Children's Autism Assessment Pathway
About the service
The Children’s Therapy Autism Assessment service at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust assesses children and young people aged up to 18 years old.
If you think your child may have Autism, you may wish to refer them for an Autism assessment. You will firstly need to fill out a social communication assessment referral form below:
The referral form has two sections; one to be filled out by parents/carers and one to be filled out by professionals who have contact with your child (this can be education, social workers, portage, health visitors or child minders).
Your referral will either be accepted and progress on, or will be rejected and a letter will be sent to you. If your referral is accepted, you will be put on a waiting list to see a Community Paediatrician in a social communication clinic.
In this clinic the paediatrician will complete a detailed birth and developmental history, and also exclude other possible causes for altered behaviours. If the Paediatrician thinks Autism could explain your child’s differences, then your referral will be progressed onto the Multi-Disciplinary Assessment (MDA) team.
The onward assessment will include different professionals depending on the presentation of your child. Assessment is completed based on need. The MDA team consists of:
- Speech and Language Therapists – for assessment of your child’s social communication skills.
- Occupational Therapists – for assessment of your child’s functional abilities, including their movement patterns and sensory processing needs.
- Clinical Psychologists – for assessment of your child’s social and emotional development.
- ASD Co-ordinators – Either Assistant Psychologist, or Assistant Speech and Language Therapists that may complete aspects of an assessment or gather additional information from you or school if needed.
Following on from assessment, members of our team will discuss your child and provide feedback of the outcome of the assessment, which could be; diagnosed with Autism, Autism diagnosis not given or inconclusive. If inconclusive. Inconclusive diagnoses may require a repeat referral for re-assessment after a period of time to allow for development and learning to take place.
You will receive a report detailing the outcomes and will be given the option to attend our follow up clinic. Within follow-up clinic you have the opportunity to discuss any questions you have about the assessment process or report.
Useful resources
Useful links and support organisations
WESAIL
www.family-action.org.uk/what-we-do/children-families/wesail/
Wakefield Local Offer
www.wakefield.mylocaloffer.org/Home
National Autistic Society Website
NHS Derby Website
Contact us
You can contact the team daily between 8.30am - 4pm.
Children’s Centre, Pinderfields Hospital/ Pontefract Hospital
Children’s Therapies
Gate 3A
Aberford Road,
Wakefield
WF1 4DG
Telephone: 01924 541411