Assessments

Developmental and ASD assessments are multi-disciplinary, where there is a team approach of medical health professionals that collaborate to identify the child’s difficulties and determine whether the child is presenting with a particular developmental disorder. The multi-disciplinary team may include a speech pathologist, occupational therapist, Paediatrician, Physiotherapist or other specialists.

All assessments begin with a parent consultation to gather information on the child’s development and personality, as well as a discussion around the presenting concerns that will help shape the evaluation and selection of tests. Further information is gathered using questionnaires, review of the child’s school reports or other professional reports and through direct observation. Feedback is provided verbally to assist in understanding your child’s learning profile, allow for questioning and a discussion of recommendations. Written reports will follow the feedback session and may also be provided to your child’s school or other relevant professionals with your consent.

What are the benefits to a psychological assessment?

  • Find out what is contributing to and maintaining the difficulties that the child is experiencing
  • Find out how a child is doing in a particular developmental area – social, emotional, cognitive or academic
  • Find out about a child’s needs and what you can do to help
  • Find out your child’s strengths and build on what is working
  • Find out where and when you need to intervene to reduce a child’s stress or build their coping strategies and resilience
  • Find out how to enhance their overall psychological wellbeing

Developmental Assessments

These assessments are necessary when there are concerns about a child’s development and ability to perform daily tasks to the expected level. They are a comprehensive evaluation of a child’s physical, intellectual, speech and language, daily living skills, attention, social and emotional development.

Developmental assessments are multi-disciplinary, where there is a team of medical health professionals that collaborate to identify the child’s difficulties and determine whether the child is presenting with a developmental disorder. The multi-disciplinary team may include a speech pathologist, occupational therapist, Paediatrician, Physiotherapist or other specialists.

Educational Assessments

These assessments consist of a combination of measures that assess intellectual functioning and academic performance which may include a wide range of areas such as reading, maths, writing, spelling and oral language. An educational assessment can assist in understanding poor academic performance, motivation and school engagement, and poor behaviour.

School Readiness Assessments

These assessments consist of a cognitive assessment to determine the child’s learning potential. Informal assessments such as developmental checklists provide information on communication skills, fine and gross motor skills and self-care skills and behavioural assessments to provide information on social and emotional development. All of this provides you with the tools to make an informed decision of whether you child is ready for early entry or should be held back to allow for further maturation.

Cognitive Assessments

These assessments are used to determine a child’s learning ability and identify their strengths and weaknesses. It is an evaluation of their abilities related to learning using standardised tests such as the Weschler Scales of Intelligence. As part of this process, we seek to identify factors that impede and enhance learning.

Autism Assessments

These assessments consist of a determination of a child’s learning potential, adaptive functioning, behaviour, social communication and social interaction. All assessments begin with a parent consultation to gather information on the child’s development and personality, as well as a discussion around the presenting concerns that will help shape the evaluation and selection of tests. Further information is gathered using questionnaires, review of the child’s school reports or other professional reports and through direct observation. Feedback is provided verbally to assist in understanding your child’s learning profile, allow for questioning and a discussion of recommendations. Written reports will follow the feedback session and may also be provided to your child’s school or other relevant professionals with your consent.

Therapy and Counselling

Emotional problems can interfere with a child’s development. Without intervention, these problems can continue into adulthood, affecting self-esteem, the ability to adapt to change and building satisfying and healthy relationships. Emotional distress is children can be difficult to recognise and manifest in behavioural problems or anxiety. Therapy is the process of exploring these thoughts and feelings.

Therapy/Counselling can help with a wide range of issues such as:

  • Behaviour problems
  • Poor sleeping patterns
  • Fears and phobias
  • Effects of trauma
  • Social skills
  • Friendship issues
  • General anxiety
  • Obsessive-Compulsive behaviours
  • Mood disorders
  • Anger management
  • School Refusal
  • Stress and coping
  • Bullying
  • Depression
  • Low self-esteem

Educational Consultation

School visits are available and usually occur after an assessment has taken place.  It is beneficial to work collaboratively with the child’s teacher, teacher aides, Principals and parents to develop individualised strategies to maximise learning potential and participation in the school environment.

School visits are usually for the following reasons:

  • Interpretation of Psychological, cognitive and educational assessments
  • A discussion of a child’s learning profile and how this impacts their performance in the classroom
  • A discussion of recommended strategies and how to implement these in the classroom
  • Developing or amending Individual Learning Plans
  • Developing behaviour management plans