ADHD and autism assessment pathway

NHS Fife covers the Fife Council area, serving around 370,000 people. Fife launched one of Scotland's most clearly documented children's neurodevelopmental pathways in August 2024.

Last verified: July 2026 · Sources: Moodcafe Fife ND Hub · Fife Council

In Fife, support for children is based on individual need, not on having a diagnosis. You do not need to wait for a formal diagnosis to access support through the neurodevelopmental pathway.

Getting your child assessed

Fife launched a new multi-agency Neurodevelopmental Pathway for children and young people in August 2024, following a successful three-year pilot in West Fife. The pathway brings together education, health, and social care in a single point of access model — closely aligned with the national Children's Neurodevelopmental Pathway framework (NAIT, 2021). Fife is one of the few boards in Scotland whose children's pathway clearly implements the national standard that support should be based on need, not diagnosis.

Concern raised by family, school, or professional

A concern about a child's neurodevelopment can be raised by parents, school staff, GPs, health visitors, or other professionals. The pathway is a single point of access — you do not need to know which specific condition to raise a concern about.

Contact the Fife ND Pathway team

Parents, carers, and professionals can call the Fife Neurodevelopmental Pathway enquiry line for advice and to start the process.

Phone: 01592 226699 · Hours: Tuesday 10am–12pm and Wednesday 2pm–4pm

Multi-agency review

The pathway team brings together professionals from health, education, and social care to review the referral and agree on next steps. Support can begin at this stage, based on the child's needs, before any formal assessment takes place.

Assessment if needed

If formal assessment is required, the pathway team coordinates this. Assessment tools are selected based on the child's age and presentation and may include validated tools for ADHD (such as Conners) and autism (such as ADOS-2).

Support and outcome

A clinical outcome and diagnosis where appropriate. Support is provided based on need throughout the process, not only after a diagnosis is made. This is a key feature of Fife's model compared to many other health boards.

Getting assessed as an adult

The adult ADHD and autism referral pathway in NHS Fife is less clearly documented publicly than the children's pathway. Adults are referred by their GP to adult mental health or psychiatry services.

See your GP

Request a referral for ADHD or autism assessment. Be specific about your symptoms and how they affect daily life. A completed ADHD screener or autism screener can support your conversation.

GP submits referral to adult mental health

Your GP refers you to the appropriate NHS Fife adult mental health or psychiatry service. Confirm with your GP which service they are referring you to and ask for an estimated waiting time.

Waiting list and assessment

You will be placed on a waiting list. Contact NHS Fife directly at nhsfife.org to confirm current provision and estimated times. If the wait is too long, consider private assessment.

While you wait — support and resources

You do not need a formal diagnosis to access most of the following resources. Support is available now.

NHS Fife resources

Fife's Neurodevelopmental Hub is one of the best NHS-provided waiting support resources in Scotland — covering what to expect, support while waiting, and local services.

Fife Neurodevelopmental HubNHS Fife's dedicated resource hub — support while waiting, pathway information, and local services Fife's Neurodevelopmental Assessment PathwayThe official pathway documentation from GIRFEC Fife — useful for families and professionals

Peer support in Fife

Fife has an active ADHD peer group (ADHD Squirrels) and a neurodivergent adults group in Dunfermline — no diagnosis is needed to attend.

Find local ADHD support groups in FifeScottish ADHD Coalition map — find ADHD Squirrels Fife and other local groups near you

Scotland-wide support organisations

ADHD ScotlandScotland's ADHD charity — helpline, resources, and support for all ages Scottish AutismSupport, advice, and resources for autistic people and their families across Scotland Scottish ADHD CoalitionBringing together ADHD organisations across Scotland — resources, campaigns, and local group finder

Your child's school rights — no diagnosis needed

Schools in Scotland are required to support children with additional needs under the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004. No diagnosis is required. Ask your child's school about a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) or Individual Education Programme — these can be put in place while waiting for assessment.

If the wait for adult assessment is too long, our compare tool lists providers in central Scotland with filters for HIS registration, cost, and shared care support. Our shared care guide explains what happens after a private diagnosis.

Sources

ADHD Scot is an independent, non-clinical information project. This page is based on publicly available information and may not reflect real-time changes to NHS services. Always confirm current referral routes with your GP or NHS Fife directly.