This page is for information and signposting only. It is not medical advice. All resources listed were verified as live and current in March 2026. If you find a link that no longer works, please flag it to the Spectrum Kids Hub team.
Finding the right support can feel overwhelming, especially when you are still working out what your child needs. This page brings together the most useful UK organisations, resources, services and communities in one place.
Resources are grouped into seven categories. Use the links below to jump directly to what is most relevant to you right now.
1. National Charities and Support Organisations
The UK's leading registered charities for families of neurodiverse children. They cover ADHD, autism and sensory differences, and most offer information, helplines and signposting to local services — with or without a diagnosis.
The UK's leading autism charity. Comprehensive guidance on signs, diagnosis, education rights, and post-diagnosis support. Parent helpline and local groups.
UK charity with detailed guidance on ADHD diagnosis pathways (including Right to Choose), support groups and resources for parents and families.
Europe's largest user-led neurodiversity organisation. Covers ADHD, autism, dyslexia, DCD and more. Strengths-based approach. Training, resources and early years support.
UK charity with parent resources, information on education rights, an online community, and a helpline for families of autistic children and young people.
Wide-ranging support and practical advice for families of disabled children, including autism and ADHD. Freephone helpline with family support advisers.
UK charity focused on children's mental health. Parent guide on ADHD includes advice on recognising signs, getting support, and speaking to schools and GPs.
UK charity dedicated to autistic girls and women. Specialist resources for parents of girls who may be autistic, including information on masking and late diagnosis.
UK charity with a helpline, printed resources and training for parents of children with ADHD. One of the longest-established ADHD organisations in the UK.
2. NHS Pathway Guidance
The key clinical and statutory sources that govern how autism and ADHD are diagnosed and supported on the NHS. Knowing these helps you understand the process and your rights.
From 2025/26, NHS England has asked local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to set activity limits on Right to Choose assessments. This means that in some areas, waiting lists may still be long even via RTC. Check with your GP and the chosen provider about current availability in your area. The situation is changing rapidly.
Main NHS page covering signs of autism, the assessment pathway, GP referral process, and what to expect from a diagnosis. Peer-reviewed clinical source.
Main NHS page covering ADHD signs, types (inattentive/hyperactive), the GP referral process, and treatment options. Notes ADHD is less recognised in girls.
The clinical guideline governing autism diagnosis across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Covers diagnostic criteria, multi-disciplinary assessment requirements, and referral routes.
The clinical guideline governing ADHD diagnosis and management in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Covers diagnostic thresholds, referral guidance, and pre-diagnosis support.
Scotland's NHS information service covering both autism and ADHD: causes, diagnosis pathways and local support. Scotland follows SIGN guidance rather than NICE.
If waiting times for a neurodevelopmental assessment in your area are very long, you may have a legal right to request referral to an alternative NHS-commissioned provider. Applies to autism and ADHD assessments. See note above regarding current activity limits.
Trusted clinical information on ADHD from one of the UK's leading children's hospitals. Covers neurological basis, emotional regulation and treatment approaches.
3. Private Assessment Routes
If NHS waiting times are very long, some families choose to self-fund a private assessment. This is a significant financial commitment and is not necessary to access school support.
You do not need a private assessment to access support. Schools can put adjustments in place without any diagnosis. Your SEND Local Offer (see School section below) lists local services you can access right now.
Use their 'Find a Psychologist' directory to locate chartered psychologists who conduct private autism or ADHD assessments for children.
Use the 'Find a Psychiatrist' directory to locate a private child and adolescent psychiatrist in your area. Useful for ADHD assessments where medication may also be discussed.
Independent provider offering autism and ADHD assessments for children and young people through both NHS Right to Choose and privately. Multi-disciplinary team.
Offers NHS Right to Choose autism and ADHD assessments for children aged 5 and above, as well as private assessments. Check current availability in your ICB area.
Independent SEND news and resource site. Contains regularly updated guides on private assessment, what to look for in a provider, and how a private report can support an EHCP application.
Step-by-step guide to the NHS referral pathway, Right to Choose, and private options for children. Includes practical advice on what questions to ask.
