ADHD Mental Health Support And Assessment For Children And Young People

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) impacts behaviour. Lacking attention, being forgetful or fidgety and hyperactive can all be normal childhood traits and do not always indicate ADHD. If your child has challenges with inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, and you are seeing a significant number of these symptoms and they persist at school and home, it may be an indication of ADHD

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What does an ADHD diagnosis involve?

Rainbow Medical follows the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for all ADHD assessments. 

YoungMinds have excellent  ADHD resources for Children and Parents to enable you to help and understand one other.

All assessments and meetings with your Psychiatrist will take place either over the internet or at our Leicester clinic. For talking therapies and your appointments with your therapist or counsellor, these can take place in Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Coventry, Northampton, Oxford, Worcester and Edinburgh

Rainbow Medical psychiatric assessments are conducted by a psychiatrist. For quality of care and patient safety, you will always meet a Psychiatrist for your diagnosis, medication initiations and medication reviews.

  1. Before we meet each other, all your preliminary screening will have been reviewed by a psychiatrist. You will receive guidance written by one of our psychiatrists at your feedback and recommendations appointment. 
  2. For your diagnosis, medication initiations and medication reviews, you will always meet a Psychiatrist; other providers may use nurses but we do not. For quality of care and patient safety you will meet with a doctor for diagnosis, medication initiations and medication reviews.
  3. There are NO hidden fees; see our fees page for full details.
  4. Your preferences, needs and values will guide our clinical decisions. This co-production enables our person-centred care.
  5. Working together/Co-production is important to us. We believe in your ability to face, experience, and survive the unknown, and that your experience can help us improve our service and aid others on their journeys.
  6. We offer Evidence-based treatment, while recognising the interconnectedness of mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Although we are led by experienced Consultant Psychiatrists, we work alongside therapists, counsellors, and other healthcare professionals to provide integrated care, fostering a holistic healing environment.
  7. We will always be frank: without openness and transparency, co-production cannot work.
  8. Everything we do is underpinned by our core values; if we make a mistake, we will put things right.

After steps 1-3, the assessment and diagnosis pathway is concluded. If you want to consider medication, please book your medication initiation consultation with one of our psychiatrists; this is part of the treatment pathway

”The first step is preliminary screening for neurodiversity. Autism and ADHD can be comorbid with one another, as well as other conditions and NICE guidelines stipulate the consideration of the differential diagnoses.

Rainbow Medical follows the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for all Autism assessments, both for Adults and Children, as well as the best-practice guidance published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPSYCH). Our ADHD assessments meet NICE guidelines and follows RCPSYCH best-practice guidance. Autism and ADHD is diagnosed using The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, (DSM-5) criteria.

This means we can offer a gold-standard report recognised by GPs, workplaces and local Authorities. Our neurodivergent pathways are thorough. We can also provide you post-diagnostic support.

We will send you online assessments for both you, your child and their teacher. If your child is between the ages of 6 and 11, we will also ask them to complete a quantified behavioural assessment (QBcheck) online

This first stage helps us build a picture of your child and the presence of any ADHD symptoms. 

We will also send you a ‘GP referral request’ to take to your GP and also ask you to complete an online ‘Neurodevelopmental history request’ form, so we can get to know your child better.

In line with our approach to person-centred care and co-production, after all the preliminary screening is completed we will ask you to come and see us in person (although this can be done online if you prefer). You will meet an experienced Counsellor or Assistant Psychologist. This is the first opportunity for us to meet one another and discuss any concerns and the challenges that you and your child face.

We will ask you and your child to attend this appointment. 

Before we meet each other, all the preliminary screening will have been reviewed by a psychiatrist. You will receive guidance written by one of our psychiatrists at your feedback and recommendations appointment. 

If the initial screening shows enough ADHD symptoms are present, you will be supported onto Step 2, for a comprehensive diagnostic interview between you, your child and an experienced Counsellor.

