What Are The Signs of Autism in Children?

At Westoak Clinic, we offer autism assessments for children through two main routes: the NHS-funded Right to Choose pathway or private funding arranged directly by families. We also accept payment from most insurance providers. Assessments are conducted as a combination of online and in-person appointments, depending on the individual case and clinical requirements.

If you’re exploring the Right to Choose option, please speak with your GP to determine whether an autism assessment is appropriate. If so, you can request a referral to Westoak Clinic under the Right to Choose scheme.

For privately funded assessments, please contact our team for a full breakdown of costs and to request the necessary forms.

We don’t usually have parents present during the one-to-one assessment. Our clinicians are highly skilled at helping children feel comfortable, and they design sessions to be engaging and enjoyable. We understand that children may feel nervous beforehand, so we encourage you to watch our clinic location videos to help your child become familiar with the space. We also offer a short video explaining what to expect during the one-to-one assessment.

In some cases, a child may benefit from having a parent present during the first few minutes of the session. After settling in, we typically encourage parents to step out so the clinician can work with the child independently. However, we do require that parents remain on site throughout the assessment, and the clinician can bring your child to you at any point if needed.

Your child’s assessment will include three key components: 

An initial meeting with a clinician to explore your child’s developmental history 

A one-to-one assessment with your child,

A feedback session where we share the outcome. 

Each assessment is tailored to meet your family’s specific needs. If we feel that additional assessment is necessary, we will discuss this with you during the process.

Explaining autism to a child - especially a younger one - can be challenging. We recommend having an open and age-appropriate conversation with your child about why they are coming to Westoak Clinic before the assessment begins. In our experience, children cope better with the process when they understand what to expect and feel involved.

Depending on your child’s age and level of understanding, we may also ask them how they feel about the possibility of being autistic.

We often explain to children that everyone’s brain works in its own unique way. For some, this means that everyday tasks - like getting dressed or concentrating at school - might feel a bit harder. Using real-life examples that your child can relate to can be helpful in starting this conversation.

It’s just as important to talk about your child’s strengths. Highlight the things they do well to help them feel confident and valued as they begin the assessment journey.

After both the history-taking session and the one-to-one assessment, our clinical team meets to review and discuss all the information gathered. While we will already have received school forms, we may need updated insights or additional details to ensure we have a current and accurate understanding of your child’s experience at school.

In some cases, it may also be helpful to gather input from other professionals involved in your child’s care. If so, we will always contact you first to explain why this is needed and to request your consent before reaching out.