We are here to help
Paloma Health provides NHS-funded autism assessments for children through Right to Choose. Any GP in England can refer your child to us.
Every child is different, and we understand how important early support is. Our team is here to make the process simple, supportive, and centred on your child’s needs.
If your child is showing signs of autism, talk to your GP about a referral to Paloma Health.
How our service works
Paloma Health is only available in England, and only NHS GPs in England can refer into our service
NHS GP referral
To begin the process, your NHS GP will need to refer your child to us.
- For our remote or hybrid Exeter pathway, your GP can complete a simple online referral form.
- For our hybrid Norwich pathway, your GP will need to contact us directly to request a specific referral form.
We’re happy to support your GP with any questions they may have.
The assessment
Our assessments follow NICE and NHS guidelines and are carried out by two qualified clinicians. The process includes:
- Parent and school questionnaires
- Parent interview
- A child observation
We’ll keep you informed at each stage so you always know what to expect.
The outcome
At the end of the process, you’ll receive a clear, easy-to-understand outcome report, including a diagnosis if appropriate.
As an NHS provider, we’ll also securely share the report with you and your GP, ensuring continuity of care and next steps.
What to expect during the assessment
If you suspect your child might have autism, we understand how emotional and overwhelming this time can be. Here's what you can expect during the assessment.
Once you start the assessment, you’ll access an online platform with valuable autism-related information, curated by our clinicians.
Online questionnaires
Parent interview
Child observation
Outcome meeting
Compassionate experts
You may have been waiting a long time for an assessment, and it’s normal if you feel nervous or anxious about this important moment. Rest assured, you can expect the highest quality care. We work with a variety of 39 assessors, including experienced senior professionals who will guide you and your family toward the clarity you need.
Stephanie
I'm a Speech and Language Therapist with over 20 years of experience working with autistic children and young people. Before working as a speech and language therapist, I was a care officer in a residential special school, caring for five young people with a range of complex needs. My interest has always been autism and I have continued to develop my professional practice and knowledge.
Shona
Exploring, identifying and supporting understanding of autism has been part of my Speech and Language Therapy role since I qualified in 2013. I believe strongly in individuals having the opportunity to understand themselves and their life experiences at the right time for them, and - regardless of the outcome - they should come out of assessment feeling heard, understood, validated and ultimately empowered.
Nichola
I’m a qualified and registered Social Worker with the SSSC. I graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2018. Over the years, I have worked with people of different ages, from infants to the elderly, in various contexts. I am passionate about helping neurodivergent people feel validated and listened to. I have a keen interest in masking behaviours and the more subtle autism presentations.
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Maria
I'm a Clinical Psychologist with over a decade of experience in ASD and ADHD assessments. I love what I do, and for me, assessments aren’t just about ticking boxes—they’re about really understanding each child and making sure families get the support they need.
Why parents choose Paloma Health
No cost to you
We are a NHS Right to Choose provider
Fast
First appointments are in 6 months of GP referral
Safe
Assessments are performed by expert assessors
NHS approved
Your outcome report will be
accepted by local authorities
and other NHS services
Great communication
We keep you updated at every step of your assessment journey
Which autism assessment is right for your child?
Please answer the questions below to find which of our assessment pathways (remote or hybrid) is best for your child.
Takes 2 minutes to complete
To request a Right to Choose referral
Complete one of our screening questionnaires to identify if your child has signs of autism
Prepare for what questions your GP may ask
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Preparing for your GP appointment
Your GP will first need to understand if your child is showing signs of autism. We recommend completing the M-Q ASC form (for children aged 5 and up)
This looks for signs of autism, and can help you feel more confident in speaking to your GP about an autism assessment for your child.
If you find M-Q ASC too long, there is a shorter AQ-10 option which is focused on male presentations of autism:
If your child is under 4, ask your Health Visitor for a review to go through the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). The results of the ASQ can help inform you if your child is showing signs of autism.
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Frequently Asked Questions
General
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We aim to offer first appointments within 6 months from your referral, and we’re actively expanding our capacity to reduce this.
The full process typically takes around 6 months, though this may vary based on how quickly we receive forms from parents and schools, and the availability of appointments
If you are waiting for more than 18 weeks, you also have a legal right to change your NHS provider. You can speak to your NHS GP about getting a new referral to Paloma Health.
Referral process
Your NHS GP will need to refer your child to Paloma Health for an autism assessment. Please book an appointment with them and direct them to complete our referral form.
The following services are available:
- Autism assessment with remote observation (for children aged 7–18).
- Autism assessment with in-person child observation in Exeter (for children aged 0–18).
