Our Assessment Services
Autism Assessments
Our Multidisciplinary Approach
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At Cornerstone Assessments, autism assessment draws on a multidisciplinary team, each bringing a different area of expertise, so diagnostic decisions are informed by a range of specialist perspectives.
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Our core team is a Speech and Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist and Clinical Psychologist. Where it would add real insight, we also draw in Occupational Therapists, Psychiatrists, ADHD assessors, Dyslexia Specialists or SEN Advisors.
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All of these services are also available independently of an autism assessment, for families, schools and adults alike. Contact us to discuss your needs and we'll advise on the best fit.
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Our Autism Assessment Pathway
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We offer autism assessments for children aged 4 and above, designed to give families a thorough understanding of their child, while making sure a full assessment only goes ahead when it's the right next step.
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1. Enquiry and triage
We send a short triage questionnaire to check that an autism assessment is likely to be appropriate.
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2. Questionnaires
Where an assessment is indicated, we send more detailed questionnaires to home and school to build a full picture ahead of assessment.
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3. Assessment
Once the questionnaires are returned, we arrange a school visit alongside the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised) and ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule).
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4. Report
Our team reviews all findings together and produces a comprehensive report, including the diagnostic outcome and practical recommendations for home and school.
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5. Feedback and ongoing support
A diagnostic decision isn't the end of the pathway. We offer a feedback session to explain the outcome, along with support from relevant professionals, guidance on processing the decision, and advice on the way forward.
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If an autism assessment isn't the right next step
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Triage doesn't always lead to a full assessment, and that's by design. Where another approach would serve a child better, we'll say so and recommend the right next step, whether that's therapy, an alternative assessment, school-based support, or simply monitoring and revisiting the question later.
Speech & Language Therapy
Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) supports children, young people and adults who experience difficulties with communication, speech, language, understanding or social communication.
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A Speech and Language Therapist can assess how someone understands and uses language, communicates their thoughts and needs, produces speech sounds, follows conversations and instructions, and interacts with others. They can also support children and young people who have difficulties with attention and listening, play, social communication, vocabulary, sentence development or communicating in different environments.
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Therapy is tailored to the individual and may involve direct intervention, practical strategies, communication resources and advice for parents, schools and other professionals. The aim is to help each person communicate as effectively and confidently as possible in everyday life.
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Contact our sister company, Chatter Matters Ltd, for more information about Speech and Language Therapy services.
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How SALT can contribute to an autism assessment
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Speech and Language Therapy can provide valuable information about an individual's communication and social communication profile. A SALT assessment can help identify strengths and difficulties in understanding, expressive language, speech, conversation, social interaction and communication with others. This information can contribute to understanding whether the individual's presentation is consistent with autism and whether other communication needs may also be present.
Educational Psychology
Educational Psychology focuses on how children and young people learn, develop and manage the demands of education. Educational Psychologists consider the whole child, including their learning, cognition, communication, emotional wellbeing, behaviour and social development.
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An Educational Psychology assessment can help identify a child's strengths and areas of difficulty and explore what may be affecting their ability to learn and participate in school. Assessments may consider areas such as attention, memory, processing, learning, emotional regulation, social interaction and communication.
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Educational Psychologists can provide recommendations and practical strategies to support a child at home and in education. They can also provide advice and evidence to support SEND provision, EHCP applications and reviews, school planning and wider educational decision-making.
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How EP can contribute to an autism assessment
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An Educational Psychologist can provide an important perspective on how a child functions within an educational environment. They can explore learning, cognition, attention, emotional wellbeing, behaviour and social development, helping to build a broader picture of the child's strengths and needs alongside the other professionals involved in an autism assessment.
Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychology looks at how psychological, emotional, behavioural and developmental factors can affect an individual's wellbeing and everyday functioning.
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Clinical Psychologists can assess and support difficulties including anxiety, low mood, emotional regulation, trauma, self-esteem, behaviour and difficulties managing relationships or everyday situations. They may also explore how a person's thoughts, emotions and experiences interact with their behaviour and development.
