapist specialising in autism
• Reports suitable and accepted by NHS services, schools and EHCP processes
• Clear feedback and practical recommendations for home and school

Parents often contact us because:

• Their child struggles socially at school
• Their child seems anxious or overwhelmed
• Teachers have suggested autism may be worth exploring
• Their child masks difficulties at school but struggles at home

Our goal is not simply to reach a diagnosis. We aim to help families understand their child’s strengths, differences and support needs, and to provide clear guidance about what may help next.

When Families Consider an Autism Assessment

Autism (previously including diagnoses such as Asperger’s syndrome) is a different way of experiencing and understanding the world. Children and young people who are autistic often have many strengths. However, some children may experience challenges in areas such as:

Social communication

• Finding it difficult to read social cues or understand social situations
• Struggling to start or maintain conversations
• Difficulty interpreting facial expressions, body language or tone of voice

Routines and flexibility

• A strong preference for routines or predictability
• Becoming distressed when plans change unexpectedly
• Highly focused interests

Sensory experiences

• Sensitivity to sounds, textures, lights or smells
• Seeking certain sensory experiences

Many autistic young people also have excellent attention to detail, strong interests, imagination, creativity, a logical or literal approach to the world, and a strong sense of fairness.

Sometimes these differences become more noticeable as children get older, particularly when social demands increase at school.

An assessment can help families and schools understand how a young person thinks and experiences the world, and what support may help them thrive. Families often tell us the final report is very helpful in securing appropriate support.

Autism in Girls and Young Women

Research increasingly suggests that autistic girls are sometimes identified later than boys.

Girls may become skilled at masking or compensating for social differences, which can make their needs less obvious. As a result, families sometimes worry that their concerns may not be recognised.

Our multidisciplinary assessments are designed to carefully explore these differences and ensure that subtle presentations of autism are recognised and understood.

The Autism Assessment Process

Our assessment takes place in several stages. This helps ensure we gather a complete and balanced picture of your child’s development, strengths and needs.

Our autism assessments, held in our Brinkworth Offices near Swindon, follow the ASD national clinical guidelines set out by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

These guidelines recommend that autism assessments are carried out by a multidisciplinary team and include detailed developmental history, direct observation of social communication (such as the ADOS-2), and information from parents and school where appropriate.

Following these guidelines helps ensure that assessments are thorough, respectful, unhurried, evidence-based and widely recognised by health and education services.

All professionals involved in the assessment have extensive experience and expertise in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Information is always sought from your child's school as well as any professionals involved in your child's care.

We often hear back from families who say that a powerful benefit of the assessment process is that it is therapeutic to their children and young people throughout, and long after, the assessment.

Stage 1 – Initial Consultation

The first step is a 90-minute consultation with a Specialist Clinical Psychologist.

During this appointment we will:

• Talk through your child’s developmental history
• Explore current strengths and challenges
• Discuss school experiences and learning
• Ask you to complete a brief screening questionnaire

At the end of this appointment at our Brinkworth offices we will discuss whether a full multidisciplinary autism assessment would be helpful.

If further assessment is not indicated, you will still receive a written summary report with recommendations and support options.

Stage 2 – Multidisciplinary Assessment

If a full assessment is recommended, this involves further appointments and information gathering.

This usually includes:

• A detailed developmental interview with parents
• Assessment of social communication skills with a Speech and Language Therapist
• The ADOS-2 assessment, carried out by a Clinical Psychologist
• Liaison with your child’s school or other professionals where appropriate

Each element of the assessment helps us understand your child’s communication style, social understanding, strengths and areas where support may be helpful.

Stage 3 – Diagnostic Discussion and Feedback

Once all assessment information has been gathered, the clinicians meet to carefully review the findings.

A feedback appointment is then arranged with parents to explain:

• The outcome of the assessment
• Whether diagnostic criteria for autism are met
• What the findings mean for your child

Families often tell us that this conversation is helpful and reassuring, regardless of the diagnostic outcome.

The assessment activities are designed to be as engaging, relaxed and supportive as possible so that children and young people feel comfortable throughout. Some children even say they enjoy parts of the assessment activities.

From the first appointment to feedback and the written report, the assessment process typically takes around 3–6 weeks.

Written Report

A detailed written report is provided approximately two weeks after the feedback session.

This report includes:

• A clear explanation of the diagnostic conclusions
• A detailed description of your child’s strengths and differences
• Practical recommendations for home and school

Our reports are suitable for use with:

• NHS services
• Schools and colleges
• Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) processes

Families often tell us that the written report becomes an important document for their child over many years. Our aim is that families leave the assessment process not only with answers, but with practical guidance that helps their child thrive.

Follow-Up Support

Following the assessment, we can offer follow-up appointments to help families think about next steps.

This may include:

• Discussing how to explain the diagnosis to your child
• Advice about school support
• Psychological therapy or support where appropriate

We aim to ensure that families leave the assessment process with greater understanding and a clear plan for moving forward.

Our assessment is designed to provide a thorough, NICE-compliant multidisciplinary evaluation, bringing together information from parents, school and specialist clinicians so that families can feel confident in the conclusions reached.

Autism Assessment Fees - and What's Included

Our autism assessment process takes place in two stages.

Initial Screening Consultation – £295

A 90-minute consultation with a Specialist Clinical Psychologist to explore your child’s developmental history and current needs.

Full Multidisciplinary Autism Assessment – £1,630

This includes:

• A detailed developmental history interview with parents
• A Speech and Language assessment of communication and social understanding
• The ADOS-2 assessment, widely considered the gold-standard observational assessment for autism
• Careful multidisciplinary review of all assessment information
• A feedback appointment to explain the findings and answer questions
• Comprehensive written diagnostic report

Total assessment cost - £1,925

Enquiring About an Assessment

If you are considering an autism assessment for your child or young person, you are very welcome to contact us.

Many families simply begin by emailing to ask a few questions about the process. We will then be happy to guide you through the next steps and help you decide whether an assessment would be helpful.

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There is no pressure to commit when making an enquiry.

Many parents contact us simply because they want to understand their child better. You do not need to be certain that your child is autistic before seeking an assessment.

Our autism assessments take place at our Wiltshire clinic near Swindon and Malmesbury, and we regularly see families from Chippenham, Malmesbury, Cirencester and across Wiltshire, Bath, Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. Wherever you are, we can often tailor the assessment so that it works for you on a practical level.