The results from the initial screening may show your child does not have enough symptoms for further assessment of ADHD. Although they may not have enough ADHD symptoms to fulfil a diagnosis, they may have some traits of ADHD that may create some difficulties and that they could benefit from some targeted counselling, without the need of seeing a psychiatrist or having medication. Our Counsellors will offer you and your child guidance and support in understanding the screening process and what the results mean for your family.

You and your child will have an appointment with a Counsellor who will conduct a comprehensive diagnostic interview called Young DIVA-5 (The Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in young people aged 5 – 17 years). You can find out about it by clicking here.

The Diagnostic interview will take around two hours to complete.

Even if criteria for Young DIVA-5 are not met, you and your child will be seen by a Consultant Psychiatrist. Only Consultant Psychiatrists can give a diagnosis of ADHD. 

As part of the diagnostic process, we will include an assessment of your child’s needs, coexisting conditions, social, familial, and educational or occupational circumstances and physical health. This appointment will typically last an hour. 

If your child does not have enough ADHD symptoms to fulfil a diagnosis, they may have some traits of ADHD that create some difficulties and they could benefit from some targeted counselling, without the need of seeing a Consultant Psychiatrist or having medication. 

You will receive a report, written by your Psychiatrist, which will include your diagnosis.

ADHD isn’t a deficiency, but a difference that comes with strengths and weaknesses

Dr. Josep Vilanova

Consultant Psychiatrist

1. Meeting your Counsellor and initial screening.

You will meet an experienced Counsellor. This is the first opportunity for us to meet one another and discuss any concerns and the challenges that you and your child face. We will ask you to complete a series of pre-assessment questionnaires. Some to be completed by you, some by your child and some by a teacher who knows your child. 

In line with our approach to person-centred care and co-production  we’ll offer you a second appointment to bring in your completed forms and discuss them with a your Counsellor, and to decide whether to proceed with the rest of the assessment.

Plan A

The results from the initial screening may show your child does not have enough symptoms for further assessment of ADHD. Although they may not have enough ADHD symptoms to fulfil a diagnosis, they may have some traits of ADHD that may create some difficulties and that they could benefit from some targeted counselling, without the need of seeing a psychiatrist or having medication. Our Counsellors will offer you and your child guidance and support in understanding the screening process and what the results mean for your family.

Plan B

If the initial screening shows enough ADHD symptoms are present, you and your child will be supported onto Step 2, for a comprehensive diagnostic interview between your child and an experienced Counsellor.

If a diagnosis of ADHD is likely we will ask you to request a GP referral.

2: Comprehensive diagnostic interview with an experienced Counsellor

You will have an appointment with your Counsellor who will conduct a comprehensive diagnostic interview called Young DIVA-5. You can find out about it by clicking here.

The Diagnostic interview will take between 90 and 120 minutes.

3: Meeting your Consultant Psychiatrist and Diagnoses

Even if criteria for Young DIVA-5 are not met, you and your child will be seen by a Consultant Psychiatrist. Only Consultant Psychiatrists can give a diagnosis of ADHD. 

As part of the diagnostic process, we will include an assessment of your child’s needs, coexisting conditions, social, familial, and educational or occupational circumstances and physical health. This appointment will typically last an hour. 

If your child does not have enough ADHD symptoms to fulfil a diagnosis, they may have some traits of ADHD that create some difficulties and they could benefit from some targeted counselling, without the need of seeing a Consultant Psychiatrist or having medication. 

We only assess children from the age of 5 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 will need a child ADHD assessment rather than an adult assessment.

Your Consultant Psychiatrist will include any recommended reasonable adjustments in your child’s ADHD report. Please call us on 0800 054 1850 if you have any questions.

A referral is not required initially. However, if a diagnosis of ADHD is likely, we will let you know when to request a GP referral. This is part of how our approach differs from other services: The Preferences, needs and values of you and your Child will guide our clinical decisions. This co-production enables our person-centred care.

