AUTISM & ADHD ASSESSMENTS
Consultant-led assessment and ongoing care
Specialist autism and ADHD assessments for children and adolescents, led by a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist. Where ADHD medication or support for co-occurring mental health difficulties is needed, care can continue within the same clinical service.
Consultant-led
Remote appointments across the UK
Specialist Multidisciplinary Team
CQC Registered
Why families choose our clinic
Consultant-led assessment and ongoing care
Every assessment and diagnostic conclusion is clinically led by Dr Athina Zakynthinaki, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Where ADHD medication is appropriate, we can provide initiation, titration and ongoing review within the same service. We can also assess and treat co-occurring mental health difficulties rather than considering neurodevelopmental needs in isolation.
ADHD assessments conducted by a consultant psychiatrist
Your child’s ADHD clinical assessment and diagnostic decision are personally conducted by Dr Athina Zakynthinaki, a medically qualified Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.
A genuinely multidisciplinary autism assessment
Our autism pathway includes the ADI-R developmental interview and an ADOS-2-informed remote observational assessment. The assessment is completed by a multidisciplinary team comprising Dr Zakynthinaki and appropriately trained senior speech and language therapy or occupational therapy clinicians. Information from the child, family, school and assessment team is considered together before a diagnostic conclusion is reached.
Experience with complex presentations
We have extensive experience of assessing children and adolescents with overlapping neurodevelopmental conditions, anxiety, low mood, autistic burnout, school avoidance, masking and previous assessments that have been inconclusive.
Personalised care and clinical continuity
Families have continuity with a named consultant who understands their child’s presentation and remains clinically responsible for their care.
Where further psychiatric care or ADHD medication is needed, treatment can continue within the same service.
Our Services
Neurodevelopmental Diagnostic Assessments
Autism Spectrum Condition Assessment
A comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment including the ADI-R developmental interview and an ADOS-2-informed remote observational assessment. Evidence from the child, family, school and clinical team is integrated before a diagnostic conclusion is reached.
ADHD Assessment
A comprehensive, NICE-guided diagnostic assessment for children and adolescents personally conducted by Dr Athina Zakynthinaki, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Includes detailed symptom assessment across settings and careful consideration of co-occurring needs, with clear conclusions and practical recommendations for home and school.
Combined ADHD and Autism Assessment
An integrated pathway for children and adolescents whose presentation may reflect both autism and ADHD. The assessment brings together the full autism and ADHD evidence, allowing overlapping features and co-occurring needs to be considered within one coordinated diagnostic process.
ADHD Medication Clinic
Alongside our assessment services, we offer medication management for children and young people with a range of mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. This includes initiating medication following a new diagnosis, titration and monitoring, repeat prescriptions, follow-up reviews, and annual reviews. All prescribing is evidence-based, follows NICE guidelines, and is led by Dr Athina Zakynthinaki.
Psychiatric Assessments
Consultant psychiatric assessment for concerns such as anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma-related difficulties and complex presentations involving both mental health and neurodevelopmental needs.
Child Psychiatry Consultancy Ltd is registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Find out more on the CQC website
Current waiting time for an initial consultation: approximately 1–2 weeks.
Our Process
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Submit a new patient enquiry
Complete the short enquiry form with a brief description of your child’s needs. The information is reviewed to determine whether our remote service is appropriate and safe for your child.
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Initial consultation
Where appropriate, you and your child will meet with Dr Zakynthinaki to discuss their development, strengths, current difficulties and the questions you would like the assessment to address. The most appropriate pathway—autism, ADHD, combined assessment or psychiatric care—can then be agreed.
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Pre-assessment information
You will receive the relevant questionnaires and requests for supporting information. Depending on the pathway, this may include information from parents, the young person and school, together with previous reports.
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Specialist assessment appointments
The required clinical appointments are arranged once the essential pre-assessment information has been received. ADHD clinical assessments are personally conducted by Dr Zakynthinaki. Autism assessments include a detailed developmental interview and an ADOS-2-informed observational assessment conducted by trained multidisciplinary clinicians.
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Diagnostic review and feedback
All available evidence is reviewed before the diagnostic conclusion is reached. A feedback appointment is then offered to explain the findings, answer questions and discuss recommendations and any appropriate next steps.
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Written report
The assessment report will explain the diagnostic conclusion, clinical reasoning and practical recommendations for home and education. It is normally provided within five working days of the feedback appointment.
What families say about their experience
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Before arranging a private ADHD assessment
A private ADHD assessment from Child Psychiatry Consultancy Ltd will provide your child with a thorough, expert diagnostic evaluation. However, we want all families to make a fully informed decision before proceeding.
A private ADHD diagnosis does not automatically entitle your child to NHS medication or treatment. Whether a GP will prescribe medication or accept a shared care arrangement following a private diagnosis is not guaranteed — it depends on individual GP practice policy and local Integrated Care Board (ICB) guidelines. Many GPs do not accept shared care arrangements for privately diagnosed patients, which means ongoing medication management would remain privately funded.
If accessing free NHS treatment following a private diagnosis is important to your family, we strongly recommend discussing this with your GP before booking an assessment with us.
Child Psychiatry Consultancy Ltd offers full private medication management and ongoing care. Our fee schedule is available in our Fees page. Please see more information here.
Funding your care
Insurance-funded psychiatric consultations
Dr Athina Zakynthinaki is recognised by Bupa, Aviva, Vitality, Allianz, Cigna and WPA.
Subject to the terms of your individual policy and prior authorisation, we can bill your insurer directly for psychiatric initial consultations and follow-up appointments relating to concerns such as anxiety, depression, OCD or trauma-related difficulties.
Please contact your insurer before booking to confirm that the consultation is covered, obtain a valid pre-authorisation code and check whether an excess or other contribution is payable.
Important: Authorisation for a psychiatric consultation does not cover an autism or ADHD assessment. If the purpose of the consultation is primarily to consider a possible neurodevelopmental condition, please tell both the clinic and your insurer before booking.
BUPA
AVIVA
Cigna
Allianz
WPA
Vitality
Autism and ADHD assessments are self-funded
Child Psychiatry Consultancy provides autism, ADHD and combined neurodevelopmental assessments on a self-funded basis. We do not bill private medical insurers directly for these assessments.
A pre-authorisation code for a psychiatric consultation cannot be used to fund a neurodevelopmental assessment. If your insurer has confirmed in writing that your individual policy specifically covers an autism or ADHD assessment, please contact us before booking so that we can clarify the arrangements with you.
Payment for the assessment is made directly by the family. We can provide a detailed invoice, which you may submit to your insurer, but we cannot confirm or guarantee that reimbursement will be offered.
Ready to make an enquiry?
Tell us briefly about your child’s needs. Every enquiry is reviewed before an appointment is confirmed so that we can determine whether our remote service and the requested pathway are appropriate.