Child Autism Assessment – Required Documents

To help us prepare for your child's autism assessment, please complete the steps below as soon as possible. Early completion of the required documentation helps us gather information, contact your child's educational setting, and avoid delays in the assessment process.

Step 1: Complete the Child Developmental History Questionnaire

This questionnaire provides essential information about your child's developmental history, communication, social interaction, behaviour, sensory experiences, education, health, and family background.

Please complete this questionnaire as soon as possible following booking.

We also require details of your child's current educational setting so that we can request information from school, nursery, college, or other educational providers where appropriate.

If there is likely to be a delay in completing the Developmental History Questionnaire, please email info@lycali.co.uk with your child's educational setting details as soon as possible to avoid delays in the assessment process.

You can copy and paste the template below into your email:

Child's Full Name: Date of Birth: School/Nursery/College Name: Year Group: School SENCo Name (if known): School SENCo Email Address (if known): School Telephone Number: Parent/Carer Name: Parent/Carer Contact Number:

Complete Developmental History Questionnaire

Step 2: Complete the Child Autism Add-On Questionnaire

This questionnaire gathers additional information regarding autism-related experiences, including social communication, friendships, routines, interests, sensory processing, emotional regulation, and day-to-day functioning.

Complete Child Autism Add-On Questionnaire

Step 3: Educational Setting Questionnaire

We ask that a member of staff from your child's educational setting completes this questionnaire. This may be completed by a teacher, SENCo, key worker, pastoral lead, teaching assistant, or another member of staff who knows your child well.

Please share the questionnaire below with the relevant member of staff.

Educational Setting Questionnaire

Step 4: Additional Screening Questionnaires

If your child has already completed a Lycali Autism Pre-Screening Assessment, these questionnaires will not usually need to be completed again unless specifically requested by the assessing clinician.

Where required, you may be asked to complete the following questionnaires:

  • AQ-50 (Parent to Complete)
  • SNAP-IV 26 (Teacher or Parent to Complete)
  • Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

These questionnaires will be sent separately to your email address. Please check your inbox, junk mail and spam folders regularly to ensure you receive all assessment documentation.

In some cases, copies may also be sent directly to your child's educational setting where appropriate.

If you have not received these questionnaires within 5 working days of booking your assessment, please contact the Lycali team.

Step 5: ADI-R Assessment (Parent/Carer Developmental Interview)

As part of the autism assessment process, we complete a detailed developmental history interview (ADI-R or equivalent) with a parent or caregiver who knows the child's developmental history well.

This appointment explores your child's early development, communication, social interaction, play skills, interests, routines, sensory experiences, behaviour, and day-to-day functioning.

Wherever possible, a parent who can provide information about the child's early development should attend this appointment.

Where appropriate, both parents may attend together.

This appointment forms an important part of the autism assessment process.

The Lycali administration team will contact you to arrange a suitable appointment time.

Step 6: ADOS-2 Assessment Session

The ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) assessment is a structured assessment completed directly with your child.

During this session, the clinician will complete a series of activities and observations designed to explore communication, social interaction, imagination, play, and behaviour.

Depending on your child's age, language level, and the assessment module being used, parents or caregivers may be asked to remain present for part or all of the session.

The Lycali administration team will contact you to arrange a suitable appointment time for this assessment.

Need Help?

If you are unsure which forms to complete, require assistance accessing documentation, or need support identifying the most appropriate educational contact, please contact the Lycali team at info@lycali.co.uk.

For more detailed information about the assessment process, appointments, timescales, and what to expect, please refer to your What to Expect Guide.