Our process
You know your child better than anyone else. At the Gesher Assessment Centre, we’re here to help you understand and overcome any concerns you might have about your child’s development.
We assess children and young people for ADHD, Autism and cognitive learning difficulties including dyspraxia, dyslexia and dyscalculia. We do not offer support for children and young people experiencing mental health issues such as eating disorders and suicidal thoughts.
ADHD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder impacts the parts of the brain that help us focus, plan and execute tasks. In children, this may limit their ability to concentrate, follow instructions, and be organised. Children may be forgetful, distractible, falling behind academically, constantly moving, struggling to wait/take turns and/or interrupting others.
Autism: refers to a wide range of conditions characterised by challenges with social skills and communication (verbal and non-verbal), repetitive behaviours, strong interests and sensory differences. This may look like your child having difficulty in social situations, not responding to their name, using limited eye contact, and/or not using common gestures. Your child may not have interest in other children socially, have intense interests in certain subjects/objects beyond what is typical for his/her age, engage in repetitive behaviours, and/or have sensory differences interfering with daily life by either seeking or being sensitive towards sound, light, texture/feel, movement, etc.
Cognitive learning difficulties: there may be areas in which your child is struggling academically. We can provide formal assessments and reports that identify specific areas of difficulties and strengths. These reports may identify low levels of attainment across the board in all forms of assessment, difficulty in acquiring skills (notably in literacy and numeracy) on which much other learning in school depends; difficulty in dealing with abstract ideas and generalising from experience and a range of associated difficulties, notably in speech and language (particularly for younger children) and in social and emotional development.
Is assessment right for my child?
You might have spotted an issue yourself or you might have been alerted to a potential concern by a health practitioner or education professional.
Before you contact us, please have a look at the areas we assess to make sure our support is right for you and your child.
What’s the assessment process?
Our assessment process starts with a 30-minute triage phone call. Our team of experts will have a conversation with you – parents and caregivers – about your concerns.
1. Triage
At the end of the triage call, should we feel your child requires an assessment, we’ll invite you and your child to a longer, face-to-face appointment either at our clinics in Pinner, North London or Centennial Medical in Elstree, which is also in North London. You can book your assessment slot online, where we will also ask for payment to secure your time.
2. Assessment and feedback
We will meet you and your child for a face-to-face session at our centre in Pinner, North London. Two clinicians will be available to spend time with you and your child. Depending on your child’s age and needs, this may be separate – parents and carers will meet one clinician while your child will meet a second clinician, or one parent/caregiver can join the child while the other parent meets with the second clinician. Our experts will meet after the face-to-face session to discuss their findings. We will have a feedback session with you on the same day, if logistically possible, to share the outcome of the assessment.
All of our team have been DBS checked and have had safeguarding training.
3. Report
We’ll follow up the session with a full report which will be available shortly after your assessment, and you are welcome to have a further conversation to discuss the report and ask any questions.
Do I need a GP referral?
We operate an open referral system which means anyone can refer a child for an initial triage appointment – parents and carers, professionals, schools and local authorities.
What does it cost?
Our initial 30-minute triage phone call is free. From this conversation, we will confirm whether you need an assessment. You’ll be able to book your assessment slot online, where we will also ask for payment to secure your time.
We offer different pathways, and cost varies depending on what type of assessment is booked. Our face-to-face assessment, detailed report and feedback are all included in the respective fees. Assessments range between £1200 – £3000 with additional add-on cognitive assessment packages also available.