Referrals for ADHD/ ASD/ Autism assessments in school-aged children should be made via CAMHS (Community Adolescent Mental Health Service) directly by the child’s school. CAMHS have requested that referrals come from schools and not GPs, as the school generally know your child much better.
If you wish to access an ADHD or ASD assessment for your child through the Right to Choose (RTC) pathway, please see the information on referral for adult ADHD assessments and referral for adult ASD/Autism assessments respectively.
Please note the following differences with referrals for children/ young people:
- Please request a GP appointment to discuss the request for referral
- Right to Choose providers have different age requirements – please check this carefully when choosing a provider
- The required self-assessment forms will differ for children and you should complete and return the one specified by your chosen provider.
- A report from the school is also extremely useful for a comprehensive assessment, and for the GP reviewing your referral request, so please submit this along with the other paperwork. Some providers may have a separate assessment form for the school to complete.
Support services
The CAMHS website contains lots of useful information and links for support whilst awaiting, or post diagnosis: https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/camhs/oxon/ndc/
SENDIASS also provides free and impartial information, advice, and support for the families of children and young people with disabilities or special educational needs. SENDIASS Home – Kids