We provide individual or joint social communication, cognitive and speech and language therapy assessments, diagnostic reports, and individualised intervention plans.
Individual consultations are available through home, school, clinic-based visits, or online consultations through videoconference.
For younger children (under 6 years), we recommend a video assessment called BOSA (Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism) of child-adult interaction in their familiar environment. We take a developmental history with parents and liaise with or visit the nursery or school. Following the assessment, we meet with parents to provide feedback and discuss the profile and recommendations.
Older children (over 6 years) are assessed using the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition) assessment tool. They are seen individually in the Roundway Centre, in school, or through videoconference to assess their profile and liaise with teachers in school. This is followed by a feedback meeting with parents and the young person, where appropriate.
The assessment is approximately 16 hours, consisting of:
- 2-hour developmental history ADIR with parents over Zoom, plus initial nursery/school contact (0.5 hours)
- 2-hour assessment with the young person, BOSA online, ADOS 2 or language assessments face-to-face
- 3 hours: reading related reports (existing medical/school) (1 x hour), analysis of assessment results (1 x hour) and a 1-hour online parent feedback meeting
- 8 hours of report writing, including individual support plan and recommendations of need (suitable to support SEN and EHCP processes)
- 1-hour planning meeting with the school or college and the parent.
A comprehensive diagnostic report (the word summary could make the report sound brief) provides specific recommendations of need. The recommendations may include an education plan depending on the SEN or EHCP application stage. Further support, liaison, and advice are available to schools as appropriate.
The report is available for SEN (Special Educational Needs) and EHCP (Educational Health Care Plan) applications, transition planning to secondary school, college, or university, or adult independent living. It contains detailed information, recommendations of need, strategies, techniques, styles of approach, resources, and provisions that support schools in following the SEN pathway.
School training, support, and SEN guidance are available. Many strategies involve little additional resources and can be embedded within quality first teaching. Our professionals provide additional therapy, support, monitoring, review, and goal-setting commissioned through EHCPs or by local education authorities.
BOSA
A BOSA (Brief Observation of Social Attention) autism assessment is a tool used to help evaluate children's social and communication skills, particularly in assessing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This type of assessment focuses on observing the child's social behaviors and attention patterns in a structured setting, typically at home. It is used as part of a larger diagnostic process and involves carefully watching, via a selection of videos, how a child interacts with others, responds to social cues, and engages with their environment.
The BOSA assessment includes tasks where the child is asked to respond to social stimuli or participate in activities that require attention and communication, and the evaluator looks for specific behaviors related to ASD, such as:
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Social engagement: Does the child initiate or respond to social interactions?
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Communication: How does the child use language or gestures to communicate?
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Attention patterns: How does the child focus on tasks or activities?
The goal of the BOSA assessment is to provide additional insights into the child’s social and communicative behaviors in a way that helps professionals make a more informed diagnosis of autism, often in conjunction with other diagnostic tools and assessments.
Further information on this can be found in this research paper, The Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA-D) or found on the website Researchgate.net.
ADOS
The ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) is a widely used and well-established assessment tool for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is a structured, play-based assessment involving direct interaction between a trained clinician and the evaluated individual. The ADOS is designed to observe and assess communication, social interaction, and play or imaginative use of materials in a naturalistic setting.
The ADOS consists of different modules, each tailored to specific age groups and levels of language development. The clinician selects the appropriate module based on the individual's age, developmental level, and language skills. These modules include a variety of activities, such as conversation, play, and problem-solving tasks, to provoke and observe key behaviors related to autism.
Key aspects of the ADOS include:
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Social Interaction: The clinician observes how the individual interacts with others, including whether they engage in eye contact, share experiences, or initiate conversation.
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Communication Skills: The assessment examines verbal and nonverbal communication, including language use, gestures, and how the individual conveys ideas or emotions.
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Play and Imagination: The clinician assesses how the individual uses toys or materials for imaginative play, as children with ASD may show difficulties in symbolic play or repetitive play patterns.
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Repetitive Behaviors: The ADOS can help identify behaviors such as repetitive movements, insistence on sameness, or intense interests, which are common in individuals with ASD.
The ADOS is used as part of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation alongside other tools, such as developmental history interviews, questionnaires (e.g., the ADI-R), and cognitive assessments. It provides valuable information to help clinicians make an accurate diagnosis of ASD.
There are five different modules in the ADOS, and the clinician selects the most appropriate one based on the individual's language ability and developmental stage:
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Module 1: For children who do not yet use phrases (typically under 30 months).
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Module 2: For children with some verbal communication but who do not yet have fluent speech.
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Module 3: For verbally fluent children and adolescents.
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Module 4: For verbally fluent adolescents and adults.
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Module 5: A diagnostic module used in specific cases for adults.
The ADOS is a gold-standard tool in autism diagnosis because it directly measures behaviors related to the core features of autism. However, it is usually just one part of a comprehensive evaluation process. Further information can be found on the NICE guidelines website - NICE.
Therapy and support are available for children and young people aged 1–25. Early support, guidance to parents and schools, counselling, and therapy plans are provided.
Individual priorities, perceptions, and aspirations are gained to deliver a bespoke intervention and work towards self-advocacy. Intervention plans can be discussed, demonstrated, and shared with parents and the school.
Through individualised work, we support social engagement, communication, emotional regulation, friendship, social use of language, peer interaction, and restricted, repetitive behaviour.
Some young people receive counselling support, adapted to their style and perceptions, to build self-support strategies and emotional resilience, particularly when preparing for life changes and transitions.
Counselling support can also focus on developing personal insight and a sense of identity, understanding their diagnosis, and understanding what it means to them.
- Autism
- Neurodiversity
- Language
- Social communication
- Pragmatic language disorder
- Attachment
- Emotional social
- Attention deficit
- Asperger's syndrome
- Dyslexia
- Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
- Developmental delay
- Dyspraxia
