Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi All,
My son has had an initial assessment completed by the NHS with suspected autism. They have said we could be waiting up to 2 years to get the full assessment completed which means his schooling is suffering greatly. The school have said they can't offer additional support without a diagnoses so I have 2 questions if you could help please?
1) has anyone else expirienced this and how did you get in place what was needed for your child?
2) Is there any private clinics in the Sussex/Surrey area anyone could recommend to get the assessment completed?
I've reach out to a couple but they are both out of the area and massively out of our price range.
Any assistance will be greatly received,
Thanks
Lee
Your school is wrong. They must have a SEND department head or representatives and they need to do what they can to accommodate the needs of your son. I had this for my own child, while we were awaiting assessment.
Check the Buoa website perhaps, for local professionals. Many of these doctors offer their services via their private practices. It’s usual for a child to be seen in several occasions in person, so look out for this type of assessment, rather than one that is solely online.
Prices range from about £1500-2000 ish.
If you have a local autism group, you could ask which services people used, and what the experience was like. It can be very helpful. In all cases, find a reputable place that deals with children, and specialise in Autism. Any old psychologist or psychiatrist won’t do.