What happens at the assessment?

If we say you have autism, this is called the diagnosis.  

We can share the diagnosis with: 

• you and your carer

• your carer, and they can share this with you.   

Everyone is different and you can tell us how you would like us to share information with you.  There is further information about sharing a diagnosis here.

If we say you don't have autism, we might be able to tell you if there is something else that we think helps explain why things are different or difficult for you.   

We can give you some advice and tell you about other services that might be able to help. This is called signposting.  

If you or your carers have any questions about the assessment, diagnosis or report you or they can ring us and arrange to talk about it.

Some appointments will be for you and your carers, other appointments will be just for you or just for your carers. 

Some appointments can be quite short, and some can be quite long. If you or your carers need to stop or take a break and come back that is fine.  

The first appointment is: 

• to get to know you

• to talk about what we can do 

• to talk about what we can't do 

• to give you a chance to ask any questions 

• for you to choose if you want to carry on with the assessment   

Often two more appointments are offered 

• an appointment with you to do some activities and get to know you better 

• an appointment to speak with your carers 

Sometimes, we need to find out more information.  We will think together, with you, about what we need to do next. 

This could be: 

• meeting with us again 

• visiting you at home 

• asking you, or someone that knows you well, to fill out some questionnaires (forms to find out more about you, for example what is easy for you and what is difficult) 

Our assessments do not include any x-rays, scans or blood tests.     

When we have enough information we can: 

• finish our assessment and tell you what we think.   

• write a report and send it to you and your GP. We can give you an extra copy of your report so you can share this if you want to.