Specialist Assessments

At Well Rooted we offer Neuroaffirmative assessment, diagnosis, advice and support for a variety of Neurodevelopmental conditions including autism, ADHD & a variety of Learning Difficulties. Our neuroaffirmative assessments mean we aim to gain a holistic understanding of a child. This involves understanding their strengths within various environments, while also acknowledging the challenges they may encounter. Neuroaffirmative assessments do not aim to change the individual; instead, they focus on establishing the necessary support for a child or young person to thrive in their life through reasonable adjustments.

Many children and young people face can be misunderstood and parents are sometimes unfairly blamed for their child's behaviours. An assessment can support those around your child to understand their behaviour in a different way, and empower them to provide your child with support.

Autism

Assessment for Autism can often be complex and lengthy, but our aim is to simplify the process, making it as easy as possible.

Steps involved in a neuroaffirmative assessment for Autism

  • This involves an appointment to gather a detailed account of the presenting difficulty, and when this first started. After this, we will think about if there is enough clinical indicators to warrant proceeding with a full diagnostic assessment. This will last for approximately 50 minutes.

  • 1) Background information - Forms containing questions and screening measures are completed by parents, the young person (depending on their age), and the school. They allow us to develop an enhanced understanding of the problem, their experience at home, school and other settings, a developmental history (what they were like when younger) and will consider any other differential diagnosis that could explain the young persons presentation and challenges.

    2) Diagnostic assessment – This involves two separate clinicians. One will complete the the clinical interview that is informed by the Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R). This appointment will take approximately two hours and is typically conducted remotely. The second clinician will complete the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). This is a semi-structured, standardised assessment of communication, social interaction and imagination undertaken with the child/young person. This will take approximately 60-90 minutes and will be completed face to face.

    3) Multi-Disciplinary discussion - After step 2, the clinicians will have a multidisciplinary discussion where they decide if there is enough evidence to meet a threshold for an autism diagnosis. We follow the Diagnostic Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5) TR / ICD -11, which is a book on international diagnostic standards to consider a diagnosis.

  • This is often carried out remotely but can be done face to face if preferred. This session involved meeting with one of the clinicians to discuss the results of the assessment, and to go through the report.

    This appointment typically lasts an hour.

  • You will receive a comprehensive report detailing your child's profile of strengths and experiences, aligned with the outcome of their assessment according to the DSM-5 criteria (if applicable). This report will also include detailed recommendations tailored to your child's individual needs and circumstances both at home and school.

  • Our comprehensive assessments follow NICE guidelines, use gold-standard tools and are carried out by a multi-disciplinary team of fully accredited and experienced clinicians. The SEND Code of Practice (2015) states that there is no basis in law for the Local Authority to reject a professional report simply because it was privately obtained. If you have any issues with your assessment being accepted, please contact us and we will speak to the local authority on your behalf.

ADHD

Steps involved for a neuroaffirmative assessment for ADHD

  • This involves a virtual or face to face appointment to gather a detailed account of the presenting problem both current and historical. Following this, we will determine if there are enough clinical indicators to warrant proceeding with a full diagnostic assessment.

    Before the assessment, parents will be requested to complete some questionnaires and scales. School staff play a crucial role in helping us understand how your child functions at school. This will last approximately 50 minutes.

  • This will involve:

    • A full developmental and relevant history

    • DSM 5 based parental history

    • DSM 5 based observations from school other setting

    • Use of specific rating scales or observational data

  • This is often carried out remotely but can be done face to face if preferred. It involves meeting with the psychologist who carried out the assessment so that they can feeding back the outcome of the assessment. This appointment typically lasts an hour.

  • Following the assessment, you will receive a comprehensive report detailing your child's profile of strengths and experiences, aligned with the outcome of their assessment according to the DSM-5 criteria (if applicable). This report will also include detailed recommendations tailored to your child's individual needs and circumstances both at home and school.

Therapeutic Support after an assessment

There are a variety of different therapeutic support options that you may like to access, these include:

  • Psychoeducation

  • Parent support

  • School support 

  • Advice on environmental changes both at home and at school

  • Communication support 

  • Therapy using the models outlined in the therapy section

For some young people with ADHD, medication may be helpful. We have links with local prescribers who we can refer you onto if following diagnosis, you would like to explore this option.

Cognitive Assessments

We are also able to offer cognitive assessments. A cognitive assessment offers a profile of an individual's strengths and challenges in relation to their learning. It provides a snapshot of their current skills, abilities and areas that may require support or further attention. The assessment is normally made up of:

1) Completion of pre assessment forms by parents and school - this is to collect important information.

2) Parent consultation - this can be done virtually or face to face.

3) An individual assessment of the child - this is a face to face appointment and can last up to 2 hours. It is followed by a comprehensive report.

4) Feedback appointment with parents and the young person (if appropriate) where we discuss the outcome of the assessment and the written report.

5) School meeting - some parents may wish to share the results of the assessment with school. We can be present in this meeting to explain the results of the assessment and discuss any recommendations that have been made.

FAQs

  • Autism affects an individual's social skills, communication abilities, and behaviour. It's called a "spectrum" condition because it manifests differently in each person and can range from mild to severe.

    Some common characteristics of autism include challenges in social interaction, difficulty in understanding and expressing emotions, repetitive behaviours, intense interests in specific topics, sensory sensitivities, and differences in communication styles. People with autism often have unique strengths and abilities as well which need more recognition.

    Early intervention, therapy, and support can greatly improve the quality of life for people with autism. It's important to recognize that autism is not a disease or something that needs to be "cured," but rather a different way of experiencing the world

  • ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a very common developmental condition that affects about 1 in 20 children. Individuals with ADHD often experience challenges with 'executive functioning,' which encompasses tasks that assist us in managing everyday situations, such as organisation and setting priorities. For those with ADHD, the brain's control over concentration, activity levels, and impulses may be different, making these types of tasks more difficult.

  • Autism and ADHD are lifelong conditions. Early support and reasonable adjustments positively impact a child's development and outcomes. Educating those who support a young person who is neurodivergent improves their wellbeing and outcomes. The level of support needed varies from person to person and across the lifespan. Therefore, making reasonable adjustments is essential to encourage individuals with autism to thrive.

  • It is not uncommon for young people who are autistic to learn coping strategies in order to 'fit in' with the neurotypical world. We  have significant knowledge and experience of working with children who mask, and recognise the impact this can have on their wellbeing. Our comprehensive assessments are designed to unpick any potential masking behaviours and to  learn more about the child's internal experiences across different contexts.  If you have any concerns about your child masking, please discuss this at the assessment. description

  • No. We are aware that waiting lists in the NHS are very long and we want to make the assessment process as easy as  possible. We  believe that you know your child best, and if neurodiversity is something you are considering then we are here to listen and explore whether an assessment would be helpful.

  • We offer assessments for children who are 5 years old, or older.