Any autism/ADOS assessors (especially freelance) out there?

[Hummussapiens]

I'm a qualified social worker and therapist thinking about a career change. I'm considering completing the ADOS/ADI-R training so that I could do some contract work with autism assessment services. I'd be looking at doing 1-4 assessments per month, definitely not fulltime. Has anyone done this? Was the initial cost outlay for the training worth it? Also aware that most job adverts want you to have a year's experience - how hard was it to get your first job? Thanks!

Anyone?

Hey, you would be better off posting this somewhere else as it's quite quiet on this board.

I'm an OT by background and have just completed ADHD assessment training which was 1 day online and it was good. I am planning to save up for ADOS and ADI-R training which is very expensive (about £3k).

My supervisor got her foot in the door applying to a local organisation and asking to shadow some assessments before starting to take on her own clients. During this period she was paid an apprenticeship wage and once she had several under her belt, she was paid the whole assessor wage.

I am planning to do this at some point (my private practice is currently very busy).

Hope this is helpful x

Thanks so much, that's really helpful. Best of luck with your training :-)

£3K to train to diagnose autism and ADHD?? 3K? Neurodiversity is certainly making someone a lot of money.

I clicked on the thread out of interest. I thought £3k sounded quite cheap actually. I was also surprised you don’t need some kind of degree in child/lifespan development.

That's for 6 / 7 days of training.

You need to have a profession which is registered with a professional body, eg medicine, nursing, OT, SLT.

So £500 a day? Presumably it’s not one on one tuition. How many in a group? Six? Eight? That’s a good money making exercise.

Yes, around 6-8. Many courses for healthcare professionals are expensive but most of the time, the employer pays. I have to fund my own unfortunately as I am self employed.

Apologies, I was looking at face to face training. It's around £1.5k for online training.

Well, quite. A healthcare profession and qualification. Not social work?!

Also OP, you want to train in this quickly and then you’ll be experienced enough to do it on a freelance basis? No consolidating your week of training through learning from others as part of a team?

I’m not sure assessing for autism and ADHD is what you think it is.