ADHD
ADHD can impact your work, study and everyday life. Getting a diagnosis or support through a needs assessment can help to understand yourself, validate your experiences and help you excel in everyday life. Discover how an ADHD assessment with Aim Forward could help you or your employees with ADHD.
Diagnostic assessments
Our diagnostic assessments can tell you if you have a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of ADHD.
We can offer remote video assessments or in-person appointments in Yorkshire.
Needs assessments
If you think or know you have ADHD, our one-to-one online needs assessments aim to understand how you currently learn and work. We’ll then create personalised strategies and recommend assistive technologies that will help you excel.
What is ADHD?
ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, though many people across research, healthcare and the general population now prefer not to call it a disorder. In medical terms, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition. This means that it first appears while the brain is still developing, either before birth or during early childhood. In the past, the stereotype of ADHD was a hyperactive young boy who couldn’t focus or sit still. Recent research and accounts from adults with ADHD have highlighted that not all ADHD includes hyperactivity. Women and girls are also much more likely to have ADHD than we used to think.
Common traits of ADHD
Like many neurodevelopmental conditions (which include autism and dyslexia), ADHD is complex and influenced by many factors, including our childhood experiences. This means that ADHD can look different for different people, but there are some things that many people, or employees with ADHD, may find they have difficulty with:
- Focusing on certain tasks for extended periods
- Finishing the details of work or homework
- Frequently making mistakes and missing them in review
- Forgetting important events or appointments
- Staying committed to projects or hobbies
- Finding themselves easily distracted
How is ADHD treated?
In the UK, the most common treatments for ADHD used by the NHS are medication and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It’s important to note that medication for ADHD can only be accessed after a medical diagnosis, which can only be provided by a psychiatrist, paediatrician or otherwise qualified healthcare professional who specialises in ADHD (according to the NICE guidelines).
ADHD medication
ADHD medication is split into stimulants and non-stimulants:
- Stimulants prescribed for ADHD in the UK are the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD in both children and adults.
- Non-stimulants prescribed for ADHD in the UK are prescribed when people with ADHD have another health condition that makes it high-risk or difficult to take stimulant medication, such as heart conditions or anxiety disorders.
A common misunderstanding is that people with ADHD are too stimulated (hyperactive), so it sounds strange to prescribe stimulants. In reality, ADHD can be thought of as a lack of stimulation in the brain when thinking about or completing certain tasks or during social functioning.
ADHD medication mainly works by increasing levels of two chemicals that naturally occur in the brain – dopamine and noradrenaline. By increasing the levels of these chemicals, also known as neurotransmitters, tasks and social functioning that require attention, focus, and decision-making can feel less challenging and consuming for people with ADHD.
CBT is a type of counselling designed to help people identify and manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviours and how they interact with each other. In CBT for ADHD, there are specific focuses on:
- Education about what ADHD is and how it can impact everyday life
- Organising and planning
- Coping with distractibility
- Adaptive thinking
Workplace support for employees with ADHD
Why is workplace support so important?
Putting in place reasonable adjustments and support for employees with ADHD not only ensures employers meet their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, but has been proven to increase the productivity, performance, retention and well-being of employees with ADHD.
We offer guidance for organisations on:
- Reasonable adjustments for employees with ADHD
- Communication and disclosure
- Creating neuro-inclusive workplaces
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and every employee needs to be treated as an individual. With the right strategies in place, powerful changes can be made to increase employee productivity, retention and wellbeing.
How are employees with ADHD covered by the Equality Act 2010?
A diagnosis of ADHD is recognised as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Employees with ADHD have rights and protections in the workplace. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers are under a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments and must not discriminate against employees with ADHD.
How can I support my employees with ADHD?
Employers can offer diagnostic assessments, workplace needs assessments and coaching for employees with ADHD.
- A diagnostic assessment will assess if there is a diagnosis of ADHD.
- A workplace needs assessment will explore potential reasonable adjustments to support an employee with ADHD.
- Follow-on coaching can help to embed the strategies discussed in the workplace needs assessment and create daily habits.
You don’t need to put everything in place, and our workplace needs assessments can be offered with or without a diagnosis of ADHD, allowing your employees with ADHD to feel supported with tailored solutions and practical, reasonable adjustments to help them excel.
What are workplace needs assessments?
Workplace needs assessments explore how your employees’ ADHD is impacting them at work, and what potential reasonable adjustments could be put in place to help them excel in their role. Each assessment is unique to the individual, but common challenges we see in employees with ADHD are:
- Reading and research – how well can they temporarily hold and manipulate information in their mind to interpret and summarise?
