Common traits of autism and ADHD
Neurodiversity explained
How do I refer?
You/your child can be referred to the Neurodevelopmental Service (NDS) by the school SENDCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator). Information is needed from more than one environment (i.e. home and school).
If the young person is home-schooled or out of school, the GP can make the referral. Detailed information from parents and information from other professionals will need to be included as part of the referral.
Referral process
NDS Referral form
- This can be completed by either a SENDCo or GP
Information from home
- Parent Observation Questionnaire
Information from school
- Teacher Observation Questionnaire
Information from a Specially Trained Professional
- i.e. SENDCo, Educational Psychologist or Specialist Teacher
Information from young person
If the young person would like to include their own information, this will also be considered and is encouraged.
These are the things we look at when considering whether to accept a referral:
Autism
When we are considering if an assessment of possible autism is required, we are looking for further information within the following areas at home and school which cannot be explained by other needs:
- Differences within social interaction and communication, such as differences in reciprocity, initiation, and response to interactions
- Differences with relationships, including friendships
- Differences in the use of non-verbal communication such as facial expressions, gestures, eye contact
- Preference for routines
- Focused interests
- Repetitive behaviours, such as language or movements
- Sensory differences
For more information about what autism can look like, click here.
ADHD
When we are considering if an assessment for possible attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is needed, we are looking for the following characteristics which cannot be explained by other needs:
- Differences with attention, planning and organisation
- Increased energy/movement levels (including racing thoughts)
- Impulsivity (including decision making, risk taking or speech differences
There are 3 types of ADHD:
- ADHD (combined type)
- ADHD (inattentive type)
- ADHD (hyperactive/impulsive type)
For more information about what ADHD can look like, click here.
Questionnaires
Please complete the following questionnaires:
- Teacher Observation Questionnaire (This should be completed by someone in school that knows your child well)
- Parent Observation Questionnaire (This should be completed by a parent or carer)
An NDS Self-Questionnaire can be completed by the young person if they wish to add additional information to support their referral.
Once a referral has been accepted, a consent form will be sent home for someone with parental responsibility to sign.
Who has parental responsibility?
Mother: automatic
Father: if married to the mother either when baby is born or since
Unmarried father: if name appears on birth certificate (since 1/12/03) or legally acquired
Young person: if over the age of 16 years*
Others: if parental responsibility is legally acquired
Parental Responsibility Agreement: signed, properly witnessed and sent for registration to Principle Registry or the Family Division (High Court)
Residence Order: granted by the court
*Please note that young people under the age of 16 can give or refuse consent for assessment if considered competent to do so by clinicians with the Neurodevelopmental Service
What if I am nearly 18 years old?
The Neurodevelopmental Service sees children and young people under the age of 18 years. If you are aged 17 years 8 months or over and seeking an autism assessment, you can self-refer to the Autism Service Norfolk.
If you are aged 17 years 11 months or over and seeking an ADHD assessment, you will need to wait until your 18th birthday to go to your GP and seek a referral to Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust.
Read more
We have clinics in the Children's Centre at Norwich Community Hospital (NCH), Thorpe Health Centre, West Pottergate Medical Practice, and St James Clinic in King's Lynn.
You can find more information about the clinics in which we carry out assessments, including travel and parking information, on our location and travel information page.
Team members will spend time observing you/your child to learn about your/their strengths and needs. This may include assessments in clinic, at home or in school.
Appointments will be child friendly, and we will work as flexibly as possible around you and your family.
We will also request that questionnaires are filled in by parents and school and, when appropriate, by the young person themself as part of the assessment process. Help can be requested to fill in questionnaires by emailing nds@nchc.nhs.uk
All observations are made in line with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and diagnostic discussions are based on these criteria. The decision is a team decision and is not made by one profession alone.
Every child will be discussed at a multi-professional panel meeting throughout their assessment and when a conclusion has been reached, you will be offered a feedback appointment with a member of the NDS team.
You will receive written information including NDS reports following the feedback meeting.
Assistant Practitioners


Nursing Team




Occupational Therapists



Psychology team





Speech & Language Therapists







Administrative and support staff



How long will I have to wait for my child’s assessment?
For children over the age of 6 years, the overall assessment period could take four to five years.
For children under the age of 6 years, the overall assessment period could take around three years.
If you are not happy with the waiting time for your child’s assessment, you can use the NHS Choice Framework (‘Right to Choose’) to choose another healthcare provider to carry out the assessment.
Can my child access support while the assessment is taking place?
The Neurodevelopmental Service is an assessment-only team. Receiving a diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder does not resolve any difficulties/differences that your child/young person may be experiencing and therefore alternative support needs to be explored regardless of whether a diagnosis is given.
Norfolk is working towards a needs-led culture rather than a diagnosis-led culture. Just being accepted for a neurodevelopmental assessment is sufficient to request reasonable adjustments within your education setting.
Please visit our useful resources page or the Just One Norfolk ND Digital Library for information about other services that can be accessed for support.
Does my child need a neurodevelopmental diagnosis before they can be considered for an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP)?
You do not need to have a formal diagnosis when applying for an EHCP. To apply for an EHCP, your child will need to have identified additional needs (please see the Norfolk SENDIASS website for more information).
A child can be on a waiting list or may not even be referred into the service before an application for an EHCP is made. Some young people start their assessment having already received an EHCP.
A diagnosis also does not necessarily mean that a young person will need an EHCP.
What happens if I move out of area before the assessment starts?
Please do let us know if you move out of Norfolk. If you move area before your child’s assessment has started you will be transferred to the team responsible for neurodevelopmental assessments in your new area. Some teams will honour the original referral date, but other teams will not.