Across health and education settings, demand for ADHD and autism assessments continues to grow. NHS waiting lists remain lengthy, independent services are expanding, and schools and local authorities are under increasing pressure to meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people.
For many clinicians, this shift is becoming less about narrow specialism and more about career flexibility.
A Growing Area of Clinical Practice
Neurodevelopmental assessment has historically been the domain of a small number of highly specialist clinicians. But as demand has grown, so has recognition that a broader range of registered professionals can develop meaningful capability in this area – particularly within multidisciplinary team frameworks.
Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Practitioners, Social Workers and Paediatric Professionals are all increasingly represented in ADHD and autism assessment pathways across both NHS and independent settings.
For professionals already working in neurodevelopmental, therapy, mental health or paediatric environments, developing assessment skills can be a natural extension of existing clinical experience – rather than a fundamental career change.
What Developing Assessment Capability Can Open Up
Clinicians who choose to build skills in ADHD and autism assessment often report a range of professional benefits:
- Additional income streams – assessment work can sit alongside existing roles, creating genuine supplementary earnings
- Portfolio working – combining NHS employment, independent practice and assessment work gives clinicians more control over how and where they practise
- Non-traditional roles – assessment capability opens doors to independent clinics, education settings and commissioned services outside typical NHS pathways
- Reduced reliance on locum cycles – developing a specialist skill can create a more stable and varied professional profile
Choosing the Right Training
Not all ADOS-2 and neurodevelopmental assessment training is the same – and choosing the right course matters. ADOS-2 is a complex clinical tool, and autism diagnosis is a serious responsibility. The right training pathway depends on your existing experience, your clinical background, and how you intend to use the skills in practice.
Some training pathways are designed for experienced neurodevelopmental clinicians who already work directly with autistic or neurodivergent clients and want to add ADOS-2 as a formal tool to an established skillset. These courses typically involve individual application review, small cohorts and close clinical oversight. They are not open access – and that is by design, because the tool requires genuine clinical foundation to use responsibly.
Other training pathways are designed for clinicians who are building capability in this area and want structured, accessible online training that can sit alongside existing NHS or independent roles. These cover ADOS-2, ADHD assessment, ADI-R and combined neurodevelopmental pathways, and are suited to professionals who are moving into this space or looking to formalise their knowledge.
What to Look For in a Training Provider
Regardless of which route you take, good neurodevelopmental assessment training should be:
- Delivered by clinicians actively working in diagnostic settings
- Aligned to NICE guidance and internationally recognised tools
- Clear about what the training does and does not provide
- Honest about post-training supervision and practice requirements
Training alone does not make someone an assessor. Post-training practice, supervision and the right clinical context are all essential – and any reputable provider will make this clear upfront.
Exploring Your Options
We work with a number of training providers across ADOS-2, ADHD assessment and neurodevelopmental pathways, with options suited to different levels of experience and clinical background.
If you are an experienced neurodevelopmental clinician looking to add ADOS-2 formally to your practice, visit: hg-mh.com/neurodevelopmental-assessment-training
If you are building capability in ADHD and autism assessment and looking for structured online training, visit: hg-mh.com/adhd-autism-assessment-training
All neurodevelopmental training featured on Hunter Gatherer Mental Health is optional and self-funded unless otherwise stated. Training does not form part of mandatory onboarding unless stated and does not guarantee job placement. We encourage all clinicians to review entry requirements carefully before applying.