Autism

We offer Autism assessments for children and young people.

We also offer support options to help your child and you navigate neurodiversity in practical ways. Our specialists can work collaboratively as a team or stand-alone if only one of our services is needed.

Each option has been carefully created to help you see the scope of what we offer, which can guide you to decide what is right for your child and you. We will, of course, explain our roles in greater detail and talk you through any queries when you make contact with us.

Also available:

  • Children’s Occupational Therapy Developmental & Sensory Processing Assessments

  • Children’s Occupational Therapy Interventions

  • Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy

  • Parent & Family Support

  • NNT Bitesize

We provide Autism assessments for children and young people.

We offer a thorough Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessment that includes using the ADOS and ADI-R and gathering information from the young person, home and school.

Our assessments are carried out by our Specialist Speech & Language Therapist and one of our Occupational Therapists, who both have many years of experience working with children and young people.

Our approach ensures a rigorous, child-centred assessment, as well as a diagnostic decision that is verified by our Clinical Psychologist and an outcome that meets NICE guidelines … in other words, we offer the very best multi-disciplinary assessment for your child.

Our Parent & Family Specialists are here to offer support at any stage of the journey. Please see below.

Occupational Therapy bolt-on

There is evidence that 95% of Autistic children and young people have sensory processing challenges, and many have pockets of difficulty in their developmental profile too.

We have the very best Occupational Therapists available to assess, identify and explain any functional challenges associated with Autism and so we offer a ‘bolt-on’ option to an Autism assessment if you would like to explore this too.

Find out more about our Occupational Therapy Support

Following an assessment, we have our Autism Advocacy & Support Specialists on hand to provide ongoing practical help and advice.

As soon as it is helpful, we can support your child to understand the impact of their neurodiversity, to navigate daily experiences and challenges, and to build confidence and resilience.

We are here to help and coach you too.

Autism Advocacy & Support  

We provide specialist Autism Advocacy & Support for young Autistic people, whether they have a diagnosis or not. 

We offer tailored, functional evaluations to support your child or young person’s needs.

Evaluation Package

A thorough evaluation of your child’s Autism-related strengths and challenges.  

Three visits to assess your child’s strengths and challenges, in functional terms, either at school or home. This option includes liaison with key adults, a one-hour feedback meeting (for parents and school), a written report, goal setting and child-specific recommendations for both the school and home. 

This option can support an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCP application) as well as the diagnostic process if or when relevant; please note that only a Clinical Psychologist, Paediatrician or Psychiatrist is able to formally provide a diagnosis. 

Our Autism Advocacy & Support Specialists are qualified to graduate level or above.

In addition to our evaluations, we offer regular Autism Advocacy & Support.  

Ongoing support with one of our Specialists (equivalent of a term)

Five weekly sessions with your child, spread over a school term, either in school or at home (or a combination of both). These sessions will include goal setting (which will be written up and shared with you) and work to facilitate the agreed plan. Liaison with key adults will happen after each session and a one-hour meeting will be arranged at the end of the term, followed by an ‘end of term’ report with ongoing recommendations. 

Ongoing support with one of our Specialists (shorter block) 

Three weekly or fortnightly sessions with your child or young person, either in school or at home. These sessions will include goal setting (which will be written up and shared with you), liaison with key adults after each session and a one-hour meeting after the last session. There will be no written report at the end. 

Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) Outcomes & Goal Setting

For children we already know, we are sometimes asked to provide Outcomes which will form part of EHCP provision. 

This option allows us to visit your child/you to ensure their voice is captured in the advice we offer. 

EHCP Outcomes as a bolt-on to any assessment or evaluation

If we are asked to provide EHCP Outcomes at the time of our assessment or evaluation then an additional hour is charged. 

EHCP statutory visits 

We support many children who have been awarded an EHCP. This provision requires careful monitoring which, if included in the EHCP, becomes a statutory role. 

Attendance at an EHCP Annual Review or Team Around the Child (TAC) meeting Charged after the meeting and pro rata 

To include advance reading of all paperwork in preparation, as well as attendance at the meeting itself. This option is relevant for those children who have an EHCP or where specialist support at a meeting is required. 

Parent & Family Support   

We will help you to facilitate the best possible improvements at home, so you and your child feel that positive changes are taking place. No label is needed, the help is just about you and your child. 

Enhanced support using evidence-based approaches is available over three or six sessions.

Three sessions to enable you to identify key issues and develop strategies to address them. 

Six sessions (over one term) to tackle specific topics or challenges in more depth and to provide detailed strategies alongside a support plan.

Written advice will be provided after each session plus a summary with ongoing recommendations after the final session. 

Condition specific training for parents 

A session to fully explain and explore your child’s condition or diagnosis will be provided in a uniquely individualised way, so you feel fully informed and empowered with enhanced knowledge and understanding. 

Family Information Booklet available 

Support at any meetings relating to your child or family Charged after the meeting and pro rata 

One of our specialists can accompany you to an EHCP Annual Review meeting, Team Around the Child meeting, any nursery or school meeting, or clinic appointment, to ensure your voice and wishes are heard and that next steps are negotiated with you. To include advance reading of any paperwork and preparation with you, as well as attendance at the meeting itself. 

They can also attend a feedback meeting following a Now, Next & Then assessment to be another pair of professional ears and to later meet with you to explore and explain all that has been shared. 

Let us reframe your child’s future, today

Now, Next & Then provides the very best collaborative working, with the highest standard of professional integrity, to ensure quality support for everyone.

There are no hidden costs.

Our travel time and expenses are not charged.

Now, Next & Then is exempt from VAT.