What you can do if you are worried that your child may be autistic
If you are worried that your child may be autistic please discuss it with your GP, health visitor, or with the nursery or school setting that your child or young person attends.
You can also ask for advice at your local Family hub.
For children under 5 years old, our Early Years Advisory Team can support the nursery or school setting and the practitioners working with the child through the Early Years Foundation Stage. You can reach the team at eyfservice@lbhf.gov.uk
For children 5 and over, the school or the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) can support you and your child. The SENCO is the designated staff member to oversee and coordinate support for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN).
Education settings may ask other professionals, such as a specialist teacher, educational psychologist, or speech and language therapist, for additional support.
To find information related to what you can expect from the nursery or school setting, please visit the Ordinarily Available Provision Guide
Some children may be referred to the Social Communication Assessment Pathway at The Cheyne Child Development Service, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (chelwest.nhs.uk). Your GP, health visitor, or SENCO can help refer you to this team.
If you still have concerns, you can also contact the Early Help service. This service supports families with children aged 0-19 who are facing challenges including mental health, domestic abuse, and drug and alcohol use, as well as employment, parenting, housing, social isolation, and educational issues including school attendance and behaviour.