Having our child assessed for ASD and ADHD was not a decision we took lightly.

We knew though that a possible diagnosis would help secure a schooling environment and reasonable adjustments to help with our daughter’s needs in academia now and in the future. We had lots of questions to ask… What would the diagnosis prove, and would it be helpful? Do we want our daughter to have a label for the rest of her life? Was it worth the cost involved? Would a diagnosis by private assessment be recognised by health professionals in the NHS and by our local education authority? How would my daughter cope with the questions asked in a strange and anxiety-provoking environment?

It was helpful that our daughter wanted to have a diagnosis. She had found school a strain for the majority of her secondary school years and unbeknown to us as parents or herself, she has been masking, just to fit in. She had good friendships but found she wasn’t always on the same wavelength and just didn’t feel she fitted in. What was wrong with her and why did she find life so difficult? Why was she so sensitive to noise and crowds? Why was her social battery always on empty and she was so exhausted?

The assessment itself was in two parts at the same time. We, as parents, were with a clinician and our daughter was with another colleague. The meetings lasted for about an hour or so each. Our daughter was made to feel comfortable and said she was asked some strange questions, for example, act out how you brush your teeth. She didn’t find it stressful, and the assessor was kind and gave her rest breaks if needed. In our meeting, we had to think back to when our daughter first started displaying signs, and questions went back to her early years, which were sometimes hard to answer as she seemed such a happy child in her early years, and it was a long time ago! However, with careful thought and pointers from the clinician, we were able to answer questions to the best of our ability.
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We did receive a diagnosis a couple of weeks later. A few months down the line following that diagnosis, we now have an EHCP in place which certainly would not have been possible without such a professional report produced by Foundations. The report included valuable recommendations for our daughter’s education going forward and useful insights into courses available for us as parents to gain a better understanding of the diagnosis.

We would thoroughly recommend Foundations to future parents for therapy and ASD and ADHD assessments. Foundations has been such an amazing support to us through very challenging times. They have been able to guide us very professionally through what seemed like a never-ending minefield to survive unscathed, stronger, and finally in control of our daughter’s destiny, with a happy child to boot!