Children and young people · United Kingdom
Is this ADHD, or is it us?
Almost every parent asks that question before they ask anyone else. This hub covers what the signs actually are, how UK referrals work, and — importantly — the support school can put in place now, without waiting for a diagnosis.
The short answer
A child is assessed for ADHD when inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity is beyond what is expected for their age, started before age 12, shows up in more than one setting, and causes real difficulty. School support does not require a diagnosis and can start straight away.
01 — Guides for parents
Start with the practical ones.
Getting assessed · 8 min
How to get an ADHD assessment in the UK: every route
There are three routes to an ADHD assessment in the UK: a referral to your local NHS service, an NHS-funded Right to Choose referral to an independent provider (England only), or paying for a private assessment yourself. Start by taking a short history of lifelong difficulties and current impact to your GP. The main routes are a local NHS referral, an NHS-funded Right to Choose referral in England, or a private self-referral. An assessment should examine childhood history, difficulties across settings, functional impact, coexisting conditions and other possible explanations — not just a questionnaire score.
Getting assessed · 6 min
Right to Choose for ADHD: the England-only route
Right to Choose is an NHS-funded referral route in England only. If your referral is eligible, you can ask your GP to refer you for a first outpatient ADHD assessment to an eligible provider you choose. It does not apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, it does not guarantee that a referral is clinically appropriate, and provider status and waits must be checked when you apply.
Getting assessed · 5 min
Private ADHD assessment costs: what you may pay for
Private ADHD assessment fees published by UK providers in our records run £400–£950 for adults (6 sourced figures) and £625–£1,295 for children and young people (4 sourced figures). There is no single UK-wide price, and the headline fee is often not the full cost. Before paying, ask what the fee includes, who conducts the assessment, whether you receive a written report, and what separate charges apply for medication appointments, private prescriptions and ongoing reviews. A private diagnosis does not guarantee NHS shared care.
Treatment · 8 min
ADHD medication UK: titration, review and shared care
In the UK, ADHD medication is initiated by an appropriately qualified specialist after diagnosis. The usual process is initiation, monitored titration, ongoing review and — where both specialist and GP agree — shared-care prescribing. If supply is disrupted, contact the pharmacy and prescriber rather than changing dose, switching medicine or sourcing it elsewhere. This page explains the process, not which medicine or dose is right for you.
Living with ADHD · 6 min
ADHD and sleep: why bedtime is the hardest part
ADHD is strongly associated with delayed sleep timing, difficulty stopping activity at night, and unrefreshing sleep. The most reliable improvements come from a fixed wake time, morning light, an earlier decision point about ending the day, and treating any co-occurring sleep disorder.
For parents · 7 min
Signs of ADHD in children
ADHD in children shows as inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity that is beyond what you would expect for their age, present before age 12, visible in more than one setting, and causing real difficulty at school or home. A child who struggles only at school, or only at home, needs a different explanation explored too.
For parents · 8 min
School support for ADHD: SEN support, EHCPs and what to ask for
Most children with ADHD in England are supported through SEN support, agreed with the school's SENCO and reviewed termly. An EHCP is a legal plan for children who need more than the school can provide from its own resources — you can request an assessment yourself, and you do not need a diagnosis to get SEN support started.
For parents · 6 min
Getting an ADHD referral for your child
Children are usually referred by a GP, a paediatrician or the school to a community paediatric or CAMHS neurodevelopmental service. Bring a written history, examples from home and school, and school evidence — this is what stops a referral being sent back.
For parents · 5 min
Homework without the fight: strategies for ADHD families
Shorten the work, make the end visible, and move the body first. Most homework battles are about task initiation and unclear endings rather than defiance, so the fix is structure and a timer rather than more pressure.
Treatment · 5 min
ADHD coaching vs CBT: roles and evidence
ADHD coaching is usually practical support with planning, routines and accountability; it is unregulated in the UK and does not have the same reviewed evidence base as CBT. CBT is a structured psychological therapy delivered by trained professionals, and systematic reviews report group-level benefits for adults with ADHD. Neither replaces assessment or individual clinical advice, and CBT evidence must not be used to claim that coaching is effective.
02 — While you wait
Three things that help now.
01
Keep a two-week diary
What happened, when, and in which setting. Patterns across home and school are exactly what an assessment needs, and they are hard to reconstruct later.
02
Ask the SENCO for a meeting
Bring two or three specific difficulties and their effect on learning. Agree what will be tried, by whom, and when it is reviewed — in writing.
03
Change the homework setup
Movement first, one task visible, a timer, and an agreed finish point. Most homework battles are about starting and unclear endings, not defiance.
03 — Family support
We do not list services we have not verified.
A vetted directory of UK family services is being built, and nothing appears until it has been checked. School support and the referral route are the parts you can act on now.
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