Understanding Informants for Autism and ADHD Assessments

Summary

This article explains what an informant is, why they are needed for Autism and ADHD assessments, who can act as an informant, and what to expect during the process.

Jump to

1. What is an informant?
2. When is an informant required?
3. Why is an informant needed?
4. Who can be an informant?
5. What if I don’t have a suitable informant?
6. What does an informant need to do?
7. Confidentiality and Consent

8. Accessibility and language support

9. Common questions (FAQs)

Key Information

1. What is an informant?

An informant is someone who knows the person being assessed well and can share information about their development, behaviour, and daily experiences to support the assessment process.

Their input helps clinicians build a full understanding of the person’s strengths, challenges, and early history.

2. When is an informant required?

Informants are needed for:

• Autism Assessments
• ADHD Assessments

Informants are not required for:

• Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) Assessments

3. Why is an informant needed?

Informants help provide:

• Early childhood information
• Developmental milestones
• Social, emotional, and behavioural history
• Medical or school-related history
• Real-life examples of current challenges or strengths

This context ensures a more accurate and well-rounded assessment.

4. Who can be an informant?

Preferred informant

Someone who:

• Knows the person well
• Is older than the person being assessed
• Can provide information about childhood and early development
• Has regular contact with the individual

Examples:

• Parent
• Caregiver
• Guardian

Alternative informants (if a parent/caregiver is not available)

Someone who:

• Has known the person for at least 3 years
• Sees them frequently (e.g., several times a week)
• Has ideally lived with them at some point

Examples:

• Partner
• Sibling
• Close friend
• Long-term housemate

5. What if I don’t have a suitable informant?

For Autism Assessments

You can act as your own informant for an Autism assessment. This is because the assessment tools we use can gather the developmental and behavioural information we need directly from you.

For ADHD assessments

For ADHD assessments, the clinical tools require information from someone who knows you well. This could be a partner, family member, or close friend. These tools rely on understanding your attention, organisation skills, and behaviours across different situations and over time.

If you do not have someone who can act as an informant, we will work with you to find an alternative way to gather the information needed for your assessment.

If this applies to you, please contact help@problemshared.net so we can advise you on the next steps.

6. What does an informant need to do?

For Autism Assessments

The informant will be asked to:

1. Complete an Informant Questionnaire

This covers:

• Early childhood and development
• Social and emotional experiences
• Medical and school history
• Current behaviours and presentation

2. Attend an Informant Session (online)

• Up to 3 hours
• A semi-structured interview with a clinician
• Focused on early development and current behaviours

For ADHD assessments

The informant will be asked to:

1. Complete an Informant Questionnaire

This includes questions about:

• Early childhood
• Developmental milestones
• Behaviour at home and school
• Social and emotional experiences
• Current presentation

(There is currently no Informant Session for ADHD assessments.)

7. Confidentiality and consent

Information provided by an informant may be included in the assessment if it contributes to a clinical decision.

If there is something an informant does not want someone to see, they should clearly mark this in the Questionnaire.

Sensitive information will still be used internally by clinicians, but will not be shared with the person or added to their official report.

8. Accessibility and language support

We aim to make the informant process accessible for everyone.

If you need accessibility support

Email help@problemshared.net explaining your needs.
We will work with you to ensure you feel comfortable and supported.

If your informant does not speak English

Email help@problemshared.net to let us know.
We will work with you to provide translation or interpretation support.

9. Common Questions (FAQs)

Can I have more than one informant?

Usually, one informant is enough. If you think you may need more than one, please email help@problemshared.net

Does the informant need to live with me?

Not necessarily. They simply need to know you well enough to provide meaningful information.

Can a partner be an informant?

Yes, especially if they have known you for several years and see you regularly.

Need more help?

If you have questions about the informant process or accessibility, please email help@problemshared.net and our team will be happy to assist.