Autism Awareness, Assessment & Diagnosis Course

Autism Awareness, Assessment & Diagnosis Course

Build your knowledge, confidence and understanding of autism assessment and diagnosis

Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental difference, and recognising how it can present across different ages and individuals is an increasingly important skill for healthcare professionals.

Our CPD-accredited Autism Awareness, Assessment & Diagnosis Course provides a practical foundation in autism, taking you from the fundamentals of autism and its presentation through to the principles of assessment, diagnostic criteria, assessment tools and clinical formulation.

Whether you are looking to strengthen your existing knowledge or develop a better understanding of how autism assessments are carried out, this course provides a structured introduction to the assessment and diagnostic process.

What will you learn?

During the course, you will explore:

• What autism is and how it can present across the lifespan

• The core characteristics and diagnostic criteria for autism

• How autism may present differently in children, adolescents and adults

• Social communication and interaction difficulties

• Restricted, repetitive behaviours, interests and sensory differences

• Joint attention and other important developmental indicators

• How to take a developmental history

• How to gather and interpret collateral information

• The autism assessment pathway

• The role and limitations of screening tools

• An introduction to structured assessment approaches including ADOS-2 and ADI-R

• How assessment findings contribute to clinical formulation

• Differential diagnoses and co-occurring conditions, including ADHD and anxiety

• Autism in females and masking/camouflaging

• Cultural and contextual factors that can influence assessment

• Person-centred and neurodiversity-affirming assessment

• Safeguarding, consent and confidentiality

• How to communicate diagnostic outcomes sensitively and professionally

• Practical case discussions and knowledge checks

From Awareness to Assessment

This isn't simply an awareness course.

We take you beyond the basics and introduce you to how autism assessment is structured, what information needs to be gathered, how clinical observations are considered, and how different sources of evidence are brought together when considering an autism diagnosis.

You will learn about the journey from:

Recognition → Referral → Developmental History → Assessment → Clinical Formulation → Diagnostic Decision → Feedback & Recommendations

Who is this course for?

The course is particularly suitable for:

• 👨‍⚕️ Doctors

• 👩‍⚕️ Nurses

• 🧑‍⚕️ Healthcare professionals

• 🏥 Allied health and patient-facing healthcare staff

• 🧠 Professionals working with people who may have autism

• 📋 Professionals involved in assessment, referral or care planning

• 🎓 Healthcare professionals wishing to develop their CPD portfolio

CPD Accredited

The course is CPD accredited, allowing you to add relevant professional development to your CPD portfolio.

Course format

📅 Duration: 2 consecutive days

💻 Delivery: Live online via Microsoft Teams

🎓 Accreditation: CPD Accredited

👨‍⚕️ Level: Foundation / practical clinical introduction

👥 Format: Live teaching, interactive discussions, case studies and assessment-based learning