We offer prompt, diagnostic assessments in line with best practice standards for children and young people (up to the age of 18 years) where there are concerns about possible attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

We also offer medico-legal assessments in respect of child and adolescent psychiatry.

 WE ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED TO ALL NEW REFERRALS DUE TO UNPRECEDENTED RECENT DEMAND. 

WE WILL BE OPENING A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF NEW PATIENT SLOTS FOR SPRING 2024 AT 10AM ON FRIDAY 29TH MARCH 2024 - THESE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO BOOK BY E-MAIL UPON COMPLETION & RETURN OF BOOKING FORM WITH PAYMENT. BOOKING FORMS WILL BE E-MAILED OUT UPON REQUEST AFTER 10AM THAT DAY.

  SLOTS WILL BE BOOKED ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS AND WE WILL NOT HOLD A WAITING LIST. WE CANNOT ACCEPT REFERRALS OR RESPOND TO EMAIL QUERIES REGARDING POSSIBLE NEW PATIENTS  IN ADVANCE OF THIS DATE/TIME. ONCE OUR SLOTS ARE FILLED FOR THE SUBSEQUENT 3-4 MONTHS, WE WILL CLOSE OUR LISTS TO NEW REFERRALS AGAIN TO MAINTAIN CAPACITY FOR KNOWN/OPEN CASES. 

Unfortunately we remain unable to offer Autism/ASD multidisciplinary assessments due to nursing clinician retirement - we will review this in due course. We will be focusing on ADHD assessments for a period of at least some further months.  

All patients are seen by a Consultant in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (a specialist doctor). Our focus is on offering a timely assessment with diagnosis (if appropriate) and provision of a comprehensive report which families can use for access to specialist support in education, health, training or employment. We do not offer a therapeutic service but rather advise and/or refer regarding onward support from established services as is relevant to each individual case. For further information regarding Child & Adolescent Assessments Northern Ireland (CAANI) , please see our services.

All of our clinicians are very experienced, specialist doctors. We are a small team offering thorough assessments.  All assessment processes meet NICE recommendations and are therefore valid for Education Authority etc. Our clinicians also all have/had NHS roles in the assessment and management of ADHD. 

Please note that we do not usually recommend formalised assessment in respect of possible ADHD until a child is aged at least 6 years (in line with trust practice, guidance on the validated assessment tools & issues with age of licensing for medications). 

Although our doctors are psychiatrists in child & adolescent mental health and intellectual disabilities, in their private capacity, with our service, they focus their role on ADHD assessments and diagnoses. Our New Patient Appointment includes a thorough mental state/health assessment (and they will obviously assess and advise accordingly therein & thereafter) but child psychiatry/mental health issues per se are not the main aspects of the services we offer in that we focus on neurodevelopmental assessments & diagnoses (possible ADHD). One of the benefits of our specialist service for children and young people (up to but not including or over the age of 18), is that our doctors can provide a thorough assessment and consider co morbid mental health or emotional difficulties, directing accordingly as and if indicated.