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Assessment and intervention are tailored to the individual. Support may include psychological assessment, formulation, therapeutic intervention and practical strategies to help individuals and families understand and manage difficulties.
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How Clinical Psychology can contribute to an autism assessment
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Clinical Psychology can help explore an individual's emotional, behavioural and psychological presentation and consider how this interacts with their social communication and development. This can be particularly valuable when considering whether difficulties may be related to autism, anxiety, trauma, ADHD or other factors, and can help provide a more complete understanding of the individual.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy (OT) focuses on helping people participate as independently as possible in the activities that are important to them.
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For children and young people, this may include everyday activities such as dressing, eating, handwriting, using tools, managing personal care, playing, learning and participating in school. An Occupational Therapist can also explore sensory processing, motor skills, coordination, regulation and how a person's environment affects their ability to participate.
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OT assessment can help identify barriers to participation and provide practical strategies, adaptations and recommendations to support everyday functioning at home, school and in the community.
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How OT can contribute to an autism assessment
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Occupational Therapy can provide information about sensory processing, motor skills, regulation and everyday functioning. These areas can be particularly relevant when considering an autism profile and can help distinguish sensory or motor difficulties from other developmental needs. OT information can therefore contribute to a more complete understanding of an individual's presentation.
Psychotherapy & Counselling
Psychotherapy and counselling provide a safe, confidential space to explore emotional wellbeing, thoughts, feelings, relationships and experiences.
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Support can be helpful for children, young people and adults experiencing difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, emotional regulation, self-esteem, stress, relationships, life changes or challenging experiences.
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Therapy is tailored to the individual and their circumstances, with the aim of helping them better understand their experiences, develop coping strategies and make positive changes in their emotional wellbeing and everyday life.
Dyslexia Specialist Assessment & Support
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that can affect reading, spelling, writing and the way information is processed. It can present differently from one person to another and may become particularly noticeable when academic demands increase.
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A dyslexia assessment explores areas such as reading, spelling, phonological processing, working memory, processing speed and other relevant aspects of learning. The assessment can help build a clear picture of an individual's strengths and difficulties and identify appropriate support.
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We can also provide practical recommendations to support learning at school, college, university or in the workplace, helping individuals understand their learning profile and the strategies that may work best for them.
Exam Access Arrangements
Exam Access Arrangements provide reasonable adjustments to help eligible students access assessments without changing the knowledge or skills being tested.
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We can assess areas that may affect examination performance, such as reading, writing speed, processing speed, attention or other learning difficulties, and provide appropriate recommendations where the relevant criteria are met.
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Access arrangements may include adjustments such as extra time, a reader, a scribe, use of a computer or other appropriate support, depending on the individual's needs and the requirements of the relevant examination body.
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Our aim is to provide clear assessment and recommendations that help schools, colleges and other settings determine appropriate support.
ADHD Assessment - QbTest
The QbCheck is a computer-based assessment that provides objective information about areas associated with ADHD, including attention, impulsivity and activity levels.
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It involves completing a computer task while movement and responses are measured. The results can provide additional information to support an understanding of an individual's attention and activity profile.
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At present, our service offers QbCheck as an additional assessment tool rather than a standalone diagnostic ADHD assessment. Results should be considered alongside developmental history, clinical information and other relevant evidence.
EHCP Assessment & Support
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal plan for children and young people aged up to 25 who have special educational needs or disabilities that require additional support beyond what is ordinarily available in education.
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We can provide assessment, advice and professional evidence to help families understand and navigate the EHCP process. This may include assessing a child's communication, learning, emotional, social or functional needs and identifying the provision required to support them.
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We can support families with EHCP applications, assessments, annual reviews, amendments and appeals, including providing professional reports and recommendations where appropriate.
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Our approach is centred on the individual's current needs, strengths and difficulties. Recommendations are based on professional assessment and clinical/educational judgement, with the aim of ensuring that the support identified is appropriate, specific and meaningful.