NHS children's autism assessments designed for the needs of families

Proudly providing NHS services

Current timelines for our assessments

If your child has been referred to Paloma Health for an autism assessment, here’s what to expect:

Referral Confirmation – You'll receive an automated email once we receive your NHS GP’s referral. If you haven’t, check your spam folder or follow up with your GP.

Questionnaires – Once your referral is confirmed, you’ll get access to the Paloma Portal to complete your questionnaire. Your child’s school will also receive a separate questionnaire when you're done, and you’ll get a confirmation email once they’ve finished.

Appointments – Within 3-6 months, we’ll email you a date for your parent video call & child observation. If needed, you can reschedule. (We’re working to reduce this wait time to 8 weeks)

Outcome meeting – After your appointments, we will book your outcome meeting. We aim to provide your outcome report before this meeting wherever possible. You’ll find the report in your Paloma Portal, and receive an email notification.

We appreciate your patience as we work to increase our capacity.

Why parents choose Paloma Health
No costs for you
We are NHS Right to Choose service
First appointment
Your first appointment is available within 6 months. We're working to reduce waiting times back to 8 weeks.
Safe
Assessments are performed by expert clinicians
NHS approved
Your outcome report will be accepted by Local Authorities and other NHS services
Always in the know
Clear communication and flexibility throughout your assessment
Avoid the long wait for an NHS autism assessment
Get your NHS GP referral through Right to Choose with Paloma Health for your child’s autism assessment.
Autism assessments
What parents are saying about us...

The parent interview was conducted with a lot of professionalism. I’ve got ADHD myself and the clinician kept me on tack when I needed it. She gave me the chance to share all the details and I didn’t feel rushed at all.

My experience has been very positive. The process was extremely quick; the GP referred my daughter and I got portal access the same day.

During the child observation, my daughter masked better than she ever had in her life. I was worried she had hidden her true self. Fortunately the team was professional and was able to see through it.  

Led by clinical experts

Our senior team

You expect the best for your child, so do we. Our senior clinical team is made up of compassionate, highly skilled professionals who are dedicated to providing the best possible care for your child. With years of experience in autism diagnosis and support, they bring expertise, warmth, and a deep understanding of each child's unique needs.

Dr Kate Bennett

Clinical Lead Autism

Kate is a compassionate Clinical Psychologist with extensive expertise in autism through her roles in the NHS, private practice, and education. She has a deep passion for promoting neurodivergence awareness and empowering individuals to realise their full potential.

Dr Manish Rao

Medical Director

Manish is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with nearly 20 years of experience in the NHS, including 13 years dedicated to supporting children and young people. Aside from his work at Paloma Health, he works as a Lead Clinician in an NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in South East London.

Shona Leenhouts

Senior Autism Assessor

As Senior Autism Assessor at Paloma Health, Shona helps families recognise, understand, and support their strengths and challenges. She has done so throughout her speech and language therapy career over the last 12 years. She is passionate about delivering high-quality, person-centred NHS care. Her insights, motivation and inspiration is gained from autistic individuals throughout her personal and professional life.