Our History
Dr Laura Powling created Evolve in 2014, offering expert witness services. This service developed to provide assessments in the community for both autism and ADHD. Evolve's clinical services has grown with an expert team offering assessments across the UK and Ireland. Evolve International Skills & Research Academy has been born from years of clinical experience and the desire to improve the lives of neurodivergent individuals.
2014
The beginning
Evolve is born offering clinical forensic psychology and expert witness services with a number of new associates. Dr Powling continued to work alongside the NHS, children's department neurodevelopmental and mental health services.
2018
Our first clinic
Dr Powling set up the community practice in Harrogate with a hope of offering neurodevelopmental assessments to both children and adults.
April 2021
Awarded NHS contract
In 2021, we were awarded our first NHS contract. Because we're an NHS approved provider, we're able to offer referrals to families via their GP for children's autism, ADHD, or combined assessments.
November 2023
Celebrating our Dublin contract
At the end of 2023 we were awarded a further contract in Dublin. This is to allow us to help support the HSE on the assessment of need pathway.
November 2025
NHS contracts awarded to provide adult only autism assessments
We are now able to offer autism only assessments for adults under RTC, either face to face in one of our locations or digital if inclusion criteria is
July 2025
Evolve International Skills & Research Academy
Evolve International Skills & Research Academy is launched bringing to market digital learning experiences for individuals, professionals and businesses and high quality research.
Evolve Skills & Research Academy has been developed by Evolve’s experts, to help neurodivergent people in a bigger way than they could through individual in-clinic services.
In particular, Kate, a senior Specialist Neurodevelopmental Practitioner (SaLT), at Evolve, has driven its creation.
“I’ve worked with neurodivergent people for 25 years, focusing on speech therapy, and have watched children and adults alike struggle to understand why they are the way they are.
“Individuals and the parents of children who are assessed for a possible diagnosis at Evolve, know that considering and perhaps receiving a diagnosis is just one step on their journey, not the destination.
“So, Evolve Skills & Research Academy has been created to share the understanding, insight and experience of Evolve’s expert multi-disciplinary team, with people who are wondering about neurodivergency in relation to themselves or a family member and want to understand and support.
“We are also keen to help those in education and the workplace, so that schools and businesses become inclusive environments where neurodivergent pupils and colleagues can be comfortable and thrive.”
Our full name is Evolve International Skills & Research Academy, reflecting our ambition to help neurodivergent people and those around them, globally, aiming for a neuroinclusive world.
