Multi-disciplinary team
Not one person, but a group of different professionals who assess your child together and agree the outcome between them. NHS neurodevelopmental assessments are done this way.
Applies across the UK
A multi-disciplinary team brings together professionals from different backgrounds. For an autism assessment Diagnostic assessment The appointments where specialists work out whether your child meets the criteria for a diagnosis, such as autism or ADHD. It is the step that can end with a diagnosis. Read the full definition of Diagnostic assessment of a child, NICE NICE guidelines Expert advice that tells the NHS how to assess and treat health conditions. It is used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not Scotland. Read the full definition of NICE guidelines says the core membership should include a paediatrician and/or child and adolescent psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist, and a clinical and/or educational psychologist.
The reason this matters to you is practical. Only a small number of professions, for example a paediatrician Paediatrician A paediatrician is a doctor for babies, children and young people. A community paediatrician is the one you are most likely to meet for development, behaviour and disability. Read the full definition of Paediatrician , psychiatrist Psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a doctor who specialises in mental health. A child and adolescent psychiatrist sees children and young people up to 18. They can prescribe medicine. Read the full definition of Psychiatrist or clinical psychologist, are qualified to carry out every part of an autism assessment on their own. Speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and some nursing roles are qualified to do some parts but not all, so they do it as part of a team.
How you meet one: you do not choose the team. You are referred into it, and you may meet several of its members over months rather than in one appointment.
What to ask: who is co-ordinating your child's assessment, and who to contact between appointments. NICE says a case co-ordinator should be identified for every child having an autism Autism Autism is a difference in how the brain develops. It shapes how an autistic child sees and experiences the world, how they communicate, and how they respond to things like noise, light and touch. Read the full definition of Autism diagnostic assessment.
If you work with children
The MDT requirement is the strongest single argument for warning families about single-clinician private assessments, and it is worth raising before a family spends money rather than after.
Where this comes from
- Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis (CG128), recommendations 1.1.3 and 1.5.2 , NICE, via NCBI Bookshelf. Checked 2026-08-09.
- A national framework to deliver improved outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways , NHS England. Checked 2026-08-09.
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