Help with Autism

The NHS in Greater Manchester are introducing some changes to autism and ADHD services which will affect Bolton, as we are part of Greater Manchester.

The Greater Manchester changes are being introduced gradually, so it is important for Bolton families to know:

• Schools and nurseries have been told to continue sending in referrals as they always have. These referrals go to CAMHS for ADHD and Bolton Social Communication and Interaction Pathway (BSCIP) for autism. There should be no pause from schools and nurseries in sending in these referrals.
• Schools and nurseries have been told to keep supporting children and families, using outside services where this will help, as they always have done.
• A new clinical criteria has been introduced from January 2026 which means that not every child or young person will be eligible for an NHS funded assessment, however, all children and young people will have access to support on a needs-led basis.
• If your child has been referred for an assessment previously, this will be looked at, and you will receive information about what will happen next. You might receive an assessment sooner than expected.
• In Bolton we work closely together across health and education to make sure that the support given to children is based on their needs, and not based on a formal diagnosis.
• Bolton has received money to put in place new types of support for families as they explore ADHD and autism.
• Bolton Together has two new staff called ‘Neurodiversity Navigators’. They understand how challenging it can be to figure out what help is available, and they work closely with parents to explain next steps, share information, and connect families with the right services for their child.
• Compass Partnership (home of Bolton Parent Carers and Bolton Information and Advisory Service) will be offering a range of free sessions for parents and carers to learn about autism, ADHD and related topics like eating, sleeping and toileting.
• Woodbridge SEND Service will be offering more courses for parents and piloting a neuroprofiling tool with selected schools.
• You can find more information further down the page which has websites in the ‘Articles and Guides’ section and documents in ‘Downloads’