ADHD Assessment for Children in the UK: A Parent's Guide

Schools play a significant role in the ADHD assessment pathway for children. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) at your child's school is often the first professional contact point. If you have concerns about your child, speaking to both their class teacher and the SENCO is a practical first step.

The SENCO can put classroom support strategies in place (such as movement breaks, visual timetables, or seating position changes) while the referral process is underway. They can also provide observational evidence that supports the referral - a teacher's account of the child's behaviour in a structured setting is an important part of the assessment picture.

Schools cannot diagnose ADHD, and they should not tell you your child "definitely has" or "definitely does not have" ADHD. What they can do is document patterns of behaviour, describe the impact on learning, and support you in requesting a referral. If a school is dismissive of your concerns, you have the right to pursue a referral through your GP independently.

You can request an ADHD assessment for your child through your GP. Our guide to asking your GP about ADHD covers the practical details of preparing for this conversation. When requesting an assessment for a child, it helps to bring specific examples of the difficulties your child is experiencing at home and at school, any written observations from teachers or the SENCO, and a note of how long these difficulties have been present.

Your GP will consider whether the symptoms are consistent with ADHD and whether they are causing significant impairment in more than one setting (typically home and school). If the GP agrees the referral is appropriate, they will refer your child to the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or a specialist neurodevelopmental team.

If your GP is reluctant to refer, ask them to document their reasoning in your child's medical notes. You are entitled to seek a second opinion from another GP at the same or a different practice. Schools can also make referrals to CAMHS directly in some areas, bypassing the GP entirely.

CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) is the primary NHS pathway for children's ADHD assessment. Once referred, your child will join the CAMHS waiting list. Current NHS waiting times for ADHD assessment vary significantly by area, but waits of one to three years are common for children, with some areas reporting even longer.

The assessment itself typically involves a detailed developmental history taken from parents, school reports and questionnaires (such as the Conners scales) completed by both parents and teachers, a clinical interview with your child, and observation. Some services spread this across multiple appointments, while others complete it in a single longer session.

During the wait, your child is not receiving ADHD-specific support from CAMHS. This is where the school's role becomes especially important - the SENCO can implement classroom strategies and apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) if needed, even without a formal diagnosis.

Right to Choose can apply to children's ADHD assessments in England, but availability is more limited than for adults. Fewer private providers are set up to accept Right to Choose referrals for under-18s, and some that do accept them have age restrictions (for example, only accepting children aged 8 and above).

If a Right to Choose provider is available for your child's age group and your GP will process the referral, this can significantly reduce the waiting time. The same legal basis applies - Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 - and the process is the same: you ask your GP to refer to a named provider that accepts NHS-funded Right to Choose referrals for children.

It is worth checking directly with the provider about their current capacity for under-18 assessments before asking your GP to make the referral. Capacity can change quickly, and a provider that was accepting child referrals last month may have paused intake this month.

The waiting period can be difficult for both children and parents. There are several practical things you can do while waiting for an assessment. At home, establish consistent routines with visual schedules, break tasks into smaller steps, use timers to help with transitions between activities, and provide a quiet space for homework away from distractions.

At school, work with the SENCO to ensure appropriate classroom support is in place. This might include preferential seating, movement breaks, visual aids, extra time for tasks, and check-ins throughout the day. None of these strategies require a formal diagnosis.

Consider keeping a diary of your child's difficulties and what helps. This becomes valuable evidence for the assessment itself, and it also helps you identify patterns in your child's behaviour that you can address in the meantime. Organisations such as ADHD UK and Young Minds offer free resources for parents waiting for assessment.

After a positive diagnosis, the assessing team will discuss treatment options. For children, this usually begins with parent training programmes and school-based support strategies before medication is considered. NICE guidelines recommend that medication should be offered to children aged five and over when symptoms are causing significant impairment that has not responded to non-pharmacological interventions.

If medication is recommended, the most commonly prescribed are methylphenidate-based stimulants (such as Concerta XL, Equasym XL or Medikinet XL) or lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse). Titration - the process of finding the right dose - is managed by the specialist team and involves regular follow-up appointments to monitor effectiveness and side effects.

A diagnosis also strengthens your position when requesting additional support at school. An ADHD diagnosis is a recognised special educational need, and the school has a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments. If your child's needs are significant, this may also support an application for an EHCP, which can provide funded, legally enforceable support.

This information is for general guidance only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always discuss your child's specific needs with their GP or specialist.