Speakeasy Therapy specialise in working with children on the autism spectrum as well working with children who display demand avoidant profiles and / or high levels of behaviour. We therefore specialise in helping your child to feel comfortable and can adapt assessments to meet your child's needs, cognitive and emotional level whilst still ensuring that assessments meet the standardised requirements.

We specialise in working with children with high levels of anxiety and can make the required adaptations and pre and post assessment support required to support your child through their assessment journey.

Speakeasy Therapy have a large amount of contracts with several local authorities, mainstream, independent and specialist schools making us a well recognised, preferred provider for our speech and language and occupational therapy services. This also means that we have a large amount of knowledge and experience with supporting the school and Education and Health Care (EHCP) process as well as being able to offer advice and guidance to your child's current school. Alternatively, we can offer advice and guidance on alternative schools around your area that might suit your child's needs should it be required.

At Speakeasy Therapy we recognise the importance of getting your child a diagnosis in a timely manner to allow those around them to fully understand them and to allow your child the support they require. We therefore aim to complete all assessments within 6 weeks and have priced the assessments as cost effective as possible with a one off assessment fee and no hidden charges or extras so that you can be confident that if any additional observations, meetings or phone calls are required this is all inclusive within the assessment fee.

We can guarantee that the assessment process with Speakeasy Therapy is only the start of your journey with us and from the assessment through to post assessment support we will be with you to guide and support you every step of the way.

Why choose Speakeasy Therapy to support your assessment journey?

Post-Assessment Support:

Based on the recommendations laid out in your child’s assessment report, post-assessment support will be made available. We have a specialist team of in-house speech and language and occupational therapists who can provide support post assessment making sure that your journey from assessment to intervention is bumpy and stress free.

Speakeasy Therapy services are available to all young people and their families, even if the Neurodiversity Team do not give a diagnosis of ASD.

Step 1:
Our team will offer you a telephone appointment to gather an in-depth understanding of your child and their developmental history (Telephone appointments will be offered within 1-2 weeks after commencing the assessment and we aim to be as flexible as possible to find times and days that fit for you and your family).

Step 2:
Your child will be seen by professionals who will carry out a formal assessment of social communication and interaction (1-2 weeks after completing the developmental history phone call). This appointment usually lasts around 45 - 60 minutes and will include set questions, activities and play opportunities dependent on your child's age and ability.

Step 3: 
Our team will liaise with your child’s school or nursery (as soon as details are received with a contact name and number for your child’s school). The team may observe your child in their setting.

In addition to the assessment for ASC, our Multi-Disciplinary Team will also screen for other conditions that often sit alongside autism. These include looking for possible anxieties and emotional difficulties, sensory sensitivities or problems with attention and hyperactivity (These screenings are included as part of your triage).

Step 4:
You can be confident that our team will offer a holistic assessment across the key environments your child encounters, after which you will be invited for a feedback phone call where focused and individualised recommendations will be provided, which can support your child to meet their potential and thrive within their environment. The outcome of the assessment as well as the recommendations will be detailed in a comprehensive, written report which can be used to guide support in school, EHCP applications as well as be shared with any professionals working with your child.

ASD assessments are very thorough and involve a multi-disciplinary team to ensure that they meet gold standard, NICE recommended guidelines. Assessments gain a picture of your child in all of the environments that they encounter. You will be introduced to a key member who will support you through each step of the process and spend several hours getting to know you and your family. Information will also be gathered from your child’s teachers and in some cases direct observation of your child in the school setting may be required.

The ASD Assessment:

When you make an enquiry for an ASD or ADHD assessment, you will be sent several initial screening questionnaires for you, the parent to complete. This will relate to behaviours identified with ASD as well as ADHD if required and specified. Once completed the questionnaires will be reviewed by a member of the team and the outcome will be fed back to you.

If the team feel that an ASD assessment is the best course of action for your child, we will identify a time and date to commence the assessment being as flexible as we can with fitting around the needs of you as a family.

If the Team do not feel that an ASD assessment is the best way to support your child, we will discuss this with you in further detail to recommend further suggested assessments and advice which may be better suited. This might include a referral to our speech and language or occupational therapy teams.

Once you start the autism assessment pathway, you will be introduced to a member of the team who will support you every step of the way. This member of the team will be there for you to answer any questions you might have as well as form that strong, therapeutic relationship to really get to know and understand your child.

Initial enquiry: