SCOTLAND: Children wait 3 to 5 yrs for ASD/ADHD assessment
- The end of childhood
- Oct 20
- 2 min read
Oct 20, 2025, Daily Record: Desperate parents burnt out as numbers seeking autism assessment soar
Members of the Neu Narrative support group say they, or their children, have waited years for a diagnosis and have been exhausted by the process.
Desperate parents in Renfrewshire have spoken of burnout and paying thousands of pounds for ADHD and autism assessments amidst a “system-wide crisis”.
The group, established and run by the Star Project in Paisley, spoke out in the same month the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland (RCPsychiS) urged the Scottish Government to adopt a new public health approach to meet the needs of neurodivergent people. . . .
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde — which provides services to people in Renfrewshire — had in excess of 11,000 children waiting for an assessment for neurodivergence as of March this year.
It means children are often waiting between three and five years for a diagnosis. Hundreds mores are also waiting on an assessment by community services for adults, delivered by Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership.
The situation has been described as a crisis by psychiatrists.
Kim Nealis, of the Neu Narrative, said: “One of my children waited over four years for a diagnosis. My other child has been on the waiting list for two years so far. . . .
“Most families can’t afford to go private either so many kids and adults are undiagnosed, unsupported and unsure what to do next.”
Rhondda and Jodie have both been on the adult waiting list for years after suspecting they have been living with ADHD.
For Jodie the wait became too much and she experienced a burnout — a breakdown that happens to neurodivergent people experiencing chronic stress and sensory overload. . . .
A spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “As is the case throughout Scotland, we have seen an increase in approaches from people looking to access autism, ADHD, and other types of neurodivergence services.
“All our staff are doing all they can in challenging circumstances, prioritising those with the highest clinical need. We would like to thank them for their continuing hard work, and our patients for their patience and flexibility at this difficult time. . . .
Dr Pavan Srireddy, vice-chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, recently told STV news: “The scale of the challenge is so massive that our current health-based approach is just not going to be adequate.
“Over 65,000 people are waiting for an assessment for autism and ADHD in Scotland right now, and that includes over 40,000 children. There is no mental health system anywhere in the western world that can cope with that level of demand, nor be able to provide the level of support and care that is required for the people who deserve it.
“This isn’t a health issue, this is a society-wide issue, this is an education issue, this is an issue for employers, for the workplace, but it’s also an issue for society and how we support people who at times have slightly different needs. That’s exactly why we need a system-wide approach.”
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