If your child is struggling at school and you have been told there is nothing more the school can do, a professional autism assessment can help change the conversation.
What Can Schools Do Without a Diagnosis?
More than most parents realise, and this is worth knowing before you start.
Schools in England use what the National Autistic Society calls a graduated approach: assess your child’s needs, plan support, put it in place, then review how well it is working. This happens through SEN Support and does not require a diagnosis. Most children with additional needs are supported this way without ever having an EHCP.
A diagnosis is not the gateway to support but it can strengthen the case when the usual support feels like it isn’t enough.
Where Does an Assessment Report Help?
| Situation | What the report contributes |
|---|---|
| School says needs are being met | Independent clinical evidence that difficulties are neurological, not behavioural |
| Requesting an EHC needs assessment | Professional documentation that current support is insufficient |
| Disagreement over the cause of difficulties | A qualified clinician’s account, rather than parental description alone |
| Appealing a refused assessment | Evidence to support your case at mediation or SEND Tribunal |
| Transition to secondary school | A clear profile of needs for the new setting to work from |
| Exam access arrangements | Supporting evidence for extra time or a separate room |
How Does It Feed Into an EHCP?
An EHCP comes from an EHC needs assessment, and only the local authority can carry that out. A private autism assessment does not replace it. What your report does is form part of the evidence the local authority considers, alongside input from the school, you, and other professionals.
The NAS is clear that in law, the need for support through an EHCP does not have to be proven before an assessment takes place. The assessment exists to establish that. A diagnostic report strengthens your request but is not a prerequisite for making one.
What Are the Statutory Timescales?
Knowing these matters, because local authorities are bound by them:
Who Can Request an EHC Needs Assessment?
Three groups can: the school, you as a parent or carer, and the young person themselves once they turn 16. You do not need the school’s agreement to make the request, though it can help to talk to them first.
If the local authority refuses, you have the right to appeal. The NAS notes that refusals are often driven by funding pressures rather than the merits of the case, so a refusal is not the end of the process.
What Should You Do First?
- 1Meet the SENCO and ask what is currently in place under SEN Support
- 2Keep notes on specific difficulties, when they occur, and what has been tried
- 3Request an assessment in writing if current support is not working
- 4Consider a private autism assessment if you want independent clinical evidence to strengthen your case
What Are Your Options?
If you would like a professional assessment for your child, KPI:Access connects families with qualified specialists who carry out autism assessments for children. Appointments are available virtually or in person at clinics across the UK, with no GP referral needed. Specialists work to the same standards set by NICE and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
KPI:Access is part of KPI:Health, which has connected over 300,000 people with assessments across the UK, with 99.2% rating their experience as good or very good.
