Pre-school Autism - Service updates

Published 1st May 2026

We know that waiting for an Autism assessment can be hard. Our waiting times are still very long, and some children may wait several years. We understand how stressful this can be, and we are sorry for the impact this has on you and your family.

To support you, we have answered some common questions below.

Contents 

  1. Why are there such long waits for pre-school autism assessments?
  2. Why are waiting times to see the community paediatricians so long?
  3. Are referrals for pre-school autism assessments being stopped?
  4. Is it true that if a child turns 5 and has not received an autism assessment, they will be discharged?
  5. A preschool autism diagnosis is the only way to get support for my child.
  6. It is not possible to contact the community paediatric team.
  7. Can my child be moved up the list and seen sooner?
  8. Missed appointments
  9. Notifying us of changes to appointments

1. Why are there such long waits for pre-school autism assessments?

Before a preschool‑aged child can have an autism assessment, they first need to be seen by a Community Paediatrician. The paediatrician checks if there are other factors that might be affecting your child’s behaviour or communication, such as hearing issues, developmental delay or other medical conditions. They will also make sure children are referred to the right service at the right time, helping to avoid unnecessary delays.

Because there is high demand for community paediatric appointments, waiting times are currently long. This also means there is a long wait for autism assessments.  

2. Why are waiting times to see the community paediatricians so long?

There has been a significant increase in the number of children referred to our service. This means more children are needing support than our current service was originally designed to provide.

We understand how important timely assessment is for children and families. We are reviewing and improving how our service works so we can respond to this growing demand and help more children to be assessed sooner.

3. Are referrals for pre-school autism assessments being stopped?

No. To help reduce delays, we are changing the referral process to make things easier for families:

  • If your child has already been seen by a Community Paediatrician, they can now move straight to an autism assessment. You do not need to send a separate referral for this.
  • This means you no longer need to refer to the pre‑school Umbrella Pathway if the child is already under a Paediatrician.

4. Is it true that if a child turns 5 and has not received an autism assessment, they will be discharged?

No, this is not true. Children are not removed from the waiting list when they turn five. Once your child has seen a Community Paediatrician, we will explain the next steps and make sure they get the right assessment.

5. A preschool autism diagnosis is the only way to get support for my child.

We know many parents feel a diagnosis is important for understanding their child and planning for the future. There is also lots of support available without a diagnosis. This includes:

  • Child Development Centres
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Health Visiting

Other support:

6. It is not possible to contact the community paediatric team.

We are sorry if you have had problems contacting us.

  • Our phone lines are open 8:30am–5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
  • If the phone is busy, your call will go to voicemail after 3 minutes.
  • Please leave your child’s name, date of birth, your contact number, and any concerns you have.

We aim to reply within 2 working days.

You can also email us at: whcnhs.access.commpaeds@nhs.net.

If your child becomes unwell or you are very worried, please contact your GP or NHS 111. In an emergency, go to A&E or call 999. For urgent help information visit: Urgent help and support for mental and physical health.

7. Can my child be moved up the list and seen sooner?

We prioritise children based on their level of need. Children are seen sooner if they:

  • have a life‑limiting condition, or
  • are losing skills or going backwards in their development.

If your child is losing skills or showing signs of regression, let us know as soon as possible.

8. Missed appointments

Around 15% of families miss their child’s appointment. We know this happens for lots of reasons. However, each missed appointment costs the NHS more than £400. It also means another child cannot use that appointment slot. 

We now send appointment letters by email if we have a valid email address. We only send appointment letters by post when no other option is available. Please let the team know if you can receive appointments by email.

9. Notifying us of changes to appointments

If you cannot attend an appointment, please tell us as soon as possible by phone or email. This allows us to offer the appointment to another family and rebook you. 

Please also tell us if:

  • your child no longer needs the appointment, or
  • your child has already had an assessment with a non-NHS provider (Right to Choose)

This helps us make sure appointments go to children who need them.