NHS Greater Manchester is investing £3.2 million to improve ADHD and autism support for children and young people under 18. The aim is to help families access the support they need earlier and more fairly.
The current system
Children who are referred for an autism or ADHD assessment are currently seen in the order they join the waiting list, meaning even those with the greatest needs wait a long time.
The system also focuses heavily on diagnosis, and the high levels of demand mean children and young people and their families are waiting too long for support.
What’s changing?
From April 2026, a new way of reviewing and supporting children and young people with suspected autism and ADHD will begin across all of Greater Manchester.
Children and families will be able to receive support with or without a diagnosis, and those with the highest needs will be prioritised for specialist support.
Not every child or young person will have the level of need or complexity for an NHS funded assessment. However, every child and family will still receive a personalised offer of support through the new local needs-led services and existing offers of support.
Those currently on the waiting list will be reviewed using the process and will be contacted if there are changes in how they will be cared for.
Every child will receive a personalised offer of support, starting with a full understanding of their needs. Support may include:
- tailored advice from trained staff
- tools to help at school and at home
- online and in-person workshops for parents
- a new website with toolkits, webinars, self‑help resources, and a chat function.
The aim is to move away from a system that has created delays and avoidable harm by making sure support is offered earlier based on a child or young person’s individual need and ensure those with the highest needs are seen sooner.
For more information, visit our ADHD and autism support pages.
