Young people and their families' experience of autism and ADHD diagnosis in Northamptonshire
Download (PDF 1.27 MB)Summary of report content
This is a report by Healthwatch Northamptonshire. Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire conducted a survey with young people and families on experinces around support for ADHD.
Between January and February 2024, a total of 322 people responded to the survey. 115 young people between the ages of 11 and 18 and 209 parents and carers of 11 to 18 year olds. This is thought to be around 5% of those on a waiting list in Northamptonshire. To gather the responses, local schools and partners were worked with. Although every school in West and North Northamptonshire was contacted and offered a paper version of the survey all responses were gathered online.
The top 5/6 things that parents said their young person found hard to deal with were:
• Education 75%
• Mental health 65%
• Maintaining positive relationships with peers 64%
• Social skills 61%
• Social activities 50% and sleep 50%
For young people the thing they found hardest to deal with were:
• Social skills and education both 73%
• Mental health 68%
• Maintaining positive relationships with peers 65%
• Sleep 63%
• Anger 62%
There are recommendations in this report
1. Offer more help or support to young people and their families when they receive a diagnosis for Autism or ADHD, this should be in a format that they can understand easily with signposting to the relevant organisations.
2. Work with schools to better support pupils in school. Including autism and ADHD training for all staff, Autism and ADHD awareness across schools including peers.
3. Better support for young people and their families with sleep and advice. Including better access or utilisation of the school nursing teams.
4. Regular updates for young people and their families about where they sit on the waiting lists for Autism and ADH diagnostic services and appointments.
5. Better support for young people and their families while waiting for a diagnosis of Autism and ADHD.
There are no follow up actions in this report. The provider has responded to the recommendations.