- Writing and composition – how well can they plan and structure their writing or presentations?
- Meetings, presentations and note-taking – how easy do they find it to stay focused and keep track of what’s happening in meetings or presentations?
- Time management and organisation – how easy do they find it to plan, switch between tasks and keep track of the time?
- Environment – how easy do they find starting work or staying focused in cluttered or distracting environments?
- Wellbeing – how does their ADHD impact your energy levels, mood and self-esteem?
- Potential reasonable adjustments – what changes to the way they work or learn, like having their tasks prioritised, would help in their day-to-day work activities?
Following the workplace needs assessment, you’ll receive a bespoke report with practical, personalised strategies that can be put in place as potential reasonable adjustments to help your employees with ADHD excel in their roles.
How much do workplace needs assessments cost?
Workplace needs assessments and the recommendations that follow do not have to be expensive. We can recommend free or low-cost strategies and easy-to-implement technologies, including AI and simple software. 5 of the 6 most common reasonable adjustments are free, and there is an opportunity for employers to state in advance where there are adjustments they would not consider reasonable (such as remote working), or if there are budgetary constraints to consider.
Please get in touch for pricing and availability.
Where can I get advice and support?
We’re so glad that you’re exploring how to best support your employees with ADHD, other types of neurodivergence or mental health conditions.
Whether you’re looking for on-off support for an employee with ADHD or a broader package of consultancy and support across your organisation, we can help. We offer workplace needs assessments, diagnosis, consultancy, training, and coaching. Regardless of the size of your business, we’re ready to help.
Please email [email protected] to see how Aim Forward can support your employees with ADHD.
ADHD diagnosis
How is ADHD diagnosed?
In the UK, a medical ADHD diagnosis can only be provided by a psychiatrist, paediatrician or otherwise qualified healthcare professional who specialises in ADHD (according to the NICE guidelines). One of the reasons for this is that most ADHD medications are controlled drugs in the UK, and patients being prescribed them need to be monitored very closely for negative effects on their health, as well as signs of misuse or addiction.
ADHD Assessment with Aim Forward
At Aim Forward, our qualified assessors can provide a diagnosis of specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of ADHD for those aged 18 or over. This is different to a medical diagnosis and does not provide access to medication, but it can give you valuable insight into how those traits of ADHD impact the way you learn and work and the type of strategies that could help you be more productive to reach your goals. This diagnosis is also recognised as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, enabling you to access reasonable adjustments in work or study, and government support schemes such as Access to Work and Disabled Students’ Allowance.
What are the benefits of an ADHD diagnosis?
Identifying yourself as being neurodivergent does not require a diagnosis and is supported by many in the neurodivergent community. Having said this, some people feel that they would benefit from having specific terms for their experiences and access to specific treatment options. A diagnosis can also make it easier for employees with ADHD to discuss reasonable adjustments at work, as ADHD is recognised as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. It can also give you access to government support schemes such as Access to Work and Disabled Students’ Allowance.
What is a diagnostic assessment for ADHD?
A diagnostic assessment for specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) is a formal assessment of an adult aged 18 or over, who thinks they may have an SpLD, by a qualified assessor who is trained to identify SpLDs. At Aim Forward, all our diagnostic assessments are performed by either educational psychologists who are registered with HCPC or specialist assessors with an Assessment Practising Certificate.
Everyone who has a diagnostic assessment with us completes a background questionnaire first. During a diagnostic assessment, the assessor will talk with you about your background, but they will also ask you to complete tasks to assess your strengths and weaknesses in different areas.
How long does a diagnostic assessment for ADHD take?
A diagnostic assessment for specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of ADHD can take up to 3 hours, but we offer breaks as often as you need them. Our assessors will ask you to complete multiple tasks during the assessment, as well as talking with you, which is why it can take some time. These tasks are designed to test your strengths and weaknesses in different abilities, such as:
- Language and practical tasks
- Memory
- How long it takes you to process information
- Reading ability
- Writing and spelling skills
What is the difference between a screener, a diagnostic assessment and a medical diagnosis for ADHD?
A screener is a checklist or questionnaire that you complete yourself, usually online, which is designed to indicate whether personal difficulties or traits may be the result of a condition like ADHD. The results do not form a diagnosis; they are only indicative. There are many different types of screening tests, and they can be a useful place to start when you are in the early stages of exploring your neurodivergence, but they cannot give you a diagnosis. They only offer limited insight into your experiences, and they are not always considered accurate.
