I am 16 years old - do my parents have to be present, or part of my assessment process?

If you are 16 years old and do not wish for your parent or caregiver to be present or play a part in your assessment process, we would need to assess your capacity to make decisions regarding your care for yourself. If you are deemed to be Gillick competent and have the understanding and maturity to fully understand what is involved, then we could proceed without your parent or caregiver's involvement.

However, we would always encourage you to discuss your healthcare and education with your parent or caregiver and involve them where possible.

Please be aware that we ask for an informant to provide additional information as part of the assessment process, and this is usually a parent or caregiver with specific knowledge of your early years and development. Not having this information may mean that it is not possible to conclude your assessment.

Furthermore, if you were to require medication following an ADHD assessment, we would request that your parent or caregiver are part of any discussion about the medication and would be reluctant to initiate medication without their prior knowledge.