ADHD Diagnostic Assessment Guide: information for children and young people

Initial consultation

The initial consultation lasts 60 minutes and explores current concerns, including any mental health difficulties. The initial consultation is conducted mostly with the parents, with the child attending briefly. We will then make a recommendation regarding the next steps.

Pre-assessment

Neurodevelopmental questionnaires are sent out to parents and returned to us prior to their next appointment.

Assessment

The 60 – 90 minute diagnostic interview (Young DIVA) is conducted online with the parents. The 60 minute observational assessment is usually conducted in-person.

The observational assessment consists of the QB check – a computer based test of attention and concentration, and play-based activities to encourage engagement while Young DIVA questions are administered informally.

We collect school reports and meet with the child’s SENCO or class teacher for additional information.

Next steps

We schedule a feedback meeting with the parents to explain our diagnostic decision and provide them with a detailed diagnostic report with personalised recommendations.

FAQs

Will the assessment be recognised by schools and the NHS?
We use the same high-quality standards as the NHS and follow the best practice guidance by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2018). We liaise with schools and utilise recognised high quality diagnostic tools to ensure that our report is recognised by the child’s school.
The family can choose to share the assessment outcome and report with their NHS GP.
The psychological assessment process usually takes place online. In-person meetings may take place in West Sussex, Surrey or Kent.
The assessment process usually takes place over the course of a few weeks. Prices for assessments and therapy vary from patient to patient depending on their assessment and diagnosis needs. Prices start at £360 for an initial consultation. For a full diagnostic assessment, prices start at £1,800 for a child, and £1,565 for an adult. For our most up-to-date prices please see our fees page here. We also offer payment installment plans if needed.
The report includes detailed information about the assessment and diagnostic decision, as well as personalised recommendations for the child, family, and school.