A diagnostic assessment can be provided by a qualified assessor, who is either an educational psychologist registered with the HCPC or a specialist teacher with an Assessment Practising Certificate. If you are an employee with ADHD, or an adult or young person aged 16 or over, a diagnosis of specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of ADHD can provide you with more insight about ADHD, your cognitive profile, and how your traits impact the way you learn and work in everyday life. Your assessor may also identify traits of other SpLDs, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, in your cognitive profile and speak to you about the potential for diagnostic testing for these.
A medical diagnosis can only be provided by a psychiatrist, paediatrician or otherwise qualified healthcare professional who specialises in ADHD (according to the NICE guidelines). Medical ADHD diagnosis in the UK is the only way to access medication for ADHD, which can be highly effective for reducing the negative effects of symptoms, but is not suitable for or wanted by everyone with ADHD. A medical ADHD diagnosis can also provide access to specialised therapy for ADHD through the NHS, but this can also be available to people without a diagnosis if you pay privately.
At Aim Forward, we provide diagnostic assessments, but we do not provide medical diagnoses for ADHD.
What is the benefit of a diagnostic assessment for ADHD?
Although you don’t need a diagnosis to accept and start embracing your neurodivergence, some people feel they benefit from being able to associate specific terms with their experiences. As an employee with ADHD, a diagnosis of specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of ADHD is also recognised under the Equality Act 2010. This can help with getting reasonable adjustments at work, as well as making you eligible for government support schemes, such as Access to Work or Disabled Students’ Allowance.
What happens after the ADHD assessment?
Around 10 working days after a diagnostic assessment for a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of ADHD with Aim Forward, you will receive a personalised report which contains:
- Summary of the report
- Diagnostic decision
- Your cognitive profile
- Your strengths and weaknesses
- Recommended sources of additional information or support
If you have any questions after you receive and read through your report, our Support team is always on hand to help.
How much does a diagnostic assessment for ADHD cost?
Please get in touch for pricing and availability.
What age do you provide ADHD assessments for?
Aim Forward can offer diagnostic assessments for specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of ADHD for adults aged 18 and over. This is the age group we are most confident that we can help with our experience and expertise. This is also where we see the greatest barriers to insight and support due to the current backlogs in NHS mental health care, especially where people have not had their ADHD traits identified when they were much younger.
How do you test for ADHD?
During a diagnostic assessment with Aim Forward, you will be asked to complete several tasks. These are not pass or fail tests – they are designed to highlight indicators of a specific learning difficulty (SpLD), your cognitive profile, as well as your strengths and weaknesses. The following areas will be explored:
- Language and practical tasks
- Memory
- How long it takes you to process information
- Reading ability
- Writing and spelling skills
The diagnostic assessment also involves a background information questionnaire, which you complete before the diagnostic assessment. This provides the assessor with information about your educational background, medical history and any previous assessments.
The diagnostic assessment for specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of ADHD will be provided by a qualified assessor, who is either an educational psychologist registered with the HCPC or a specialist assessor.
What is it like having an assessment for ADHD with Aim Forward?
You can read a a personal perspective on what it’s like to work with us from one of our clients here.
ADHD support
What other types of support are available for ADHD?
Whether you choose to pursue a diagnosis of ADHD or not, you can gain insight into your neurodivergence with Aim Forward through a workplace needs assessment. In a workplace needs assessment, together with an experienced assessor, you will explore how your ADHD is impacting you at work and in your role. You will create personalised strategies and practical solutions that can be put in place as potential reasonable adjustments at work to overcome barriers and help you excel.
Many people come to us thinking they want a diagnosis, but often what makes the biggest difference to their working and everyday lives is personalised solutions and strategies that they can put into action.
Choosing whether or not to pursue a diagnosis is a personal choice. But if you want to find solutions to shape your future and boost productivity in the workplace, our workplace needs assessment is a great place to start. It’s proven as an effective solution with over 10 years of experience working with individuals with neurodivergence and mental health conditions.
What is a workplace needs assessment?
Workplace needs assessments explore how your ADHD is impacting you at work, and what potential reasonable adjustments could be put in place to help you excel in your role. Each assessment is unique to the individual, but common challenges we see with ADHD are:
- Reading and research – how well can you temporarily hold and manipulate information in your mind to interpret and summarise what you find for work or studying?
- Writing and composition – how well can you plan and structure your writing or presentations?
- Meetings, presentations and note-taking – how easy do you find it to stay focused and keep track of what’s happening in meetings or presentations?
