Right who does an official referral?

[JackJacksmummy]

My ds had had his ed psych assessment at school and have said he shows autistic traits so to take him to the gp and ask for a referral.

My friend who has an AS diagnosed child at the same school said the gp won't refer and the school will do it. Does it depend on the GP or school/LA?? Both our children are at the same school but go to different GP's

both are correct in our LA

not helpful, but if the Ed Psych has recommended you ask GP for a referral, I think this is their preferred option

P. s I am officially "on one" today cos if it's the school I want the referral made before the holidays so it is known about well in advance before they go back instead of the referral being made in September!

who does the Ed Psych want you DC referred to, btw?

All I was told was that he shows autistic traits and she cannot officially diagnose so if I wanted to continue with a diagnoses then I needed to ask the GP for a referral - to whom exactly I don't know/can't remember - just waiting for the written report to come back.

In that case, i would def go to your GP

our LA are very strict about not stepping over the boundaries - CAMHS etc for assessment/dx and Ed Psych for school and education matters

Referral in our area would be to paediatrician and can be done by GP or CAMHS or school nurse.

Depends on your area whether CAMHS or paed handles assessment/dx.

It's a wretchedly disorganised way of doing things throughout the country that it's completely different depending on where you are located.

At the health centre I go to, if a GP refers, he does so on the computer immediately while you are still sitting in his office (I dont know if this is true across the NHS) - but the advantage with that is you KNOW it has been done: Otherwise as this is a v. v. busy time of year, you could find that the school don't get round to processing the request straight away - they're doing school reports, sports day and goodness knows what else -I'd go to the GP if I was you.

Yes, go to the GP, say that he's been seen by the EP who has recommended that you ask your GP for a referral to the correct professional to investigate and possibly DX ASD. That could be a developmental paed or possibly CAMHS (though it's not a mental health condition ) Then the GP can't push you back to the school, as it's the EP at school who has told you to go via the GP.

i think that's the Big Issue with using CAMHS Ellen

often the service is used for dx then parents feel 'bombed out' when they are told there is nothing they can do for your DC.

they've done their 'job' so to speak

I suppose they can medically treat MH problems, but have no idea how to provide any meaningful treatment for ASD. It's all developmental, it needs educational treatment not medical treatment. TBH, a developmental paed can't treat it either!

most definitely, CAMHS (in our area at least) are very open in saying they cannot 'treat' ASD as it's a life-long condition from birth and MH issues are developed and expected you can recover (if only temporarily) from

schools cannot refer. I would expect GP to refer you to a developmental paediatrician.

It varies by area. Where I live GPs don't refer to CAMHS it is always via HV/school/school nurse depending on the child's age.

The SENCO should know the usual referral route in your area.

Actually cansu in our area, the schools CAN refer. Our school nurse referred us to the paediatrician, as our GP wouldn't.

Maybe it would be helpful to do a list of LA's people come under and see who refers who for future reference?

I'm under east Sussex county council.