- Autism assessment with in-person child observation in Norwich (for children 6-18)
We recommend answering a few quick questions in our "Service Finder" to get personalised advice on which service is best for your child, and what to ask your NHS GP.
Click here to read useful tips for the conversation with your NHS GP.
We recommend doing the Service Finder, to see which service is available for your child. If all options are available for you, it's up to your preference and location.
As soon as we've received your NHS GPs referral, you receive an email to confirm this. Keep an eye out in your spam folder too.
Haven't received this email yet? Please reach out to your NHS GP to ask if they've processed the referral.
If your child is home-schooled we will ask for a report from another suitable professional, or someone outside of the home who knows your child well. Ideally it would be someone who has seen your child in a social environment interacting with other children and has known them long enough to comment on their behaviour.
Once you have completed your onboarding questionnaire we will contact you within the next 8-12 weeks with the details of your parent interview and child observation appointment.
The assessment
Each assessment is completed by two trained clinicians, specialising in diagnosing autism in children and young people.
Yes, research shows that remote autism assessments can be just as accurate as in-person assessments when carried out by an experienced professional.
A study by the National Autistic Society found that the move to remote assessments during the pandemic didn’t affect the accuracy of diagnoses. In fact, a study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood showed that remote assessments not only maintain diagnostic accuracy but also have high levels of parental satisfaction.
For remote assessments, we use an adapted observation that draws on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). This is the same adapted observation that our children who are seen face to face complete for consistency in assessment.
The order of the parent interview and the child observation are not important, and won’t affect the outcome or the quality of the assessment of your child.
The clinician and parent appointment will cover your child's strengths, needs, preferences, dislikes, and developmental history, particularly focusing on your child's early years.
The child observation appointment is between your child and one of our clinicians who will observe your child’s behaviours and mannerisms.
If you have chosen our remote pathway you will need five small hand held objects for your child's observation appointment. Two of these objects need to have a clear purpose and the remaining three items need to be able to be used in many different ways. Please ensure none of these objects are characters or action figures.
We do not assess for PDA as it is not a recognised condition.
We do not use any measures that specifically screen for 'demand avoidance' either. However, where demand avoidance is described (a persistent and marked resistance to the demands of everyday life, which may include essential activities such as eating or sleeping as well as expected demands such as school or work) we will record these characteristics and sign post to resources.
Resources will include those provided by the National Autistic Society and PDA society UK.
Our clinicians are experienced in, and trained on, recognising the diverse ways autism can present.
Our assessments are carefully designed to identify more subtle traits and symptoms, how autism can be different in females, and to look out for masking and camouflaging.
Our team is very experienced in working with young people and understand that sometimes an assessment can be a stressful experience for the family. As experts in the field and trained in working with children, we will do our very best to put your child (and the whole family) at ease and are very skilled at engaging even the most shy and anxious children.
After your appointments, we’ll send an email with your outcome meeting date & time. We aim to provide your outcome report before this meeting. Once your report is ready you will receive an email notification and can access it in your Paloma Portal.
After the assessment
The NHS GP that referred your child to us, will receive a full assessment report. They should ensure the report is included in your child’s NHS medical record. As an NHS Right to Choose provider, our assessments should be accepted by any local authority, as we meet the standards of the NHS.
Behaviours seen in autism can also be seen in other neurodevelopmental or mental health conditions. And, a child's experience can affect how they develop and sometimes this can look like autism.
We will consider all these factors in your child's assessment and provide you with our understanding of what the possible causes of your child's difficulties are, so the best support and understanding can be offered.
All children assessed will receive recommendations and a strengths and needs profile, whether they get an autism diagnosis or not.
Yes, the outcome reports are in line with regulations, set out by the NHS.
We are a Right to Choose provider of the NHS. That means that the NHS appointed (commissioned) us to assess children and young people for autism.
To become a Right to Choose provider, we were assessed to meet high standards, including that our assessments are compliant with NICE guidelines and the NHS England Operational Framework. An example of these guidelines is that all assessments are done by trained and experienced professionals, and include all criteria as set out by guidelines of NICE called “CG128: Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s”. These guidelines focus on recognition, referral and diagnosis.
You have the following rights if your local authority is challenging an outcome report:
- Request clarity: You can write to them and ask them to explain their challenge.
- File a complaint: If you're dissatisfied with their response, you have the right to file a formal complaint.
- Escalate: If their response is unsatisfactory, you could take the complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman and to your local MP.
- Appeal: If the challenge to a report influences the EHCP decision process, you may have a case to appeal.
If this happens, you can ask them to contact us. Our Clinical Lead will work with them to ensure a swift resolution.
