Getting a private diagnosis - will schools accept this?

[PumpkinSoup21]

DS’s school believe he is neurodiverse, which is also something we have suspected for a while. He is in Year 1 and whilst he is very academically able he is struggling with other things.

The added complication is that we are expecting to move house and therefore move schools next academic year. School agree that we should pursue a diagnosis but they have spoken about long waiting lists. We’d like to have a diagnosis in time for him to start a new school so that we can be best placed to work with the school to get him the right support.

Can we go to any private provider for this? Will a private diagnosis be recognised as ‘official’? How do we find a diagnostician who is recognised? Our nearest city is Newcastle if anyone has local knowledge.

Thank you!

Yes they will if it’s done according to clinical guidelines. We have just done this partly due to the waiting list of 3/4 years in our area and partly so it could be done in a streamlined supportive way for my anxious DS. If it is done by appropriately accredited professionals following clinical guidelines they aren’t legally in a position to ignore it.

Hello, I can recommend NeuroSpectrum in Newcastle. I am midway through diagnosis with my son and they are very good and liaising with school. I was recommended them by a specialist at The Nuffield in Jesmond. Good luck x

Schools and LAs can’t lawfully refuse to accept an independent assessment or diagnosis just because it is independent. The validity of any potential diagnosis is less likely to be questioned if the assessment follows the NICE guidelines &/or you use someone who also works/worked in the NHS.

School in school is based on needs rather than diagnosis, so are they already providing support?

@Wishiwasalittlebitsmaller - thank you for that recommendation. That’s so helpful.

@Anothermother3 and @FloatingBean - thank you. That’s reassuring. Yes, they have been making reasonable adjustments for him, though they didn’t actually tell us they were doing that until our most recent conversation. They have things like a visual timetable just for him so that he knows what to expect throughout the day.