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At your assessment, you could be seen by any of the below:

• Speech & Language Therapist
• Paediatrician
• Nurse
• Clinical or Education Psychologist
• Assistant Psychologist

You may have one or more appointments with a team of different professionals, these could be both virtual/Face to Face, You will be interviewed about your child's development, such as when they started talking, and your child will be observed through a number of activities.

The team will also review previous reports such as those from your child's school or GP. In some cases, we may also carry out a school interview with your child's class teacher to gather more information.

How to Refer
We accept referrals for autism assessments for children and young people aged 2–18 who are registered with a Newham GP. Use the New CHAND referral form (see below). Email completed referrals to: elft.ascreferral@nhs.net
Complete all sections of the form. Incomplete forms may be rejected or delayed.

Who Can Refer?
We accept referrals from professionals only. We strongly recommend schools and nurseries make referrals, as they often hold the most relevant information. If needed, schools/nurseries can ask families to obtain medical information from the GP to complete the medical sections.

Important Note for Referrers
Clearly state “Autism” in your referral.
Please ensure the possibility of autism has been discussed with parents/carers, and written consent is included. Referrals without consent will be rejected.
Not every child in the CHAND pathway will be seen by a doctor, so accurate medical information is essential for appropriate screening.

As numbers of referrals for autism assessment continues to substantially increase, there are long waiting times across the country.

January 2024 - December 2024 the average waiting time for an assessment appointment was 18 months. As this is an average waiting time some children are waiting less than the average and others are waiting longer.  

The longest waiting time where no previous appointments have been offered is currently 107 weeks (as of 18/7/25).

Please continue to access the support available while waiting for an assessment. Details of available support can be found on this webpage or in the acceptance onto the waiting list letter sent to your address when your child was accepted onto the waiting list.

If you do not have this letter please contact the service on 0208 586 6251/6250 to request it is resent to you.

Further support can be found via Newham Families Local Offer found at Newham Families Advice and Support | Special Educational Needs & Disability Local Offer 

If you think your child needs support you can start getting help before an assessment. We advise you to speak to your child's health visitor and /or school SENCO about your concerns and how they can be best supported at home and at school.

Children who are under 5 and referred to CHAND will be seen first for an assessment by Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) who will gather some information from you. The SLT will then observe and assess your child's play and talking. They will offer advice, support, and strategies so that you can help your child at home.

For more information on how you can access support for your child whilst you're waiting for an assessment, please refer to our Useful Links section and the Newham Autism Online Resource Hub.

• Please refer to the following link for other services 
• If you feel your child needs to be seen by the Dental service please speak to the team during your assessment. 
• At your assessment, if the doctor feels your child needs to be referred to Occupational Therapy/Speech Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, or Dieticians they will make an internal referral.
• If you require support regarding /completing your Disability Living Allowance application (DLA) please speak to the  Citizens Advice Service.