Frequently Asked Questions

No. It is not necessary to seek a referral to our service and our clinicians can see you directly for consultation. We are happy to accept referrals from your GP, other medical doctors, psychologists and other health care professionals. Please note: In certain cases some private medical insurance organisations might expect you to have a formal referral. Please check with your insurance provider in advance about funding.

All Acorn assessments adhere to NICE Gold Standard guidelines and involve two registered clinicians from Clinical Psychology and Speech and Language Therapy. The ADOS-2 is a face-to-face structured observation, lasting approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. The diagnostic interview (ADI-R, ACIA, or DISCO) takes approximately 3 hours. On our same-day pathway, both take place in a single visit to our clinic. On our split pathway, the ADOS-2 takes place in clinic and the interview follows online at a separate time, within up to three weeks.

The reports are large documents evidencing information given in the assessments, they also contain a detailed case history, diagnostic formulation, and may include relevant external reports plus recommendations. We aim to complete a draft report within 2 weeks post assessment before seeing you again for a feedback discussion. The report will then be formalised and sent to you, and your GP should this be something you wish.

This depends on which assessment pathway you choose. Our same-day pathway is completed in a single clinic visit. Our split pathway takes place across two appointments — your ADOS-2 in clinic, and your diagnostic interview online at a separate time. Either way, we always work at your pace, and understand that assessments can be tiring.

The fee for an assessment is £2,150, there are no hidden costs. 

All appointments are prepaid in advance. You will be sent an email with instructions on how to pay online with your appointment confirmation. 

We also offer finance options, payment plans can be found under the 'Assessments' drop down menu. 

A private autism assessment will support you, or your family in understanding why you may perceive the world differently. You may find answers you have been waiting for regarding you or your child’s development and help you develop a better understanding of yourself or your child. Importantly, it also gives us the information we need to create effective recommendations.

The outcome will either be a diagnosis of ASD or confirmation that you do not have ASD. The clinicians will score and evaluate the diagnostic outcome from the evidence available to them using gold standard assessments. We aim to help you develop a better understanding of yourself, your child, irrespective of diagnosis or not and recommendations are formulated based on your specific strengths and differences.

Yes. The SEND Code of Practice (2015) is quite clear; all advice covers the relevant education, health and care needs of the child or young person, as well as the views, wishes and feelings of the parent. There is no basis in law for the Local Authority to reject a professional report simply because it was privately obtained. If this happens we would support you in making a complaint, asking the Local Authority to explain why they are ignoring the private diagnosis. 

The SEN and Disability Code of Practice, which is statutory guidance issued by the government, contains further detail on what Local Authorities should consider. Paragraph 9.14 of the Code states that “the local authority should consider whether there is evidence that despite the early years provider, school or post-16 institution having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the special educational needs of the child or young person, the child or young person has not made expected progress”. 

The LA should pay particular attention to:

• Evidence of the child or young person’s academic attainment (or developmental milestones in younger children) and rate of progress;
• Information about the nature, extent and context of the child or young person’s SEN;
• Evidence of the action already taken by the school or other settings;
• Evidence that where progress has been made, it has only been as the result of much additional intervention and support over and above that which is usually provided; evidence of the child or young person’s physical, emotional and social development and health needs, drawing on relevant evidence from clinicians and other health professionals and what has been done to meet these by other agencies.

Refusal by a local authority to accept a private diagnosis following NICE guidelines would suggest an omission in following clear and explicit requirements re SEND. A diagnosis made under these terms should be regarded as credible evidence for a tribunal and there would need to be clear and succinct counter-evidence where repudiation may occur. For example, sometimes Local Authorities ask their own experts to comment on, or quality review a diagnostic report. Refusal to issue an EHC Plan, would be an appealable decision. This means if you appeal the decision a Tribunal would be under a duty to consider all the documents placed before them, private or otherwise.

In relation to the NHS, a privately obtained diagnosis is as robust as an NHS one, in both cases clinicians should be registered healthcare professionals meeting NICE guidelines. If you are advised that a private diagnosis report will be ignored, this is incorrect advice. NHS England state, “You are still entitled to free NHS care if you choose to pay for additional private care.”

Terms and Conditions of Business

The split assessment pathway is a flexible option where the two components of your assessment take place at separate times. The ADOS-2 structured observation is always conducted face-to-face at our Kelvedon clinic. The diagnostic interview (ADI-R or ACIA) then takes place online via a secure video call, at a time that is convenient for you — scheduled as close to your clinic visit as possible, and within up to three weeks. Both parts contribute equally to the full MDT discussion and your outcome.

No. Both pathways are fully NICE compliant and use the same Gold Standard diagnostic tools. The quality, rigour, and outcome of your assessment are identical — the only difference is how and when the two components are delivered. Both pathways conclude with a full multidisciplinary team discussion before any diagnostic outcome is reached, and both result in the same detailed written report.

Yes — and we actively encourage it. Having a family member or close friend who knows you well (ideally from earlier in your life) join the diagnostic interview can be really valuable. Because the split pathway interview takes place online, your informant can join from wherever they are in the country — there is no need for them to travel to our clinic. Your named clinician will be in touch to arrange a suitable time for you both.