Autism assessments

17 May 2022

Dear

ATISN 16267 – Autism Assessments

Thank you for your request to the Welsh Government for information under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) received on 14 April 2022 regarding the Autism Assessments.  You have requested the following:

1. What is the current waiting time, from referral to assessment, for a child awaiting an Autism assessment?
   a) Please break down the information for the 7 health boards and specify the wait time.

b) If possible, please sort this data into male and female wait times.

2. How many children (under 18 years of age) in Wales are currently waiting for an assessment by children’s neurodevelopmental (ND) services?
   a) Of those children waiting, how many are waiting for an Autism assessment specifically?
   b) Please break down the information for the 7 health boards.
   c) Please provide the gender of children if possible. 
3. What percentage of children were seen within the waiting time target of 26 weeks from referral to assessment in Wales? Please provide data for 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
   a) Please break down the information for the 7 health boards. 
4. At what age does neurodevelopmental services begin assessing children for Autism in Wales?

Response

1. Welsh Government collect some data relating to waiting times for Autism assessment -see attached spreadsheet.  However, it should be noted that waiting times data collected relates to ADHD and ASD combined.
   a) See attached spreadsheet
   b) Welsh Government does not collect this data.
2. As above. Welsh Government only collect waiting times data for ADHD and ASD combined and does not cover the whole ND service.
   a) As above – see response 1
   b) As above – see response 1
   c) Welsh Government does not hold this information.
3. Welsh Government does not hold this information as only data on waiting times (i.e., those currently waiting for an assessment) is collected and not how long children had waited for an assessment (activity data).
   a) Welsh Government does not hold this information. 
4. There is no set age for neurodevelopmental services to begin assessing children for Autism in Wales.  The need for an assessment is based on clinical judgement. 

Next steps

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response.  Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at:

Information Rights Unit, 
Welsh Government,
Cathays Park, 
Cardiff, 
CF10 3NQ 

or Email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.   

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:  Information Commissioner’s Office,

Wycliffe House, 
Water Lane, 
Wilmslow, 
Cheshire, 
SK9 5AF.

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely