Neurodevelopmental Lifespan Services

Psicon has provided assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions for the last 10 years. During that time we have developed a good understanding of how difficult it can be for parents who suspect there might be something that is atypical in the way their child is developing.

We understand that parents would like an explanation of their child’s behaviour and learn ways to manage it. We know that when something complex like neurodevelopmental conditions are present – even the most thoughtful and sensitive parenting techniques might not work! We know that sometimes parents might need support in communicating with the school their child attends to ensure their needs are accounted for during their education.

Our diagnostic assessments are designed with all this in mind and we therefore want to offer quick, useful, reliable, understandable results and all the follow up support that could be possible to ensure the child in question receives the best care available.

Psicon provides a multi-professional assessment and diagnostic service for children suspected of being on the autistic spectrum. The steps involved are:

Step 1: Screening Assessment

If you are concerned your child may have autism or Asperger's Syndrome, our screening assessment, which is carried out by a clinical psychologist, is an important first step.

The assessment will reveal the likelihood of ASD and help to rule out other possible explanations for your child's difficulties. If the assessment results are positive for ASD we recommend a full assessment, as detailed below, to formally confirm the diagnosis.

Step 2: School/Pre-School Observation

A school/pre-school observation is undertaken by one of our assistant psychologists to help understand your child's behaviour in their natural environment. The observations are reviewed by the assessing team prior to the assessment.

Step 3: Multi-disciplinary Assessment

This comprehensive assessment is carried out by a clinical psychologist, speech and language therapist and a paediatrician (in accordance with national ‘best practice’ guidelines). The assessment procedure is called the Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule (ADOS), which is widely recognised as one of the most accurate reliable means of identifying and diagnosing autism.

The assessment includes thorough assessment of the child’s development gained from the parents or guardians. Parents or guardians are able to watch the clinical part of their child's assessment from a separate room, via video-link.

The team will discuss detailed feedback about the findings at the conclusion of the assessment and present this along with the diagnosis.

Step 4: The Report

A full joint report is produced by the team, which can be used in support of Statementing and Additional Educational Needs application procedures. This report will contain a full breakdown of the assessment procedure as well as the school observation forms. The diagnosis is clearly stated and some recommendations offered.

If you already have a diagnosis of Autism and are looking for support, please click here to see the services we offer.

Psicon Autism Spectrum Diagnostic Service for Younger People

Step 1: Screening Assessment

Step 2: School/Pre-School Observation

Step 3: Multi-disciplinary Assessment

Step 4: The Report

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