Getting Your Child Assessed for ADHD: A Parent's Guide

When to consider an assessment

Not every energetic, distractible, or impulsive child has ADHD. Children are, in general, energetic, distractible, and impulsive — it is developmentally normal, particularly in the early years. What distinguishes ADHD is persistence, pervasiveness, and impairment: the behaviour has to be significantly more pronounced than peers of the same age, occur across multiple settings (home and school, not just one), and be causing real difficulty in your child's life.

Signs that may warrant investigation include:

If these patterns have been present for more than six months, occur both at home and school, and are affecting your child's wellbeing or academic progress, it is worth speaking to your GP. You do not need to have all of these signs — you need a consistent pattern that is causing real difficulty.

The NHS pathway for children

The NHS route for children begins with your GP. At your appointment, describe the specific behaviours you and the school have observed — bring written examples if possible. Your GP will assess whether a referral is appropriate and, if so, refer your child to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) or a community paediatric team, depending on your area.

The honest reality of the NHS pathway is that waiting times are long. CAMHS waiting lists for ADHD assessments currently run to 1–3 years in most parts of England, with some areas significantly longer. Our NHS waiting times guide has regional data, but for children's services specifically, contact your local CAMHS directly for current figures.

Once your child is seen, the NHS assessment is thorough: it typically includes a detailed clinical interview with parents, teacher questionnaires, observation sessions, and standardised rating scales. The quality of the assessment is not the issue with the NHS — the wait is.

The private pathway for children

Private child ADHD assessments typically cost between £695 and £1,500, depending on the provider, the clinician type (psychiatrist or specialist paediatrician), and what is included. Appointments are usually available within 1–4 weeks. See our full cost guide for a breakdown of what affects the price.

When choosing a private provider for your child, check the following:

You can compare child ADHD assessment clinics on our homepage — filter by “children” to see providers who accept under-18 referrals. Clinics are listed for London, Manchester, Birmingham and many other cities.

Right to Choose for children

The important caveat is that not all Right to Choose providers accept child referrals. Many are adult-only. When requesting a referral, check our verified Right to Choose provider list and identify one that explicitly accepts under-18s before your GP appointment. Name the specific provider in your referral request.

The process is the same as for adults: ask your GP to refer your child under the Right to Choose scheme and name your preferred provider. Your GP cannot refuse without clinical justification.

What happens during a child ADHD assessment

A comprehensive child ADHD assessment is more involved than an adult assessment because it requires input from multiple people who know the child in different settings — typically you as the parent, and the child's school.

The full assessment process typically takes 2–3 hours of clinical time, often spread across two sessions. You will usually receive the written report within 2–4 weeks of the final session.

After diagnosis — school support, medication, and next steps

A diagnosis opens doors. Here are the most important things to action after your child receives an ADHD diagnosis.

How to talk to your child about ADHD

How you frame an ADHD diagnosis for your child matters. Children who understand their diagnosis fare significantly better than those who are left confused or who experience it as confirmation that something is wrong with them.

The most helpful framing is explanatory, not pathologising: their brain works differently, not worse. ADHD affects how the brain manages attention, energy, and impulse control — it does not affect intelligence, creativity, or potential. Many people with ADHD are highly creative, passionate, and capable in areas that interest them. The diagnosis explains the difficulties; it does not define the person.

For younger children (5–8), keep it concrete and positive: “Your brain is really good at noticing lots of things at once. Sometimes that makes it tricky to focus in school, so we're going to get some help with that.” For older children and teenagers, involve them in the process — ask what they find hard, explain what the assessment involves, and let them ask questions.

Avoid framing the diagnosis as an excuse for behaviour, but equally avoid using it as a reason to demand more from your child than they can currently manage. Diagnosis is the beginning of understanding — not the end of the conversation.