There is no need to prepare for the assessment itself. However, it may be helpful to think about a few practical arrangements in advance.

Before the appointment. You are welcome to send any previous assessment reports, relevant letters from your GP or therapist, and any notes that you or an informant would like to share in advance of the appointment. These may provide useful context, but there is no expectation to prepare anything specifically for the assessment.

If there is anything that would help me prepare for our meeting, you are also welcome to let me know beforehand, such as:

• Any sensory sensitivities.
• Communication preferences.
• Difficulties you have experienced during previous appointments.

Sharing this information will not affect the assessment outcome, but it can help me make the appointment as comfortable as possible.

If possible, it can also be helpful to have a parent or someone who knew you well as a child available around the time of the appointment, in case we need to contact them for additional background information.

Planning your visit. You may wish to:

• Check the clinic location and plan how you will get to and from the appointment.
• Familiarise yourself with the building beforehand. If this would help, I can send photographs of the entrance, waiting area, and consulting room.
• Think about anything you would like to bring with you, such as notes to refer to during the assessment, a drink, a snack, headphones, or any other items that help you feel comfortable.

On the day, the assessment typically lasts around 3.5 hours and is divided into shorter sections throughout the session. If completing the assessment in a single sitting feels overwhelming, we can discuss arranging it across two appointments instead.

As it can be quite intensive, you may find it helpful to leave some time afterwards to rest and decompress.

If you arrive early, you are welcome to wait either in the clinic waiting area or outside, whichever feels most comfortable for you. Reception will let me know when you arrive, and I will come to the waiting area to meet you and introduce myself.

Please feel free to bring anything that helps you feel comfortable during the appointment, such as:

• Notes
• A drink or snack
• A stim toy or fidget item
• Headphones or earplugs
• Any other helpful items

If you have brought an informant with you, we will begin by discussing and agreeing their role in the assessment.

We reserve half a day for a full assessment, where appropriate.

The appointment begins with a one-hour screening session to establish whether a formal autism assessment is indicated. If a formal assessment is not appropriate, we stop at that point and discuss other possible explanations for your experiences and what support may be helpful. If a formal assessment is indicated, we move straight on to the assessment during the same visit.

Many people feel nervous about the appointment, particularly if they have spent years wondering why certain things have felt difficult or different. That's completely understandable.

You do not need to make eye contact, mask your behaviours, or answer questions in a particular way. There are no right or wrong answers, and you are not being tested. The purpose of the screening is simply to understand your experiences and decide whether a formal assessment is likely to be helpful.

If a question is unclear, feels too broad, or doesn't seem relevant to your experience, please say so. We can always rephrase it, come back to it later, or explore the answer in a different way. The process is collaborative, and you are welcome to take your time.

The more natural and honest your responses are, the more helpful the process will be.

Before we start, we'll agree regular breaks, but you can take one whenever you need it. I'll explain each part of the assessment as we go, so you'll know what to expect throughout.

The assessment includes a structured conversation about your life and experiences, including your early development, relationships, current difficulties, and physical and family health. Any information you've chosen to provide from an informant will be considered alongside this.

The session also includes the ADOS-2, a standardised observational tool that can help supplement the overall assessment. Some parts involve simple activities, such as describing a picture or telling a story. There is nothing you need to prepare beforehand, and there are no right or wrong answers.

Many people worry about saying the "wrong" thing or not being able to explain themselves clearly enough. The assessment is not a test of your abilities, memory, or communication skills. It is simply an opportunity to build a detailed understanding of your experiences and how you make sense of the world around you.

Every assessment ends with honest, in-person feedback, so you leave knowing the outcome rather than waiting to find out. You're welcome to ask questions throughout, and we'll take time to talk through the findings together. Whether the assessment results in a diagnosis or not, we'll discuss the reasons for that decision and what it means for you. My aim is for you to leave with greater clarity and a clear understanding of what comes next. A full written report follows, usually within a week, with personalised recommendations and guidance.

After your assessment you may choose to return for some more extended feedback time. These services are optional and charged separately from the assessment.

We can arrange further sessions to work through what your autism means and how it shapes your life. I'm also happy to meet with partners or family members when that would help. If it seems indicated, we can also offer an ADHD assessment on another day. For longer-term support, I can refer you on through a trusted network of psychologists, therapists, and occupational therapists.