A grassroots initiative created to support families struggling with lengthy NHS waiting times for autism and ADHD assessments has now gained charity status. The Roxi Foundation, based in Swindon, Wiltshire, was launched by the family of a young woman who faced years of challenges before finally receiving diagnoses for both conditions.

Founder Matt Pound, Roxi’s father, explained that their experience made him realise many other families were facing the same barriers. “If we found it that hard, I knew we couldn’t be the only ones,” he said. The charity offers grants to cover the cost of private assessments, giving families quicker access to support services.

One parent, Julian, shared how his daughter Hannah had become withdrawn and non-verbal while waiting over two years for help. The Roxi Foundation stepped in to fund a private assessment, leading to diagnoses of autism and ADHD. “She’s like a different child now – more engaged and communicative,” Julian said, who now helps raise funds for the charity.

While the cost of private assessments limits how many families can be supported, the foundation has already helped three young people and raised £7,000 in 2024, with a £20,000 fundraising goal for 2025. The NHS says it is working on earlier intervention and new neurodevelopmental care pathways to improve access.