Autism in Looked After Children: What Foster Carers, Adopters and Kinship Carers Need to Know

Children who are looked after — whether in foster care, adopted, or living with kinship carers — are significantly more likely than their peers to have unidentified neurodevelopmental differences including autism. Yet they are also among the least likely to receive a timely, accurate diagnosis.

At Autism Assessment Pathway, supporting looked after and care-experienced children and their families is at the heart of what we do. Our team has extensive NHS experience working with children in fostering, adoption, and kinship care, and we understand the unique complexity of assessing children who may have experienced early trauma, attachment disruption, and multiple placement changes.

Why Are Looked After Children at Higher Risk of Unidentified Autism?

There are several reasons why autism is frequently missed or misidentified in looked after children:

Their behaviour is attributed to trauma alone Children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or early adversity often show behaviours that can look similar to autism — difficulties with emotional regulation, social communication differences, sensory sensitivities, and challenges with trust and relationships. These are often attributed entirely to trauma, without considering whether autism may also be present.

They may have had disrupted developmental histories Incomplete records, multiple placements, and changes in caregivers can make it difficult to build the full developmental picture needed for an autism assessment. Important early milestones or concerns may never have been recorded or shared.

Diagnostic tools were not designed with their experiences in mind Standard autism assessment tools and approaches were largely developed with children from stable family backgrounds in mind. Without specialist knowledge, clinicians may struggle to disentangle the effects of early adversity from the signs of autism.

They may have learned to adapt and mask Children who have lived in multiple placements often become highly attuned to the needs and expectations of the adults around them. They may have developed sophisticated masking strategies out of necessity — making their autism even harder to spot.

Can a Child Be Both Autistic and Affected by Trauma?

Absolutely — and this is one of the most important things for carers and professionals to understand. Autism and trauma are not mutually exclusive. A child can be both autistic AND have experienced significant early trauma. In fact, for many looked after children, both are present simultaneously — each one influencing and interacting with the other.

This is why a trauma-informed autism assessment — one that carefully considers both possibilities — is so important for this group of children.

What Are the Signs to Look For?

In looked after children, signs that autism may be present alongside trauma include:

• Social communication difficulties that go beyond what would be expected from trauma alone

• Very literal understanding of language

• Intense, focused interests

• Sensory sensitivities — to noise, texture, light, or food

• Strong need for routine and predictability

• Difficulty understanding the perspectives or feelings of others

• Repetitive behaviours or movements

• Significant differences between how the child presents in structured versus unstructured settings

How Our Assessment Is Different

At Autism Assessment Pathway, we do not use a one-size-fits-all approach. When assessing looked after children, we:

• Take extensive time to gather developmental history from all available sources — including previous carers, social workers, and school

• Carefully consider the role of early trauma and attachment in the child's presentation

• Use clinical judgement alongside standardised tools to ensure trauma is not masking autism — or being mistaken for it

• Provide reports that clearly explain our reasoning and help carers, schools, and local authorities understand the child's needs

• Include practical recommendations that acknowledge the child's full history and context

How Can a Diagnosis Help a Looked After Child?

For a looked after child, an autism diagnosis can be life-changing. It can:

• Provide a clear explanation for behaviours that have previously been misunderstood

• Support access to the right therapeutic interventions

• Strengthen an EHCP application or existing plan

• Help foster carers, adopters, and kinship carers access additional support and training

• Give the child themselves a framework for understanding their own experience

• Inform placement decisions and support planning

A Note for Foster Carers and Adopters

If you are a foster carer or adopter who suspects the child in your care may be autistic, you do not need to wait for the local authority to arrange an assessment. You can access a private assessment directly, and many families find this is the fastest and most thorough route to getting answers.

We are experienced in working with virtual school heads, social workers, IROs, and other professionals involved in a child's care, and we are happy to liaise with the relevant people as part of our assessment process.

Supporting Families Across Kent and London

Autism Assessment Pathway provides trauma and attachment-informed private autism assessments for looked after children, adopted children, and children in kinship care aged 8–25 in Hythe, Kent, and in London.

We serve families and carers across Kent including Folkestone, Ashford, Canterbury, Dover and surrounding areas.

If you would like to find out more about how we can support a looked after child in your care, we offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation with no pressure and no obligation.

Book a Free 15-Minute Consultation