Your Consultant Psychiatrist will also undertake a general psychiatric assessment, noting any common co-morbid psychiatric conditions which may be contributing to your child’s current difficulties. These can include anxiety, depression, or traits of autistic spectrum condition. Your Consultant Psychiatrist will discuss and give guidance about what further assessment and treatment options are available for these conditions.

Medications will not be provided during the assessment. An appointment to discuss different treatments will be offered by your Consultant Psychiatrist. We can only prescribe medication with sufficient knowledge of your child’s physical health. These checks will include blood pressure, pulse rate, height and weight. Because Co-production and person-centred care are our core values, we will discuss, with you and your child, non-pharmacological treatment and non-pharmacological treatment in combination with medication.

NICE guidance on ADHD

These guidelines cover recognising, diagnosing and managing ADHD in children, young people and adults. They aim to improve recognition and diagnosis, as well as the quality of care and support for people with ADHD.

 

Information on ADHD

 

ADHD charities

Below we have included details of some charities that work with and for people with ADHD:

  • ADHD Aware – A charity run by volunteers, some with experience of ADHD themselves, who offer information and support meetings. 
  • ADHD Foundation – A charity advocating for people with ADHD and other physical and psychological health conditions.
  • Scottish ADHD Coalition – A charity providing support to adults and children with ADHD in Scotland, and their parents, carers and families.

 

Peer support groups

  • Support groups, ADHD UK – ADHD UK run peer-support groups, informative lectures and Q&A sessions.
  • ADHD support group meetings, ADHD Aware – ADHD Aware run peer support group meetings to provide a safe space. These groups are for people with ADHD and their friends and families.

 

Wellbeing information

  • Live Well, NHS – Information from the NHS on healthy living.
  • Mindfulness, NHS – Information from the NHS on mindfulness.
  • Sleep and tiredness, NHS – Information from the NHS on sleeping and tiredness.

All assessments and meetings with your Psychiatrist will take place either over the internet or at our Leicester clinic. For talking therapies and your appointments with your therapist or counsellor, these can take place in Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Coventry and Edinburgh. 

You can find our Fees and Cancellation policy by clicking here.

We believe that often people may have complex clusters of symptoms that may involve different diagnoses. In fact, this is often the case with neurodivergent people, where symptoms of ADHD, autism and other conditions such as Dyslexia or Tourette’s often co-exist.   In these cases, rather than following a strict, diagnosis-based, pathway, we offer a treatment plan looking at the individual symptomatology, specific for each patient. This approach is in line with our core values: https://www.rainbowmedical.co.uk/our-values/

We only assess children from the age of 6 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 will need a young person ADHD assessment rather than an adult assessment.

Your Consultant Psychiatrist will include any recommended reasonable adjustments in your child’s ADHD report. Please call us on 0800 054 1850 if you have any questions.

As part of our comprehensive preliminary screening process, we will provide you with a ‘GP Letter of Referral Request for ADHD.’ You’ll need to share this letter with your GP, which asks them to supply a referral letter or patient summary relevant to an ADHD assessment.

This step ensures we receive the necessary medical and demographic information to deliver a thorough and accurate evaluation, aligning with your healthcare history and needs.

We ask for a GP referral/patient summary for a number of reasons:

  • To make sure we have all available information to make a correct diagnosis.
  • To protect and promote patient safety; ADHD medication needs to be considered in the context of whole patient health, including any existing medications taken.
  • To confirm a patient’s identity.
  • To meet NICE guidelines and CQC best practice.

Rainbow Medical psychiatric assessments are conducted by a psychiatrist. For quality of care and patient safety, you will always meet a Psychiatrist for your diagnosis, medication initiations and medication reviews.

After steps 1-3, the assessment and diagnosis pathway is concluded. If you want to consider medication, please book your medication initiation consultation with one of our psychiatrists; this is part of the treatment pathway.

