Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Lycali is registered with the CQC. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care services in England. Its purpose is to work together with the public, systems and providers of care to protect people, and to promote and improve the quality of care. If a service needs to improve, CQC will take action to make sure this happens. Find out more on the CQC website (www.cqc.org.uk).

We are always looking for ways to improve our service and be able to offer more.

Currently our service supports with:

ADHD assessment for adults and children

ASD assessment for adults and children

Dyslexia Assessment

Irlen Syndrome Assessment

Speech, language, and Communication assessment

Workplace Needs Assessment

Psychoeducation

Neurodivergent Coaching

Psychotherapy and Counselling

Speech, language, and Communication therapy

Advocacy

School support

Life Coaching for adults

Following your child’s assessment, the speech and language therapist will feed back the results to you via the telephone or online and discuss the findings and recommendations. Occasionally, it may be necessary to make an onward referral for investigation into other difficulties noted other than speech, language, or communication e.g., hearing, vision, sensory integration, learning difficulties (e.g., dyslexia) and mental health services etc.

Some children may experience some anxiety prior to their assessment. All clinicians have extensive experience working with children and families and are equipped to put you and your child at ease. This may include, arranging the assessment at a place your child is most comfortable or having a familiar person present. We generally find that children show good resilience when meeting the clinician for the first time and most will comfortably complete their assessment. All information is helpful during an assessment and highlights the child’s primary area of need; if your child struggles to engage with the clinician, it may be that an alternative approach needs to be considered or further investigation/support is needed prior to the assessment taking place.

This will be discussed at the time of booking. We can conduct assessments either in school, in our clinic or online. However, this can depend on the age or developmental level of the individual accessing the assessment. Depending on the assessment, the clinician(s) involved will also arrange to meet with an informant or school staff etc. to gather evidence of the individual in other contexts.

You may start to wonder whether your child has a speech, language and/or communication delay when comparing your child to other children of a similar age when attending parent and child groups or when your child begins nursery. You may also notice that you are making modifications to support your child to understand or use language or you are having to translate what your child is saying as they cannot be understood by others. Speech, Language and Communication development is often monitored throughout a child’s life e.g., during health visiting checks and at nursery/school. Some children’s difficulties may be more obvious than others but if you are at all concerned about your child’s development and this has not yet been raised by a professional, you are welcome to get in touch with us and have a free initial consultation with one of our speech and language therapist’s. They will be able to advise whether your child would benefit from an assessment of their speech language and communication development. There is no obligation to use our services. To find out more, please email info@lycali.co.uk

If attention and listening appears to be an area of difficulty, this will likely impact on speech sound development progress. For 1:1 speech sound therapy to be effective, children need to:

• Attend to an adult-led activity for a minimum of 15 minutes with visual support (for example a timetable, now/next symbols, or a timer)

• Be able to face watch

• Be able to follow simple instructions within therapy sessions and show understanding of basic concepts such as same/different, first/last, front/back

There are many people who have Autism traits and may mistake this as having Autism. When assessing for Autism, we consider the impact the presenting symptoms are having on the individual’s ability to function, particularly in overstimulating or social environments. We also consider whether the difficulties can be explained by something else e.g., mental health, trauma, or a congenital abnormality etc. There are several online pre-screening tools which may indicate whether you have Autism traits and would benefit from further investigation.

We also provide a pre-screening assessment, which can help determine whether a full assessment is required.

Here are some recommendations:

• Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT), is a popular 20-question test designed for toddlers between 16 and 30 months old. Note: there is recent evidence that the M-CHAT may not be as effective in screening females and minority, urban and low-income children.

• The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) is a general developmental screening tool that examines developmental challenges at specific ages.

• Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT) is an interactive screening tool comprising of twelve activities that assess play, communication, and imitation.

• Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) is a general developmental parent interview designed to identify delays in motor, language, self-help, and more.

There are many people who have ADHD traits and may mistake this as having ADHD. When assessing for ADHD, we consider the impact the presenting symptoms are having on the individual’s ability to function. We also consider whether the difficulties can be explained by something else e.g., mental health, trauma, or a congenital abnormality etc. There are several online pre-screening tools which may indicate whether you have ADHD traits and would benefit from further investigation. You can also access this through your GP.

Here are some recommendations:

For children - SNAP-IV 26-Item Teacher and Parent Rating Scale - Scoring_for_SNAP_IV_Guide_26-item.pdf (shared-care.ca)

For Adults - Free ADHD Test | Mind Diagnostics Test (mind-diagnostics.org)

We provide full comprehensive ADHD assessments and Autism assessments using gold standard assessment tools for children aged 2 to adulthood. The assessment is conducted by a multi-disciplinary team including a highly specialist speech and language therapist and clinical psychologist. The outcome of the assessment will be fed back to you and the evidence gathered will be documented in a detailed report; this is aimed to be with you within 3 weeks upon the completion of the assessment. The report can be shared with other professionals and if necessary, used towards an Education, Health, and Care Plan.

Yes. Some individuals may have ADHD and autism traits and may benefit from a combined assessment. We can support with this and will discuss the options with you.

Yes. We are always adding and creating resources for schools and parents/carers to use with children. We also update our blog and social media with new resources.

How do I know what coaching support I need?

You don’t need to know which type of coaching is right for you before contacting us. We’ll explore what you would like support with and help you find an approach that fits your needs and goals.

• ADHD coaching may help with organisation, planning, time management, motivation and managing everyday demands.

• Autism coaching may help you understand your needs, manage sensory and social demands, navigate change and build self-advocacy.

• Life coaching may help with confidence, setting goals, making decisions and navigating personal or work-related changes.

