How do I get my daughter assessed for autism?

Start by speaking to your GP, who can refer your daughter to a local NHS autism assessment team; her school SENCO or health visitor can also refer. In England, Right to Choose may get a shorter wait.

The steps, in order

1. Book a GP appointment and say plainly that you want your daughter referred for an autism assessment. The NHS says the GP is usually the first stop.
2. If she is school age, the referral may need to come from school instead, usually through the SENCO (the teacher in charge of special educational needs). For a younger child, a health visitor can refer. The National Autistic Society confirms a GP, a health professional or an education professional can all make the referral, depending on your area.
3. The referral goes to a local NHS autism assessment team, which decides whether to accept it and arrange an assessment.

Why a daughter is easy to miss

This is the part the standard advice skips. Autism is under-recognised in girls. Many mask: they copy other children, hold their distress in at school and let it out at home, so a quiet, compliant girl can look "fine" to teachers even while she is struggling. NICE recognises that autism can be missed in girls and that signs in an older child may have been hidden by her own coping or a supportive setting. So before the appointment, write down concrete examples from both home and school — not just the moments that look obviously autistic, but how she copes, masks and recovers. A school report of "no concerns" is the single most common reason a girl's referral gets waved away, so your written examples carry weight. Our sibling answers on why autism is missed in girls and masking in autistic girls explain what to look for.

The timeline, and the wait

NICE recommends an assessment should start within three months of the referral reaching the team. In practice the wait is far longer — commonly one to three years or more in 2026, depending on where you live. In England, Right to Choose lets you ask to be referred to any NHS-funded provider, sometimes with a shorter wait, but it is England-only and several local NHS areas have paused or capped it, so treat it as "may be shorter", not a guaranteed fast track. What Right to Choose is for autism and ADHD explains how to ask.

If the referral stalls

If a GP is hesitant, ask which local service takes autism referrals, ask the school SENCO to refer if that is the local route, and put your request in writing so there is a record. If your daughter's mental health gets worse while she waits — rising anxiety, low mood, not coping — tell the GP or her assessment team, as that can mean she is seen sooner. If you are worried about her safety right now, call 111 and choose the mental health option (available 24/7), or call 999 or go to A&E in an emergency. Papyrus HOPELINE247 (0800 068 4141) supports under-35s, and Samaritans (116 123) is there any time.

This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.