It’s cruel to delay ADHD and autism assessments for children | Letter

Anna Bird, chair of the Disabled Children’s Partnership, condemns recent decisions by several NHS integrated care boards in England to impose a mandatory two‑year minimum wait for assessments of children with ADHD and autism, describing the policy as “cruel” and harmful to young people and their families. She argues that delaying diagnosis for up to a quarter of a child’s life blocks access to essential medical and practical support, undermining the child’s ability to learn, socialize and achieve everyday milestones that peers without such delays can enjoy.

The letter highlights the broader socioeconomic impact of these prolonged waits, noting that three‑quarters of parents have been forced to cut back or quit their employment because they cannot obtain the support that a formal diagnosis would enable. This strain pushes families toward crisis points, increasing demand on charitable and community services. Bird also points to a lack of coordination between the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education, stressing that the NHS’s assessment rationing directly contradicts the government’s stated aim of providing early help for children with special educational needs.

Bird calls for immediate action to reverse the two‑year wait policy, warning that continued delays will not only damage a generation of neurodivergent children but also impose higher costs on taxpayers in the long term. She urges the government to align health and education strategies, ensuring that assessment pathways are swift and that families receive the timely support required to prevent further crises and societal costs.

⚡ Effects Interpreter