For children and teenagers
A parent or carer gives the developmental history, and school completes a short questionnaire. We help your child take part in a way that suits them.
Autism assessment
Private autism assessment for ages 6 to adult
about understanding, not labelling
Oakwell’s autism assessment is a structured, clinically led assessment for children aged 6 and over, teenagers and adults. It includes a developmental history (ADI-R) and a structured observation session using the ADOS-2, and the whole team reviews each case together. It costs £1,999, with no VAT payable, and no referral is needed.
Who this page is for: parents wondering about their child, and adults wondering about themselves.
Who is the autism assessment for?
Children aged 6 and over, teenagers and adults. One assessment, one fee, adjusted to the person.
Parents often get in touch after school has raised a concern, or after a long wait for an NHS assessment. Adults often come after years of wondering, sometimes after burnout, or after a family member has been assessed. You don’t need to be sure it’s autism to get in touch: the initial consultation is there to work out whether an assessment is the right next step.
For adults
Including late identification. Where possible, someone who knew you well growing up takes part; if nobody can, we agree other ways to gather the same information.
What does the assessment include?
Everything below is included in the £1,999 fee.
- Initial consultation
- Questionnaire pack, including a school questionnaire for children
- Developmental history session (ADI-R), up to 2 hours
- Structured observation session using the ADOS-2, around 45 minutes to an hour
- Multidisciplinary team review: the whole team reviews each case together
- Feedback appointment
- Comprehensive written report, usually within 4 weeks of the feedback appointment
- A follow-up call (30 to 45 minutes, video or phone) within 6 weeks of your report
- Report amendments and extra letters
- Signposting to local support, whatever the outcome
Who carries out the assessment?
Hans Naicker, our Clinical Lead and an NMC-registered mental health nurse, works with an HCPC-registered clinical psychologist and an HCPC-registered speech and language therapist. The whole team reviews each case together; the clinician who led the assessment signs the report. CHECK: can Hans sign a child’s report, or is it always the psychologist or paediatrician? (D2.8)
The team is trained in the ADOS-2 and ADI-R. CHECK: certificates seen for the claims register (D1) All clinicians hold enhanced DBS checks. Sessions with our speech and language therapist can be in Gujarati if that helps your family.
Meet the team · GPs, SENCOs and SEND teams: how to refer to Oakwell
How is the observation session carried out?
A structured observation session using the ADOS-2, usually by secure video, or face to face at home where that suits your child better. We choose the approach with you, for comfort and so the person being assessed can take part easily.
CHECK: are observation sessions recorded, who can view recordings and how long are they kept? (D2.4)
What do you get at the end?
A comprehensive written report, usually within 4 weeks of the feedback appointment, signed by the clinician who led your assessment, and a follow-up call within 6 weeks of the report to answer your questions.
The report is written to be shared with your child’s school, GP and, if relevant, the local authority as part of an EHCP needs assessment. Each organisation decides how it uses private reports. Adults may choose to share their report with an employer or university to support conversations about reasonable adjustments.
CHECK: Hans to approve a plain list of the report’s section headings for this page (D1)
What if the outcome isn’t autism?
An assessment is never a dead end. You’ll get clear, honest feedback about what we found, with recommendations and signposting to the support most likely to help.
That might be support through school or work, a mental health assessment, our Goal Coaching Mentorship Programme, or an assessment with another provider, for example for ADHD, which Oakwell doesn’t assess.
How does this compare with the NHS route?
You can ask your GP about an NHS autism assessment. Waiting times vary from area to area. Oakwell is a private, self-funded service: you can contact us directly, and you can still ask your GP about NHS options at the same time.
Oakwell isn’t an NHS Right to Choose provider, so we can’t take NHS-funded referrals.
What adjustments do you offer?
- Sessions from your own familiar environment, with less change to routine
- Support to help a child take part, or a session arranged at school if home is not possible
- Pace adjusted and breaks offered
- Feedback in plain language
CHECK: reminders and written summaries offered? (§1)
Questions about autism assessment
Do I need a referral from my GP or school?
No — you can get in touch directly as a parent, or as an adult seeking assessment for yourself. Referrals from GPs, schools and other professionals are also very welcome, but they’re not a requirement to start the process.
Do you assess ADHD?
Not at present. ADHD traits may be noted as part of an autism assessment, but we don’t diagnose ADHD or prescribe. If an ADHD assessment might help, we’ll say so and suggest where to turn, such as your GP or another provider. CHECK: wording with Hans (rule 1)
Can I use NHS Right to Choose with Oakwell?
No. Oakwell is a private service and isn’t an NHS Right to Choose provider. Your GP can tell you about Right to Choose options. If you’d like a private assessment, we’re happy to talk it through.
Can sessions be in Gujarati?
Yes, for the speech and language part of the assessment. Sessions with our speech and language therapist can be in Gujarati if that helps your family. Just let us know when you first get in touch, so we can plan for it.
What happens if the assessment doesn’t lead to a diagnosis?
You’ll still leave with clear, honest feedback. Whatever the outcome, we’ll talk through what we’ve noticed, and provide recommendations and signposting towards whatever support is likely to be genuinely helpful next — an assessment is never a dead end.
Is there a follow-up after the report?
Yes. A 30 to 45-minute video or phone call within 6 weeks of your report is included in the autism assessment fee, to answer your questions and help with next steps. It’s a chance to ask about anything that has come up since you read the report.
Areas we cover
Autism assessments are online; home visits are for the mental health assessment, across these areas and surrounding areas.
The journey
What happens at each stepFees
What the autism assessment costsTeam
Meet Hans Naicker
Not sure what you need? Talk it through with us.
No referral needed. Prefer not to phone? Email or use the form. That’s completely fine.