Children In The North Of England Face Longer Wait Times For Autism Diagnosis

Sep 11 2025

Children successful nan North of England are waiting up to 3 years longer than those successful nan southbound for an autism diagnosis, caller information study shows. 

The data, released by NHS England, reveals that children successful Mid and South Essex are waiting connected mean 54 days for an appraisal – falling wrong National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines of 13 weeks. 

However, successful South Yorkshire, children hold connected mean 1,063 days – almost 3 years longer. 

Published coming by nan Child of nan North initiative, nan information besides shows: 

• only 4.5% of nether 18s pinch an autism referral had received an assignment wrong nan recommended 13 weeks crossed nan full of England 

• Girls of Pakistani practice are 11 times little apt to person an autism test than White British practice boys 

• The number of referrals for an ADHD appraisal has accrued by complete 22% from June 2024 to 2025 

The caller report, titled Autism Assessment and Support Update: The Crisis is Worsening, is nan first to beryllium released arsenic portion of nan Child of nan North's #ChildrenFirst campaign. 

Professor Mark Mon-Williams, from nan University of Leeds, who led today's report, said: "The autism appraisal process was already successful situation successful 2024 – and our caller study shows nan business is getting worse. This is not bully capable and we request urgent change. This is why we person launched our campaign, which provides evidence-based solutions that group connected nan crushed tin instrumentality to make changes wherever they are astir needed. We besides request to promote everyone to play their domiciled successful building a state that useful for each children and young people." 

The run was launched astatine nan National Opportunity Summit hosted successful Leeds connected Monday 8 September, wherever Minister Josh MacAllister pledged his support towards building a state that useful for each children connected his first time arsenic Parliamentary Under-Secretary successful nan Department for Education. 

#ChildrenFirst builds connected a awesome bid of reports produced past twelvemonth connected cardinal topics identified by Northern kid wellness leaders arsenic awesome issues of concern, including poverty, typical acquisition needs, schoolhouse attendance and intelligence health. The reports included evidence-based plans and recommendations for policymakers to thief reside these issues. 

The #ChildrenFirst run besides includes nan motorboat of toolkits designed to thief schools, kid wellness workers and section authorities return applicable steps to amended nan wellness and wellbeing issues faced by nan children and young group successful their care. 

The toolkits will beryllium published connected a play ground complete nan adjacent 12 weeks alongside nan re-released reports successful nan 'A state that useful for each children and young people' series, which were produced jointly by Child of nan North – a collaboration betwixt nan N8 Research Partnership and Health Equity North – and nan Centre for Young Lives deliberation tank. 

The toolkits supply grounds and suggestions astir really each parties tin activity together to build a state that useful for each children and young people. 

Baroness Anne Longfield, Founder of nan Centre for Young Lives, said: "The number of children waiting for an autism appraisal has rocketed complete caller years and continues to rise. This situation is leaving thousands of children without nan support they need, putting unit and accent connected families. 

"If we're to tackle nan challenges astir attendance and exclusion, we request a strategy that responds to nan needs of autistic children and doesn't hold for test earlier providing help. 

"These evidence-based solutions supply a invited toolkit for practitioners, work leaders, and section authorities to toggle shape and amended that support and help." 

Each of nan 12 reports is based connected in-depth investigation carried retired by world experts successful children and young people's wellness and wellbeing from universities crossed nan North of England and beyond, including N8 Research Partnership members Leeds, Manchester, Durham, York, Lancaster, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle, nan University of Bradford, and others. 

The argumentation recommendations made successful nan reports person helped to style nan Government's Opportunity Mission - nan extremity of which is to break down nan nexus betwixt a person's inheritance and their early success, and giving children nan champion commencement successful life. The purpose of nan toolkits is to guarantee alignment betwixt practitioners connected nan crushed and nan government's activity connected nan Opportunity Mission, to make definite that each kid has nan champion imaginable commencement successful life. 

Professor Mark Mon-Williams said: "The grounds is clear that nan UK needs a patient and good knowledgeable population, and that intends building a state that useful for each children and young people. Through our campaign, we are moving to build nan state that children deserve. The numbers are stark - but we tin make amended outcomes for nan adjacent procreation by utilizing nan evidence-based solutions we person highlighted. Together we tin make a difference."