Useful resources
To learn more about autism and ADHD, the following NHS websites are helpful:
- NHS Guide to Autism:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism - NHS Guide to ADHD:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/adhd-children-teenagers
Referral Pathways
There are three main ways a child can be referred for assessment:
- Gloucestershire NHS Children’s Autism and ADHD Assessment Service (CAAAS)
- NHS Right to Choose Pathway
- Private Referral
Gloucestershire NHS CAAAS Pathway
This is the local NHS service that assesses children and young people for autism and ADHD. It is run by a team with specialist skills to support you and your child.
Who Can Refer?
| Child’s Age & Setting | Suggested Referrer |
| Under 5, not in nursery/preschool | Health Visitor (0300 421 4667)-Autism only |
| Under 5 in nursery/pre-school | Nursery or pre-school staff-Autism only |
| In school | School SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) |
| Over 5, not in education | GP (if they know the child and family well) |
If no professionals are involved or the GP lacks sufficient info, parents may be signposted to:
- Early Help Coordinator
- SENDIASS
- Education Inclusion Service
Note: Referrals for ADHD are considered only for children aged 6 and above.
Referral prerequisites
Before referral, ensure:
- A My Plan+ or EHCP is in place
- At least two cycles of review have been completed
- A My Assessment has been coordinated by the lead professional through a Team Around the Child (TAC) meeting
For children under 5, a hearing and speech and language assessment is recommended.
Required documents for referral
- Referral form (completed by a professional)
- Family Information Form
- My Plan+, My Assessment, or EHCP (with evidence of review cycles)
- School or Nursery Report Form
- Therapy reports (Speech & Language, Occupational Therapy, if involved)
- Educational Psychology or Advisory Teaching Service reports (if available)
More info:
CAAAS – Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Right to Choose Pathway
You have the right to choose an NHS-approved provider for an autism or ADHD assessment.
How to Access
- Visit: ADHD UK – Right to Choose Providers to find information about different providers and how they can support you.
- Download and complete the paperwork for your chosen provider
- Book a GP appointment to discuss a referral
If you have difficulty obtaining forms, contact your GP surgery with the provider’s name for assistance.
Medication after ADHD diagnosis
- Some providers can start medication; others only recommend it. Please check this when choosing a provider
- GPs cannot start ADHD medication directly after diagnosis.
- If medication is not started by the provider, your child will need to join the local NHS waiting list. They are not prioritised ahead of children waiting an assessment.
- If medication is started, GPs will prescribe only if all these criteria are met:
- Assessed and stabilised by a qualified professional
- Stable dose for 3 months with no significant side effects
- Completed Pulse, Blood Pressure, and Weight checks
- Shared Care Agreement in place (meeting NHS standards)
- Annual medication review completed by the provider
We recommend you ask our pharmacists to review the Shared Care Agreement before referral.
Private referrals
Private providers offer autism and ADHD assessments for a fee or via insurance.
What to do
- Obtain the provider’s referral forms and requirements
- Book a GP appointment and bring the forms
Important notes
- ADHD treatment is self-funded
- GPs may be willing to enter shared care agreements with private providers- see criteria below
- Transitioning from private to NHS care requires GP referral and possible NHS reassessment. The child will not be prioritised ahead of children waiting for an initial assessment.
- Private assessments do not prioritise your child on NHS waiting lists
GPs will prescribe medication only if:
- The child has been stabilised on medication by a qualified professional for 3 months
- No significant side effects
- Safety checks completed including pulse, blood pressure and weight
- Shared Care Agreement matches NHS standards
- Annual reviews with the private provider are arranged
If you intend to transfer care to the NHS following a diagnosis by a private provider, we recommend you request that our pharmacists review the Shared Care Agreement before you engage with the private provider.
If you have any questions about this process, please talk to your GP or a professional involved with your child’s care.
Additional support and information
- Support for Neurodiversity:
Gloucestershire CAMHS – Support a Child’s Neurodiversity - Gloucestershire Graduated Pathway:
Glos Families Directory – Graduated Pathway
Gloucestershire Helpful Support for You and Your Child
Local information and advice services
Family Information Service (FIS)
FIS provides a wide range of advice on things like family support, education, childcare and activities. They have a directory website for local services www.glosfamiliesdirectory on which you will find both local and national support agency information. The Local Offer is a source of information on services for children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families.
Website: www.glosfamiliesdirectory.org.uk
Email: familyinfo@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Phone: 01452 427 362
Gloucestershire Parent Carer Forum
Gloucestershire Parent Carer Forum is a voice for those with lived experience of being a Parent Carer (This means parents and/or carers of children with any disability, SEN, condition, impairment or additional need). We can create a bridge to the providers of statutory services to help build better services for all families of disabled children in Gloucestershire. The Gloucestershire Parent Carer Forum can signpost you to a local organisation for support.
