Children's Services
Neurodevelopmental Pathway
The NDP team assesses children and young people for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Welcome to the neurodevelopmental pathway (NDP) web page.
Important information, please read:
- ADHD: important update regarding ADHD medications.
- ASD: from mid-April 2024, we are changing the way we accept referrals and gather evidence for children on the ASD pathway. With this new system, referrers will need to evidence that children have received a minimum of 6 months or two school terms of support. For full details please read the following document:NDP ASD Referrals Update.
The NDP team is a multidisciplinary (MDT) professional service that assesses children and young people for neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The numbers of referrals made to the ASD and ADHD team have more than doubled since 2022, some months have seen the number of referrals quadruple. This is in line with other local and national ASD and ADHD services. Unfortunately, the unprecedented demand has caused waiting times for children to undergo their ASD or ADHD assessment to increase.
The services continue to work collaboratively with clinical colleagues to review and improve our pathways in an attempt to reduce waiting times. Children are booked for their assessments based on clinical priority, in the first instance, and then in waiting list order.
Please see the ADHD FAQs and ASD FAQs for our most up to date waiting times.
The NDP vision
To provide high quality neurodevelopmental assessment services to children, young people and families that are accessible, adaptable, inclusive of diversity and provide quality outcomes that ensure children and young people's needs are recognised.