Autism and ADHD Pathway

Who are the MAAT?

We are a team of multi-disciplinary professionals who specialise in the assessment of Autism for Children and young people. Our team includes a Clinical Psychologist, a Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, Neurodevelopmental Nurses, an Assistant Psychologist and a Speech and Language Therapist. We conduct diagnostic Autism assessments for children and young people located within in the Tameside and Glossop area..

How do you refer a child to the MAAT?

All referrals for an Autism assessment are made through your child’s school or college provision. If your child is not on role with an education provider, you will need to complete a separate form which can be sent from CAMHS. You will need to request your child’s GP or social worker to send this form with any further evidence suggestive of Autism. Further evidence can be obtained but not limited to Speech and Language reports, Occupational Therapy reports and Paediatric reports.
If parents and school wish to pursue a referral to MAAT, a pre-referral social communication programme is commenced, so that interventions for identified social communication differences can start immediately. This includes identifying social communication goals and developing an action plan of social communication strategies. This plan is then reviewed by both parents and school before submitting the referral.
School submits the referral with parental consent to the Single Point of Access based with Tameside and Glossop CAMHS. This referral will then be triaged along with any further supporting evidence

 

What will happen on the MAAT pathway?

The assessment will begin with an initial comprehensive assessment of the child’s behavioural, risks and emotional and mental health needs. This assessment is carried out by a mental health practitioner based within Tameside and Glossop CAMHS. This practitioner will also enquire about your child’s developmental history. This information is then shared with a senior member of the MAAT team to discuss the next steps.

Your child or young person may be offered to attend a structured observation or the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). The ADOS is a semi-structured observational assessment of communication, social interaction, play and restricted and repetitive behaviours.
All of the information gathered from referral documents, initial assessment, developmental history and clinical observation is then discussed by the MAAT team in a formulation meeting. An assessment outcome is then agreed. Following this, a feedback appointment will be arranged with the parent(s)/carer(s)/ young person if appropriate.

Additional Support

Should you wish to enquire which stage your child is at on the Autism Pathway you can do this by contacting Our Kids Eyes.

How long will the diagnosis take

At present we are unable to give an estimated timeframe. We assess each child and young person individually dependant upon their needs. We may need to complete bespoke assessments and collate extra evidence to support a diagnosis of Autism. We are aware that nationally there are significant delays in Autism assessments being undertaken

What if my child needs additional support before their assessment

Tameside and Glossop Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), formerly Healthy Young Minds, is here to support your child through any periods of difficulty they may face.

Children and Young people can be referred to Tameside and Glossop CAMHS urgent assessment or core team even if they are waiting for Autism assessment.

To find out more about this process, and how to make a referral, please visit their NHS webpage

Should i tell my child about their diagnosis

At the MAAT team, we generally encourage parents and carers to talk to their children about their diagnosis of Autism, paying particular attention to their strengths. However, this will be discussed at your feedback appointment as we understand each child’s pathway is different. Your child may benefit from a different approach of differing levels of information.

What happens if my child is not given a diagnosis of Autism

After the assessment is completed, the MAAT Team examine all the information we have gathered and determine the outcome at a Formulation Meeting. The aim of the Formulation meeting is to identify the most likely explanation for your child’s behaviour and any difficulties they may be facing. The team may conclude that Autism is not an appropriate diagnosis as certain behaviours and differences can be better explained by something else.
The MAAT team will provide individualised strategies and recommendations that will enable you to further support your child.

What happens once my child’s Autism assessment is completed?

At the feedback appointment you will be provided with a pack that provides information on local and national charities and local authority organisations that provide information and support if a diagnosis is given.
On completion of your feedback appointment your child will be discharged from the MAAT pathway. If their Autism assessment was the only reason your child attended CAMHS appointments, they will be discharged from the CAMHS service. If your child is receiving support from one of the other services within Tameside and Glossop CAMHS they will continue to receive this support

The process for requesting an assessment for autism or ADHD for children and young people who are home schooled in Tameside has changed (November 2024). The process is described below.

If your child is home-schooled you can talk to their GP or other professional involved in your child’s care, who can refer your child for an assessment in lieu of a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) who would complete this process if your child was educated at school. They’ll need as much supporting evidence as possible from home and any other agencies that have been involved with the child. A screening questionnaire must be completed. For Autism this is the Social Communication Screening Questionnaire for Parents. For ADHD this is the Snap Form.

Any professionals working with the child who have a good insight into their behaviour i.e. GP, social worker or speech and language can complete the questionnaire. In the absence of other professionals who know the child, a GP can complete providing they have observed them in clinic.

All professionals have access to MARS form, which is accessed via the following link Multi-Agency Request for Service Form

All referrals are sent to the Single Point of Access (SPOA) where they are screened by a mental health practitioner to make sure the referral information is appropriate to proceed. Once the initial checks are complete in the SPOA the referral is transferred to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to begin the assessment pathway.

Not all referrals for an assessment end with a diagnosis. The practitioners completing the assessment will review all supporting referral information, along with their overall findings. They may conclude that your child does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis. If this is the case, you’ll receive a report from the practitioners which will explain their decision and signpost to relevant services or resources to assist you in supporting your child.

For information, advice and practical resources to support you before, during and after diagnosis, please visit

National Autistic Society

For further support in Tameside for autistic adults please, click the button below.

Support for Autistic Adults