Looking for some advice with getting an ASD referral through school for my 11 year old daughter.
In September we had a horrendous time whilst starting her in high school, she became extremely withdrawn. It heightened behaviours she has always had such as repetitive behaviours, separation anxiety, social anxiety, too many to note all. The school have been very good and given her time out passes and implemented peer mentoring. We managed to get referred to a Psychiatrist privately who has after a number of session stated that she thinks we need to look at getting an ASD assessment but has referred her for CBT to start with. She started CBT and the Psychotherapist has also said the same thing.
I’m not sure if this is the same in all areas but here for an NHS referral it has to be done through the school. The school has told me only displayed behaviours in school can be taken into consideration, but this is where she hides the behaviours the best. While I appreciate is the correct process, she is very good at hiding the behaviours and I am worried that the school don’t have the full picture. For example she does now have a group of friends so while it will look like she is part of the group when I observe I can see she sits on the outer layer, she will only engage if someone talks to her directly, she struggles to know when its her turn to chip in to conversation and will often think that she is being ignored. It’s this type of thing I am not sure the school will see.
They have told me there will be a parents concerns section that I can complete so I will put as much into that as possible
I am really worried that this will go no where due to her being able to hide issues and only displaying them to an extreme at home, she keeps everything inside and only lets it out when she is feeling secure.
Does anyone have any advice how I can navigate the process?