Speech and language / ASD services in Leeds

[ancongur]

Hi there,

We are currently living in Kingston-Upon-Thames, Greater London. Our 2.5 year old son is on a waiting list to be assessed for the Autistic Spectrum Disorder. We do not have a date for this assessment yet but as the waiting list is 6 months then it should be around February 2016.

I may have to relocate to the Leeds area in the next couple of months for work in which case we will not hold our place on the Richmond CCG waiting list for the ASD assessment.

our boy has been assessed by an NHS Speech and Language Therapist who then wrote a report in which she recommends Speech and Language therapy. These are due to commence in January 2016 and will be a one to one sessions. He will have these sessions once a week.

I know it’s a big ask but if anyone could answer these questions I’d really appreciate it greatly.

· If we move to Leeds could you tell me the procedure for getting back on a waiting list for the ASD assessment in your area please?

· Do we have to see a community health visitor, paediatrician, NHS speech therapist etc?

· Is there a minimum age in Leeds a child needs to be before you consider ASD assessment?

· If we move to Leeds will our son be eligible for similar treatment (1 to 1 weekly sessions)?

· Also if you can tell the expected waiting time for an ASD assessment I’d appreciate it too.

Many thanks

Hi there,
I'm afraid I can't give you an exact answer to your questions. My son was seen by a speech and language therapist in Caterham, Surrey about a fortnight before we moved to Leeds last year. We were told that his needs could be met by home and nursery exercises and that nursery would need to refer back to SLT if they were concerned. So its a slightly different scenario. But I wonder whether you keep your London appointment regardless just so he is in the system???
May I ask who referred him to SLT in the first place?

Recently we were sent to our GP by his school (just started in reception) who wanted to refer him for diagnostic testing for ASD. The GP application was rejected and we were advised it had to be done via school. I think this would need to be done through the Educational Psychologist as I don't think SENCOs are able to do this themselves.
Your son is younger than mine though, so the processes may be entirely different.