Parental Involvement In Assessment Policy

In line with the Children Act 1989, parental responsibility may be held by more than
one individual. However, for the purpose of a neurodevelopmental diagnostic
assessment (ASD/ADHD), the involvement of one parent or individual with parental
responsibility is sufficient to proceed with assessment and provide developmental
history.

Unless we are formally notified otherwise (e.g., court order, safeguarding restriction,
or specific legal direction), the parent who provides consent and engages with the
service will be considered the primary informant, and assessment will proceed on
that basis.

Primary Informant
The primary, custodial, or referring parent will:
● Provide consent for assessment (where appropriate)
● Participate in developmental history interview (e.g., ADI-R where indicated)
● Provide collateral and contextual information
● Receive routine assessment communication (unless otherwise agreed)
Additional Parental Input
There are circumstances where input from both parents may be clinically helpful,
particularly where:
● There are differing accounts of developmental history
● The child lives across two households
● There is significant contextual variation between environments

In these situations:
● The primary parent will complete the structured developmental interview
(e.g., ADI-R).
● The second parent may be invited to complete a self-report questionnaire to
provide additional collateral information.
● The second parent would not routinely participate in the structured
diagnostic interview unless clinically indicated.

● Both individuals have a legal right to receive a copy of the final assessment
report, regardless of who initiated the referral, unless a Court Order or
documented safeguarding risk prohibits this.

This approach ensures:
● Compliance with legal frameworks
● Clinical efficiency and consistency
● Reduced duplication of assessment processes
● A clear, defensible diagnostic pathway

If there are any legal orders, restrictions, or disputes regarding parental
responsibility, these must be disclosed to the service prior to assessment so that
appropriate consideration can be given. Failure to disclose known legal disputes
may result in the immediate suspension of the assessment. If an individual with
Parental Responsibility formally objects to the assessment or withdraws consent in
writing, the assessment process will be paused immediately. In such cases, the
assessment will not proceed until:
● Written consensus is reached between all parties with Parental Responsibility;
or
● A Court Order is provided directing the assessment to continue.

Gillick Competence
We also consider the child’s own understanding and consent. Where appropriate,
we assess whether the child is Gillick competent. This assesses whether children
around the age of 12+ have sufficient maturity and understanding to participate in
the assessment and provide informed input. This ensures the child’s views are
respected in line with best practice. If a child is deemed to have sufficient maturity
and understanding to consent to their own assessment, their wishes may be
considered the primary authority for proceeding, particularly in cases of parental
disagreement.