Website: https://glosparentcarerforum.org.uk/
Email: info@glosparentcarerforum.org.uk
Phone: 07494 704564
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
SENDIASS Gloucestershire provides information, advice and support on matters relating to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The service is offered to parents and carers of children and young people aged between 0 and 25 years old. SENDIASS provides free, confidential, impartial advice and helps parents play an active and informed role in their child’s education.
Website: https://sendiassglos.org.uk/
Contact Form: https://sendiassglos.org.uk/contact/
Phone: 0800 158 3603
Support for Your Family
Health Visitors (For Children Aged 0-5)
Health Visitors are registered nurses or midwives; they come from a wide range of backgrounds and have a wealth of experience. Health visitors support families with young children, they work in teams for a local community. Health Visitors undertake home visits to your family to check on your babies’ growth and development, as well as providing Community Baby Hub drop-ins across the county.
Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk/our-teams-and-services/health-visiting/
Phone:
Gloucester – 01452 895235 / Quedgeley 0300 421 6978
Cheltenham – 0300 421 6486
Cotswolds – 0300 421 6952
Tewkesbury – 0300 421 6166
Stroud – 0300 421 8967 / Vale 0300 421 8433
Forest of Dean – 0300 421 8746
School Nursing Service (for children and young people aged 5-19)
The School Nursing Service is based in the community, and works in collaboration with education, health professionals and other services which work with children to improve health outcomes for individual children, young people and their families.
School Nurses assess and identify community health needs in school settings, offering support and advice on a range of health issues such as emotional health, obesity, sexual health, smoking and substance misuse.
School nurses play a vital role in children’s development, carrying out immunisation and screening programmes, and they act as a point of contact for managing medical conditions such as allergies and anaphylaxis, asthma and epilepsy in schools.
| Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk/our-teams-and-services/school-nursing/ Forest of Dean | Dilke Memorial Hospital Speech House Road, Cinderford GL14 3HX | 0300 421 8661 / 8662 FodLocality.SNT@ghc.nhs.uk |
| Gloucester | Rikenel Montpellier GL1 1LY | 01452 895240 GlosSNLT@ghc.nhs.uk |
| Tewkesbury | Tewkesbury Community Hospital Barton Road GL20 5QL | 0300 421 6161 tewkslocality.snt@ghc.nhs.uk |
| Cheltenham | Springbank Community Resource Centre Springbank Way Cheltenham GL51 0LG | 0300 421 8514 cheltlocal.snt@ghc.nhs.uk |
| Cotswolds | Cirencester Locality Offices Cirencester Hospital Tetbury Road | 0300 421 8906 Cots.snt@ghc.nhs.uk |
| Stroud | Stroud Maternity Hospital Field Road Stroud GL5 2JB | 0300 421 8959 / 8960 stroudlocality.snt@ghc.nhs.uk |
Chat health (delivered by the School Nursing Service)
The School Nursing Service also deliver a virtual service for young people known as Chat Health. ChatHealth offers support to young people with questions relating to a wide range of health and wellbeing issues including: relationships, bullying, healthy lifestyle, anxiety, drugs, smoking, stress, body worries, alcohol, self-harm and sexual health. As well as giving advice, the school nursing can signpost to appropriate services and other support.
Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk/our-teams-and-services/school-nursing/chathealth/
Phone: 07507 333351
Gloucestershire Early Help Service – For Children, Young People and Families
Early Help is about getting timely and effective support to children, young people and their families who need it, focussing on how families can be supported to do things themselves and build on the strengths they already have.
Website: www.glosfamiliesdirectory.org.uk/
Email: Childrenshelpdesk@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Phone: 01452 426565
Mental health support
On Your Mind Glos – Mental Health Support Finder
The purpose of the Mental Health Support Finder is to help young people find the right place to get support which will meet their needs, including how they wish to access support (eg. face to face, via text etc.). The support finder will provide recommended services to contact.
Website: www.onyourmindglos.nhs.uk/
Young Minds Matter
Young Minds Matter (YMM) offers mental health support for children and young people under the age of 18, in schools across Gloucestershire. They work with children who may be experiencing anxiety, low mood or poor sleep. To meet with a member of the team, speak to a teacher who can make a referral if YMM is linked to their school.
Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk/our-teams-and-services/cyp-glos/young-minds-matter/
Phone: 07480635723
Young Gloucestershire
Young Gloucestershire (YG) is a charity that supports young people who are facing challenges in their daily life. This could include difficulties in their home life, caring for a family member or coping with emotional wellbeing difficulties. YG aim to offer practical ways to find confidence and develop the skills to support engagement in education or training. YG work with 11-25 year olds and a referral can be made online. Schools can also make a referral to support children with transitions between primary and secondary school. They have multiple programmes including a programme for 10-17 year olds who are at risk of committing crimes involving violence.
