Make a referral
We only accept referrals from health or social care professionals
You can complete the Autism Service – Post-diagnosis Adult Neurodevelopmental Service support referral form.
Sections within this form marked * are mandatory for completion.
If you are unable to complete an online form, please email kentchft.adultsndreferral@nhs.net
Eligibility criteria
- Adults aged 18 and over who have a primary need of autism, registered to a GP in Kent and Medway.
- Individuals experiencing difficulties related to autism over a significant period of time.
- Ability and willingness to engage in therapeutic programmes.
Out of scope
- Adults with a learning disability
- Adults with an acute mental health presentation (for example, unstable and high risk, active psychosis)
- Neurological disabilities, acquired brain injury
- Crisis support
- Respite and inpatient direct care
- 24 hour accommodation services.
Who we are
The Neurodevelopmental post diagnostic service is an enablement service comprising of a Clinical Team Manager, three Occupational Therapists, one Speech and Language Therapist and two link workers. A mental health nurse is due to join the team in September 2024.
How we can help
Our post-diagnostic service can offer psychoeducation, signposting, self-help, supporting access to other services and short-term structured support depending on the individual’s needs. This can include:
- Sensory profile screening/ strategies - Profiling of sensory difficulties and or preferences and effects on functional performance. Strategies and advice to enable individuals to manage their sensory needs and engage in their daily activities and routines.
- Emotional wellbeing - for example, anxiety management.
- Interoception assessment - Assessing Interoception is a key component of our emotional experience. Interoception is the awareness of our internal body states and is the basis for how we view or feel emotions. Assessing individual’s ability to recognise body sensations and accurately identify and label emotions with the aim to improve self-awareness and the ability to communicate emotions more effectively.
- Life skills / self-help - To support individuals to do more for themselves at home by learning or re learning skills. It is short term support that aims to encourage and enable and maximise individual’s independence so that they can lead fulfilling lives.
- Psychoeducation - Understanding of condition, diagnosis, potential symptoms, communication difficulties and their impact,
As a service we are unable to provide case management / care co-ordination and/or oversee / manage risk during this process or while someone is awaiting assessment. It is expected that the GP (and/or referrer/care coordinator) would hold the overview of risk and should be contacted if there are concerns. We will of course liaise with professionals as appropriate.