Your Consultant Psychiatrist will also undertake a general psychiatric assessment, noting any common co-morbid psychiatric conditions which may be contributing to your child’s current difficulties. These can include anxiety, depression, or traits of autistic spectrum condition. Your Consultant Psychiatrist will discuss and give guidance about what further assessment and treatment options are available for these conditions.

Medications will not be provided during the assessment. An appointment to discuss different treatments will be offered by your Psychiatrist. We can only prescribe medication with sufficient knowledge of your physical health. These checks will include blood pressure, pulse rate, height and weight. Depending on your current health and medical history, you may also need blood tests and an ECG before your initial prescription. Because Co-production and person-centred care are our core values, we will discuss, with you, non-pharmacological treatment and non-pharmacological treatment in combination with medication.

One of our core values is to ‘always be frank’. Rainbow Medical offers truly personalised care and collaborative assessments and treatments, so all ADHD assessments will look different. You can be confident we’ll give you and your child the time you need: 

Step 1, Part B (Preliminary screening results, feedback and recommendations): 50 minutes. 

Step 2 (Comprehensive diagnostic interview): 2 hours. 

Step 3 (Meeting your Psychiatrist and receiving your diagnoses and recommendations): 50 minutes. 

We will match you to an available counsellor and Psychiatrist who fits your objectives, required preferences, and the type of concerns you are dealing with. Your ADHD assessment is led by you and your child. We’ll do whatever we are able to make you feel comfortable and confident.

NICE guidance on ADHD

These guidelines cover recognising, diagnosing and managing ADHD in children, young people and adults. They aim to improve recognition and diagnosis, as well as the quality of care and support for people with ADHD.

 

Information on ADHD

 

ADHD charities

Below we have included details of some charities that work with and for people with ADHD:

  • ADHD Aware – A charity run by volunteers, some with experience of ADHD themselves, who offer information and support meetings. 
  • ADHD Foundation – A charity advocating for people with ADHD and other physical and psychological health conditions.
  • Scottish ADHD Coalition – A charity providing support to adults and children with ADHD in Scotland, and their parents, carers and families.
  • YoungMinds have excellent  ADHD resources for Children and Parents to enable you to help and understand one other.

 

Peer support groups

  • Support groups, ADHD UK – ADHD UK run peer-support groups, informative lectures and Q&A sessions.
  • ADHD support group meetings, ADHD Aware – ADHD Aware run peer support group meetings to provide a safe space. These groups are for people with ADHD and their friends and families.
  • ADDISS (The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service) provides information, moderated online forums and local support groups. 

 

Wellbeing information

  • Live Well, NHS – Information from the NHS on healthy living.
  • Mindfulness, NHS – Information from the NHS on mindfulness.
  • Sleep and tiredness, NHS – Information from the NHS on sleeping and tiredness.
  • Diet, NHS – Information from the NHS on ADHD and diet.

All assessments and meetings with your Psychiatrist will take place either over the internet or at our Leicester clinic. For talking therapies and your appointments with your therapist or counsellor, these can take place in Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Coventry, Northampton, Oxford, Worcester and Edinburgh.

We believe that often people may have complex clusters of symptoms that may involve different diagnoses. In fact, this is often the case with neurodivergent people, where symptoms of ADHD, autism and other conditions such as Dyslexia or Tourette’s often co-exist.   In these cases, rather than following a strict, diagnosis-based, pathway, we offer a treatment plan looking at the individual symptomatology, specific for each patient. This approach is in line with our core values: https://www.rainbowmedical.co.uk/our-values/

You can expect to receive your psychiatric assessment/report within 2-3 weeks, from the date of your consultation with a consultant psychiatrist.

On average, all our patients have received their report in 7 working days.

Your report will include, where relevant:

  • Background information and History
  • Reason for Referral
  • A risk assessment
  • The Diagnostic tools used and their results
  • A Clinical impression
  • Your diagnosis
  • Clinical and Holistic treatment recommendations
  • A costed treatment plan which includes a two-week cooling-off period.