Website: www.youngglos.org.uk/
Email: getinvolved@youngglos.org.uk
Phone: 01452 501008
Teens in Crisis (TiC+)
TiC+ offers a wealth of mental health support to young people and parents across Gloucestershire.
Counselling: TiC+ offer counselling support to children and young people aged 9-21 who may be experiencing worry, confusion, anger or sadness.
Tic+ Chat: The service offer an online chat system for young people, this can be via call or instant message chat. The service is open Sunday-Thursday 5pm-9pm.
Parenting Support: Available via telephone or via instant message chat. Also Parent & Carer Support Groups are available.
Website: www.ticplus.org.uk/
Phone: 01594 372777
Youth support team
The Youth Support Team speak up for young people in Gloucestershire, advise, and support them. They aim to offer quick, responsive, and effective intervention to vulnerable young people. They work with them and their families to identify the best support for them within their own communities. YST is made up of different teams including activity teams, complex engagement team, health team, housing team, youth justice team and can also work with children who are not in education or employment. They also have a SEN and disabilities team who work with people aged 11-25.
Website: www.youthsupportteam.co.uk/
Email: info.glos@prospects.co.uk
Phone: Cheltenham Centre – 01242 242825 / Gloucester Centre – 01452 415707
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
CAMHS is a specialist mental health service for children and young people in Gloucestershire. CAMHS usually work with young people who have emotional wellbeing problems which are significantly impacting on their daily life. Referrals to CAMHS can only be made by Professionals working with your child.
Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk/our-teams-and-services/cyp-glos/camhs/
Phone: 01452 894300
Physical health support
Speech and Language Therapy
The Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service is a countywide specialist service for children and young people aged 0 – 18 and their families and carers.
Speech and Language Therapists, can explore areas such as:
- Language Delay and Developmental Language Disorder
- Speech Sound difficulties
- Profound hearing impairment
- Cleft Palate
- Stammering
- Social communication difficulties with associated language difficulties
- Voice Disorders
- Selective Mutism
Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk/our-teams-and-services/childrens-slt/
Email: SLTchild@ghc.nhs.uk
Phone: 0300 421 8937
Occupational therapy
Occupational Therapists aim to address the needs of children/young people who have difficulties managing their activities of daily living and developing functional skills such as bathing, showering, toileting, dressing, and eating.
Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk/our-teams-and-services/childrens-occupational-therapy
Phone: 0300 421 6988
Physiotherapy
Parents, young people and children in Gloucestershire have access to advice through Children’s Physiotherapy Direct. A qualified children’s physiotherapist will provide a telephone assessment, advice and onward referral if appropriate. Children’s Physiotherapy Direct is available Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) 9am to 12pm.
Children’s Physiotherapy is a countywide specialist physiotherapy service for children and young people aged 0-16 years (16-19 in full time education). The service provides assessment, advice and physiotherapy management of any childhood condition to promote the health and physical development of each individual. Treatment is planned around the child and families’ individual needs.
Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk/our-teams-and-services/childrens-physiotherapy/
Phone: 0300 421 6980
Community activities and clubs
You’re Welcome
You’re Welcome is an all-age online directory to help find inclusive social events, clubs, groups or places to visit in Gloucestershire. It hosts information on local inclusive groups which you and your child can access.
Website: www.yourewelcomeglos.org/
Email: hello@yourewelcomeglos.org
National organisations
Afasic unlocking speech and language
Afasic aims to increase awareness and recognition of communication impairments and to assist with developing children‟s confidence and self-esteem. Afasic offers a range of services and information that include a helpline, publications, support groups, online message boards and membership.
Website: www.afasic.org.uk
Email: info@afasic.org.uk
Helpline: 0300 666 9410
Enquiries: 020 7490 9410
Contact for families of disabled children
Contact is a UK-wide charity, providing support, advice and information for families with disabled children.
Website: www.contact.org.uk/
Helpline: 0808 808 3555 Freephone for parents and families
National Autistic Society (NAS)
The National Autistic Society aims to offer families and carers information, advice and support, to stimulate more understanding about the difficulties that people with autism face, to encourage research, to provide day and residential services for people with autism. Activities include an information and helpline service, a range of literature, a national diagnostic and assessment service, courses and conferences.
Website: www.autism.org.uk/
Helpline: 0845 070 4004
ADHD foundation
A neurodiverse charity aiming to advocate for and actively improve the life chances of those living with and impacted by ADHD, Autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), Tourette’s syndrome, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and any related physical and psychological health concerns.
Website: www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/
Email: info@adhdfoundation.org.uk
Phone: 0151 541 9020