- Time management and organisation – how easy do you find it to plan ahead, switch between tasks and keep track of the time?
- Revision and exam preparation – how well can you hold and retain information for future use, particularly if you lack interest in the subject?
- Environment – how easy do you find starting work or staying focused in cluttered or distracting environments?
- Wellbeing – how does your ADHD impact your energy levels, mood and self-esteem?
- Potential reasonable adjustments – what changes to the way you work or learn, like having your tasks prioritised, would help you in your day-to-day activities?
Following the workplace needs assessment, you’ll receive a bespoke report with practical, personalised strategies that can be put in place as potential reasonable adjustments to help you and your employer navigate effective ADHD support in the workplace.
What strategies might a workplace needs assessment explore?
- Wellbeing and mental health software or apps – helping maintain structure or routine in a busy daily schedule
- Text-to-speech software – reading content as you hear it spoken to you can help process and retain information
- Speech-to-text software – letting your ideas flow into words on a page, without worrying about typing or spelling
- Mind mapping software – capturing your ideas quickly, while the software structures documents for you in programmes like Word or PowerPoint to avoid “blank page fear” and procrastination
- Spell checking software – less time worrying about red lines and more time on content with sophisticated spell checks
- Grammar checkers – focusing on your content, while the software ensures consistency and professionalism in the text
- Note-taking software and apps – reducing the impact of inattention or distractions in meetings with automatic note-taking
After your needs assessment, Aim Forward can provide coaching with your assessor to support you in building lasting habits in the workplace.
The ultimate aim of our workplace needs assessments is to provide effective support for employees with ADHD empowering you with confidence about your neurodivergence and the adjustments that will work for you, so that you can excel at work.
What are the benefits of a needs assessment for ADHD?
Understanding how you work best and having personalised strategies and reasonable adjustments to support you can have a lasting, positive impact on your work life and productivity, as well as equip your colleagues around you to know how best to support you.
For over 10+ years, we have seen needs assessments transform the way people with ADHD can excel in their at work, and clients have reported increased:
- Wellbeing
- Productivity
- Career opportunities
- Grades
Our workplace needs assessors have a variety of disability-specific qualifications, alongside decades of experience working with neurodivergence, mental health conditions and other disabilities, including lived experience. This puts us in a unique position to provide workplace needs assessments that recognise co-occurring conditions (where you experience more than one condition at the same time).
Over 20% of our needs assessment clients have two or more formally diagnosed conditions, but many more experience undiagnosed traits or symptoms. For example, you may have a diagnosis of ADHD, but also be experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Our workplace needs assessments focus solely on you and your unique needs.
What is it like having an assessment for ADHD with Aim Forward?
If you would like a personal perspective on what it’s like to work with us, one of our clients kindly agreed to share their experience: you can read it here.
FAQs
Have more questions? Ready to start shaping your future? Our friendly support team is here to help you.
My needs assessment was the first time I felt heard or listened to about my ADHD. My assessor was friendly, understanding, and validated my feelings. They were an expert in linking my difficulties to new strategies that can help me achieve my goals at work and in life.
How do I know if I my employee has ADHD?
Contact us for a diagnostic assessment here.
What support do you offer for employees with ADHD?
Aim Forward offers diagnostic assessments, workplace needs assessments and coaching for employees with ADHD.
- A diagnostic assessment will assess if there is a diagnosis of ADHD.
- A workplace needs assessment will explore potential reasonable adjustments to support an employee with ADHD.
- Follow-up coaching can help to embed the strategies discussed in the workplace needs assessment and create daily habits.
You don’t need to put everything in place, and our workplace needs assessments can be offered with or without a diagnosis of ADHD. They allow your employees with ADHD to feel supported with tailored solutions and practical, reasonable adjustments to help them excel.
What are reasonable adjustments for ADHD?
What works as a reasonable adjustment for employees with ADHD will vary significantly, as everyone’s experience with ADHD is unique. However, some reasonable adjustments for employees with ADHD that we have seen work before include:
- Clear written instructions (not just verbal)
- Structured daily planning or visual schedules
- Flexible deadlines where possible
- Quiet workspaces or noise-cancelling tools
- Shorter, more focused meetings with clear agendas
- Priority planning tools or coaching support
- Regular check-ins that feel collaborative, not policing
Workplace needs assessments can look at potential reasonable adjustments for your employees with ADHD, and can provide a clear written report with practical suggestions. These are designed to work for your employees’ unique circumstances, and support their productivity, performance and wellbeing in the workplace.
Contact us here to find out more about workplace needs assessments.