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Essential to take someone to your assessment

Cucumber

I received a letter inviting me to an initial assessment to decide whether I will need a full assessment. The letter claims that it is essential that you take someone with you such as a parent, sibling or someone close to you who has known you for some time. I don't have anyone in any of those categories. Both of my parents have died as has my best friend. There is nobody else who I am close to and have known for some time. Will they still allow me to attend? I have phoned numerous times but despite it being in opening hours the recorded message claims that phones lines are now closed and to phone back tomorrow. 

  • I did take somebody to mine, my mum it was helpful because she could say what I was like as a kid.

    I do know somebody who didn't take anybody with him and was told he didn't fit the criteria for a full assessment, he is so obviously on the spectrum its not true, his was an NHS assessment so it probably had more to do with funding than anything, I've advised him to go private and take somebody.

  • I took my wife, who didn't meet me until I was in my twenties. It helped support, so maybe someone who knows you now?

    Also write down as many things as you can that you remember from your childhood; your sister might add value here, even if you don't take her with you. Take school reports and photo's but as others have said, if you just go alone, it shouldn't be a problem. They know what to look for and ask about.

    Best wishes.

  • Hi,

    I didn't take anyone with me to my initial or final assessment. What I found useful though was to make two lists. One listing the difficulties I experienced growing up and another listing difficulties as an adult. 

    Hope this helps :)

  • in reply to Blackbird

    Thanks, I have a sister but I would never ask her to describe me to anyone as she is prone to exaggeration or just making things up. It would need to be someone I trusted implicitly and I don't have anyone for that

  • I didn't take anyone either. I went alone for both the initial assessment and the final assessment.

    Though many clinics often strongly advised to take someone who has known you since a child to provide a fuller developmental picture, otherwise they might not have enough information to come to a final conclusion. I wasn't able to take anyone with me, so I wrote a short personal history of my childhood, which was OK too.  

  • I was in the same boat-I didn't know anyone well enough to take so went alone, I think this is a common situation for those of us on the spectrum and there is no reason whatsoever why your assessor(s) should find this to be an obstacle.

    Apart from a few basic details, I fail to see what great benefit taking another person along could bring-they have no idea what is going on in our heads and are just as prone to misunderstanding us as we are for them. I would nave found it inhibiting and frustrating having to listen to someone else giving an account of me so was glad to be alone.

    Send them emails if they can't answer the phone but even if you do not get a reply, I urge you to attend anyway.

  • I didn't go with anyone too.   You'll be fine.

  • I didn’t take anyone to mine and it didn’t cause a problem, I still got assessed and diagnosed. The ideal may be that you take someone with you who is able to give an account of how you were as a child but the reality is, with adult assessment and diagnosis, that this is not always possible!

  • I didn't take anyone to mine and it was not an issue. I guess you will have to phone again - or could you email/write instead explaining the circumstances?