Speak to your GP, who can refer your child to a local NHS autism assessment team; your child's school SENCO or health visitor can also refer. Note down examples first - you do not need a diagnosis to act.
Start with your GP
The NHS route in for most families is a GP appointment. The NHS says GPs "can often refer children and adults to a local autism team for an autism assessment". Before you go, write down concrete examples of what you've noticed: how your child communicates, plays, copes with change, reacts to noise or texture, and how this looks across home, school, and clubs. The National Autistic Society has a free "Questions to ask at your GP appointment" sheet you can take with you. Specific examples carry far more weight than "I think something's different".
If your child is at school or nursery
You don't have to wait for the GP. For a school-age child, the school may need to make the referral itself, so ask to meet the SENCO (the special educational needs co-ordinator) and share your written examples. For a child under school age, a health visitor can refer instead. Ask the school or nursery to start SEN Support now, based on need - a diagnosis is not required for a child to get help, and good support should not wait for an assessment.
If you hit a wall
If a GP or school is reluctant to refer, you can ask to see a different GP for a second opinion. In England, you also have the legal right to choose which NHS service does the assessment, which can mean a shorter wait. NICE says a diagnostic assessment should start within 3 months of referral, though in practice many areas run well beyond that. If you've been waiting a long time, ask the team in writing for the expected timescale and what support is available while you wait.
Keep your own file as you go: dates, who you spoke to, and what they said. It makes chasing easier and gives you a record if you later need an EHCP or have to escalate a delayed referral.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.