Families usually consider a private ADHD assessment for one reason: the difficulties are affecting their child now and the local waiting list is measured in years. A good private assessment is not a faster diagnosis — it is the same standard of assessment, sooner.
What actually happens
- 1Pre-assessment questionnaires for you and, with your permission, your child's school.
- 2A long appointment covering pregnancy, early development, milestones, medical history and family history.
- 3A structured review of symptoms against diagnostic criteria, with examples from each setting.
- 4Direct time with your child, appropriate to their age.
- 5Consideration of alternatives and co-occurring conditions: sleep, anxiety, mood, learning difficulties, autism.
- 6A written report with the outcome, reasoning and recommendations.
- 7Follow-up: school recommendations, parent support and, if appropriate, a medication trial with monitoring.
What a good report should contain
- The clinician's name, registration number and qualifications
- Which diagnostic criteria were used
- Evidence from home and from school, quoted
- Conditions considered and why they were excluded
- A clear diagnostic conclusion or explanation
- Specific, practical recommendations for school and home
Questions worth asking before you pay
- Who will assess my child, and what is their registration?
- How long is the assessment, and is it in more than one session?
- Do you gather information from school as standard?
- Is a written report included, and when will we receive it?
- What are the costs of follow-up, medication titration and annual review?
- Will you write to our GP about shared care?
Signs of a service to avoid
- A diagnosis promised in a single short video call with no school input.
- No named, registered clinician before payment.
- No written report, or a report of a page or two with no reasoning.
- Medication offered before a full history has been taken.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a private ADHD assessment cost?
- It varies considerably by provider and region, so ask for a full written quote covering the assessment, the report, and any follow-up or medication monitoring before booking.
- How quickly can it happen?
- Private assessments are typically arranged within weeks, though good providers still need time to collect school information.
- Can we get a diagnosis without seeing my child?
- You should not. A guideline-compliant assessment includes direct contact with the child alongside information from home and school.
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