Families are experiencing stress and uncertainty as they face long waits for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) assessments, according to a study released on Mar. 26 by researchers from the University of Southampton and King's College London.
The research highlights that parents navigating waiting lists for ADHD diagnosis with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the UK often feel powerless and "forever in limbo." NHS data from September 2025 shows that more than 63 percent of children up to age 17 waiting for an assessment had been on the list for over a year, with a third waiting more than two years.
The study, published in the journal Health Expectations, involved anonymised interviews with 41 parents of children aged five to eleven. Wait times ranged from seven months to over two years; about half of the children had not yet received their initial assessment at the time of interview. Thirty percent faced waits between eighteen and twenty-four months, while ten percent waited over two years.
Parents described significant impacts on their families. One parent, Jayne, said: "It's hard because there is no support, at the moment, until you get that diagnosis and you're forever in limbo." Another parent, Jaz, said: "We've wasted over 2 years of her education, it is a huge percentage. And in that time, she was just getting further and further behind." Some parents considered seeking private assessments due to prolonged delays. Sarah commented: "We are struggling a bit and it would be nice to know whether we should be trying to save up to get him seen privately... If it's gonna be another 6 months then we'll wait."
Despite frustrations with wait times and lack of support before diagnosis, some parents expressed empathy toward healthcare staff facing high demand for services. Suggestions for improvement included regular updates on waiting list status, digitised systems allowing progress checks or appointment booking online, access to key workers during the wait period, and guidance on managing children's behaviour.
The authors pointed out local initiatives such as piloting neurodiversity tools that offer early profiling by trained professionals as ways schools can help children before formal diagnosis is completed. Dr Hedstrom concluded: "Many tools and platforms already exist or could be developed to meet the needs of CAMHS... This would not only give parents more autonomy... but also alleviate the burden on mental health services resulting in a more efficient service."