These areas often overlap, so support can draw on more than one approach. You do not need a formal diagnosis to explore coaching with Lycali.

There are a range of ways you can access our services such as, online, by telephone, in-person, in school or at home, so there is minimal waiting time, and the right support can be received immediately. We also offer lots of free resources and regularly update our events and offers. More information can also be found on our Blog page.

Our service offers comprehensive autism and ADHD assessments conducted by a multi-disciplinary highly qualified team who are registered with the relevant bodies such as the Health Care Professions Council. This includes a team of Chartered Clinical Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Social Workers. Our clinicians are trained in conducting ASD and ADHD diagnostic assessments and follow the NICE guidelines using the ‘gold standard’ recognised assessment tools such as the ADOS, ADI-r and DIVA required to effectively conduct and evaluate ADHD and Autism assessments. We take pride in providing thorough and accurate evaluations to support individuals and their families including providing individualised recommendations including work and education accommodations, self help strategies local and nationwide support services.

Our assessments are recognised by both the NHS and the local authority. However, if you are concerned, we recommend checking with your local NHS service (GP practice) or relevant authorities to confirm the recognition in your specific area.

The following local services may be useful in supporting you pre and post-diagnosis:

Autism Apprentice: Supporting families caring for a young autistic individual. This may include support with the EHCP process or post-diagnostic advice.

For us too: Aims to improve the lives of disabled children, young people and their families across East Kent.

Local Children’s Centres

Kent Autistic Trust: Providing support for people with Autism and other associated difficulties.

SPOTS: Supporting People on The Spectrum is a support and information group for families, carers and friends of children and adults with autism and associated learning difficulties.

Kent Autistic Trust (Kent & Medway)

• They are a specialist provider of services for young people and adults with autism across Kent & Medway.

• They offer “Autism Information Advisors” who work throughout Kent & Medway. tonbridgemedicalgroup.co.uk+1

Autism & ADHD Parent Support UK CIC – Kent & Medway branch

• This is a parent/carer-led support group for parents of children (and adults) with autism/ADHD. local.kent.gov.uk+1

• Example: In-person group meeting Mondays term-time in Swanley. local.kent.gov.uk

• Good for: peer support, meeting other parents, sharing experiences.

• Tip: Even if the venue is a little further away, some of their online groups might suit you if travel is difficult.

Advocacy for All – “All Together Autistic (Kent & Medway)” group

• This is a peer-support service aimed at autistic adults (18+), living in Kent & Medway. Advocacy for All

• They run in-person and online groups, including social events and workshops. Advocacy for All

• Good for: meeting other autistic adults, building social connections, identity support.

• Tip: If you have co-occurring ADHD, check whether the group is comfortable with that too (they focus on autism).

MixMatched – Neurodivergent Communities in Kent & Thanet

• A community listing of neurodivergent friendly socials/events: e.g., “East Kent Autism & ADHD Social!”, “Neurodivergent friendly coffee mornings in Thanet”. mixmatched.co.uk

• Good for informal meet-ups and peer connections (for adults and young adults).

• Tip: These meet-ups can feel more relaxed than formal groups – good for building connections.

Swale Spectrum – Parents/Carers Support (Children & Young People)

• A parent/carer-run group supporting families of children with autism or ADHD (or suspected). local.kent.gov.uk

• Based in Sittingbourne but may offer remote/online access.

• Tip: If you live closer to Swale than Thanet, this might be nearer. Ask if they have satellite or online groups.

Education & Autism Support – via Kent County Council

• Offers guidance for children/young people: diagnosis process, support in schools, activities and groups. Kent County Council

• Tip: Very helpful if you’re a parent/carer navigating school support, SEND, EHCP etc.

While we don’t provide a prescribing service directly at Lycali, we work closely with a trusted private prescribing partner who recognises our reports and welcomes new referrals.

All new enquiries are managed centrally to ensure accurate and consistent information is provided. We kindly ask that individuals do not independently research or contact associates directly, as clinicians are not able to respond to service-level queries outside of Lycali’s governance processes.

PDA is often used to describe a profile involving a strong need for autonomy and avoidance of everyday demands, which may be associated with anxiety or feeling overwhelmed.

At Lycali, we can explore demand avoidance as part of an autism assessment and, where appropriate, describe this profile in the assessment report. We do not provide a separate PDA diagnosis.

Our focus is on understanding each person’s experiences, strengths and support needs, with personalised recommendations to reduce pressure and support wellbeing.

The Discovery Pathway offers support before diagnosis. Across six clinician-led sessions, it helps you explore your strengths, needs and everyday experiences, try practical strategies and consider your next steps. Discovery does not provide a diagnosis and is not compulsory before an assessment— you can go straight to assessment if you prefer.

The Navigate Pathway offers psychoeducation after diagnosis, helping you understand what your diagnosis means for you and develop personalised strategies for everyday life. Adults attend six sessions. Children and young people have seven sessions, including an initial parent/carer-only session.

Both pathways are tailored to the individual, with a focus on understanding yourself, building confidence and identifying support that works for you.

Lycali is an independent, CQC-registered healthcare provider. We do not currently deliver assessments under an NHS contract, and our private assessments are separate from NHS and Right to Choose pathways.

With your consent, we can share your assessment report with your GP. However, we cannot guarantee that a GP or NHS service will accept it for a particular purpose or agree to provide treatment based on its recommendations.

If you are seeking an ADHD assessment with a view to medication, we recommend checking with your GP and intended prescribing service before booking. An assessment does not automatically provide access to NHS prescribing or a shared-care arrangement.