Hazel launches to support families navigating autism and ADHD
Parents and carers in Bristol will be given early and free premium access in exchange for feedback
We have launched an early access release of our new app, Hazel, which offers immediate help to parents or carers of children who have neurodivergent traits but are struggling to get the support they need.
We are looking for 20 Bristol families who are navigating the autism and ADHD journey and would like free, premium access to Hazel in exchange for their feedback which will be used to improve it.
More than 71,000 children across the UK are currently waiting for an NHS autism assessment and waitlists are growing by 65 per cent annually. In Bristol alone, this figure stands at around 7,000.
Hazel offers immediate, personalised support without the wait. It starts with a series of tests that explore a wide range of traits that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have identified as being associated with, and often occurring alongside, autism. These include ADHD, OCD and sensory issues.
Our team has evaluated more than 100 different tests and then selected a single test for each trait based on its accuracy, reliability and scientific validation. There are six tests in total, five of which are widely used by psychologists.
A sixth test, exploring sensory issues, has been developed by Spicy Minds because we discovered, through their research, that existing sensory tests only covered a few senses and therefore missed important areas.
On completion of the questionnaires, Hazel uses AI to interpret the results and give parents and carers a better understanding of what is going on for their child. This includes personalised strategies and practical ideas for adjustments at school, home and on holiday that are completely tailored to each child. It also produces downloadable reports that help teachers make adjustments.
Parents and carers can then talk to Hazel and have conversations, powered by AI, about the challenges they are facing and receive ongoing parenting support. Hazel remembers previous conversations so you can revisit issues and track progress over time.
"Parents shouldn't have to wait years to understand their child's needs and get practical support," said Ben Cosh, CEO of Spicy Minds, whose personal experience with the broken assessment system inspired Hazel’s development.
"While Hazel does not provide a diagnosis, it does give parents a much better picture of what is going on and, crucially, provides strategies that work, reducing family stress and improving day-to-day difficulties while they navigate the long wait for NHS services."
Spicy Minds is specifically seeking families who:
Have children (ages 3-18) with autistic traits
Are experiencing challenging behaviours that affect school attendance or family wellbeing
Want immediate strategies without waiting for formal diagnosis
Hazel has been developed with oversight and evaluation by Dr Freddy Jackson Brown, a chartered clinical psychologist with more than 25 years’ experience supporting autistic children and families in the NHS. Dr Jackson Brown is an associate fellow at the University of Warwick and has published more than 35 peer-reviewed papers and five books on the subject.
“Across the country there is a huge mismatch between the level of need for autism assessments and follow up support in our local communities relative to the capacity of services. Many families and individuals are waiting years just for an assessment. This isn’t going to be solved by increasing staffing levels. There are simply not enough trained staff available to recruit and it is unlikely that sufficient funding will be found to increase services to the required levels.”
“This is where Hazel can play an important role because it is both significantly cheaper and scalable, providing families with screening tests and support today.”
Built with a commitment to ethical AI and data protection, Hazel prioritises user privacy. It adheres to medical-grade security standards, ensuring that sensitive family information remains secure.
Safeguarding is also embedded and the company has a designated safeguarding lead, Beth Shedden, and a clinical safety officer, Pippa Gascon Crossley. Beth has 14 years’ experience working in voluntary and statutory settings, including homelessness, drug treatment, housing and children’s social care. She is a registered social worker.
Hazel is available to download on Play Store and App Store. To see Hazel in action, watch this video.