Private Child ADHD Assessments & Treatment

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children with ADHD often have busy, fast-moving brains, and may:

• Find it hard to concentrate on things that don’t interest them
• Find it hard to sit still, or act before they think
• Think quickly and feel things intensely
• Struggle with waiting, or with following multi-step instructions

There are real strengths that often come with it too, including fast, creative thinking, energy and enthusiasm, curiosity, and a big heart. ADHD doesn’t mean a child is naughty, lazy or not trying, it’s a different way the brain works, with both challenges and genuine strengths.

No single test can diagnose ADHD on its own. Instead, we use a structured combination of clinical interviews with you and your child, validated parent and teacher questionnaires, and clinical observation, carried out by a multidisciplinary team of psychologists and psychiatrists. You can also be assessed through public healthcare services, but going private typically means faster access to experienced clinicians, along with a comprehensive report, personal feedback, and support after diagnosis. Every assessment follows NICE guidance and is diagnosed against the DSM-5 criteria used across the UK and internationally.

No, a GP referral isn’t required, and you don’t need a referral from school either. You can book your child’s assessment directly through our website, and we’ll confirm the appointment straight away, with no waiting for approval from anyone else.

Appointments are available within 7 days of booking, not the months or years-long waits that are common elsewhere. Once the appointment is confirmed, we’ll send you everything you need beforehand, including parent and school questionnaires, so you’re fully prepared when the day arrives.

No – we’re a fully online service, so it doesn’t matter where in the UK you’re based. Assessments are carried out over video call from home, somewhere your child already feels comfortable, by the same clinicians and to the same clinical standard as an in-person appointment.

We assess children and young people aged 6 to 17. Signs of ADHD can appear earlier than 6, but they’re harder to tell apart from typical development at a younger age. If your child is 18 or over, our adult ADHD assessment is the right route.

This is a really common worry, and it’s something our clinicians are used to. Many children, especially girls and quieter children, hold it together in new situations and then struggle at home or in class. We don’t rely only on how your child presents on the day; we also draw on their developmental history, your account, and questionnaires from school. If you know your child tends to mask, let your clinician know, as it helps us build the fullest possible picture.

Many of the things parents notice in their child, like anxiety, big emotions, attention difficulties, or trouble with friendships, can have a number of different causes, including:

• Anxiety or low mood
• Learning differences
• Sensory processing needs
• Stressful changes at home or school
• Autism or other developmental differences

That’s why we take our time and care over every child’s diagnosis, rather than reaching for a label that doesn’t quite fit. If ADHD doesn’t seem to be the right explanation for your child, we’ll explain our reasoning, offer recommendations for home and school, and point you toward any other assessment or service that makes more sense, so you leave with a clearer understanding either way.

Our reports are accepted by most GPs and schools, and include practical recommendations that teachers and SENCOs can put in place. That said, how an individual school or local authority chooses to act on a report is ultimately down to their own policy, so it’s worth checking directly with them if you have a specific requirement, such as an EHCP application.

Yes. If medication could help your child, you won’t need to find a prescriber yourself – our in-house prescribers work through titration with you and your child directly, starting at the right dose and adjusting it together, then continue reviewing and prescribing afterwards. If you’d rather stay with your child’s GP, we work with GPs to offer shared care instead, if the GP agrees. Medication is never the only option, and we’ll always talk through non-medication support for home and school too.

No. Shared care depends on your child’s GP agreeing to take over prescribing once the dose is stable, and some GPs and areas don’t offer it. We’ll share the report and treatment plan and ask the GP, but the decision is theirs. If the GP says no, your child can carry on with private prescribing through us, and we’ll tell you the costs upfront.

If your child has already had an assessment elsewhere, we can review the existing report and talk through your options. That might mean a second opinion, ongoing support, or shared care going forward – whatever’s most useful for your family.

Yes. We offer payment plans through Klarna, letting you split the cost of your child’s assessment into 3 monthly payments, so cost doesn’t have to be a barrier to getting answers.