4. School and SENCO Support
If your child is struggling at school and you are waiting for an NHS assessment, speak to the SENCO now. Schools can put a SEN Support plan in place based on observed need. You do not have to wait for a diagnosis. If the school is not responsive, your local SENDIASS can advise you on next steps.
Free, legally-based advice on SEND education rights for families in England. Covers EHCP applications, appeals, school support, and discrimination claims.
Every local area in England must have a SENDIASS. Provides free, impartial advice to parents of children with SEND on education, health and care. Find your local service via the Gov.uk link.
Every local council in England must publish a SEND Local Offer — a directory of local services, support groups, early help and resources. Accessible regardless of diagnosis.
Specific guidance for parents on their child's rights in school, including requesting EHCP assessments, exclusions, and what schools are required to provide for autistic children.
Practical, plain-English guide to the EHCP process. Covers requesting an assessment, what happens if the local authority refuses, and how to appeal.
5. Online Communities and Forums
Many parents find it enormously helpful to connect with others who understand what they are going through. The following communities are active, UK-based or UK-focused, and moderated.
One of the UK's most active online communities for parents of children with SEND. Wide range of experiences and ages. Useful for informal peer support and sharing experiences.
Moderated online forum for autistic people, parents and family members. UK-based and professionally monitored — a calmer, more structured alternative to some larger social media groups.
ADHD UK runs online and in-person support groups for families. The website lists groups by region and also links to a Facebook community.
Free UK membership community for neurodivergent people and their families. Online forum, social opportunities and practical support. Open to those with and without a formal diagnosis.
Contact helps connect parents with local Parent Carer Forums — groups of parents with disabled children who come together for peer support and to influence local services. Particularly useful if you want to connect with people in your area.
6. Books and Podcasts Worth Knowing
Selected because they are UK-relevant, neurodiversity-affirming, and consistently recommended by parents and practitioners. Not exhaustive — a starting point.
Books: Understanding Autism
Practical framework for understanding children whose behaviour is driven by lagging skills rather than wilfulness. Widely used by parents of autistic and ADHD children. US-authored but highly applicable in the UK.
Wide-ranging history of autism that helps parents understand the neurodiversity movement and reframe how they see their child's diagnosis.
The most thorough UK resource on the female autism profile, masking, and late diagnosis. Essential reading if you have a daughter and are unsure.
A rare first-person account of what it feels like to be a nonspeaking autistic person. Widely read and helps parents understand internal experience.
Books: Understanding ADHD
One of the most widely recommended books for parents of children with ADHD. Evidence-based, practical, and comprehensive. US-authored but extensively used by UK professionals.
Helps parents understand why ADHD children can be intensely focused on some things and unable to start others. Accessible and jargon-free.
Strengths-based take on ADHD. Useful for parents who want to reframe the diagnosis and understand what their child's brain does well.
Podcasts
UK-produced podcast. Neurodiversity-affirming interviews with practitioners, autistic advocates and parents. Highly regarded by UK families.
Produced by the ADHD Foundation. Covers ADHD, autism, dyslexia and co-occurring conditions with a strengths-based approach. UK professional perspective.
Produced by ADHD UK. Practical, parent-focused content on navigating the NHS, school support, and understanding ADHD in children and adults. UK-specific.
US-produced but widely watched by UK parents. Accessible, visual explainers of ADHD brain science and practical strategies. Good for sharing with schools and family members.
7. Emergency and Crisis Support
If your child or anyone else is in immediate danger, call 999. If you are in crisis yourself or worried about your child's mental health, the services below are available now.
Free, confidential, 24/7 phone line for anyone experiencing distress or despair. For parents and young people in crisis.
Free, confidential phone support for parents or carers worried about their child's mental health. Staffed by trained professionals.
For urgent (but not life-threatening) medical and mental health concerns. Can direct you to local crisis services for children and young people, including CAMHS crisis lines.
Free, confidential support service for children and young people up to 19. Available online and by phone, 24 hours a day. Children can use this themselves.
UK charity focused on the prevention of young suicide. Provides a confidential helpline (HOPELINEUK) for young people and those worried about them.
Provides information and advice to autistic people and their families, including in moments of crisis or difficulty. Staffed by trained advisers.