Needs and outcomes related to childhood autism/ADHD diagnosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identifying and describing the primary needs and outcomes related to childhood assessment and diagnosis of autism and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A qualitative study
IRAS ID
355395
Contact name
Helen Cameron
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 7 days
Research summary
Background: Large numbers of children are waiting for autism and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and diagnosis. In Sheffield, over 10,000 children are waiting 3 to in excess of 8 years for assessment and diagnosis. These waiting times risk poor outcomes for children. For example, school exclusion and poor mental health. Health, education, and social care services want to change how autism and/or ADHD is assessed and diagnosed, and how children are supported. Understanding how assessment and diagnosis supports children and changes outcomes is important to make sure children's needs are met in new ways of working.
Purpose: We will learn what needs and outcomes are supported by autism and/or ADHD assessment and diagnosis. The findings will help change services so that children’s needs can be met more quickly, with or without a diagnosis.
What will we do? Talk to children, parents, and professionals about why they ask for assessment and diagnosis, when an assessment is needed, what for, and how this helps them. We will bring together what people tell us. We will learn about the needs and outcomes that are supported by autism and/or ADHD assessment and diagnosis. The findings will help make decisions about how to change services to better meet children’s needs and reduce waiting times for children.
Who else will be involved? Children, parents, teachers, health and social care professionals, and people who make decisions about the support available for children and families.
What will change? We will understand more about the help and support that assessment and diagnosis of autism and/or ADHD gives children, parents, and other professionals. This will shape how we change our services to give this help more quickly.
REC name
South Central - Oxford A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0305
Date of REC Opinion
16 Sep 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion