Your therapist usually completes the assessment with your child as they know them best. However sometimes we refer to other therapists to do this if we feel we may be able to achieve a more complete outcome. Our assessments are usually part of a larger, more comprehensive assessment process involving a Paediatrician or other specialists and we collaborate to help guide or provide opinions on a diagnosis.

HOW LONG DOES AN ASSESSMENT TAKE?

Assessment length can vary depending on the reason for completing the assessment and the type of assessments being undertaken.  Most assessments take more than one session to complete and are dependent on how well children focus and perform.  Once the assessment is complete, your clinician will spend some time writing a comprehensive report, focussing on the key areas needed to assist with funding applications, diagnosis or other points of interest.  On most occasions, our clinicians will make a time to meet with you to discuss the outcomes of the assessment and the next steps in the process.

CAN I REQUEST AN ASSESSMENT FOR MY CHILD?

Parents can request an assessment for their child.  Your therapist will usually chat further with you to determine why an assessment is required and guide you from there.  Most assessments can only be completed yearly so we can help recommend when the best time is to get this done.

We are able to assess cognition (IQ), academic performance, language, speech, social skills, handwriting and motor skills, giftedness and Autism. We utilise the most current assessment tools and have started using iPads for our assessments. The following assessment packages are available:

Functional Capacity Assessments: Completed by a qualified Occupational Therapist these assessments are designed to identify the supports a child needs to make progress.  Areas assessed  include the child’s motor skills, cognitive abilities, communication skills, and social interactions. The assessment also looks at the child’s ability to perform daily tasks such as dressing and feeding.

Autism:  ADOS-2, MIGDAS, ABAS and adaptive scales for best results.  Please see here for handly information on the assessment process and expectations from Autism CRC.

Cognition: WPPS-IV (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence) or WISC-V (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children)

Psycho-educational assessments:  A combination of WPPSI/ WISC-V and WIAT-III (Wechler Individual Achievement Test). This combined assessment allows us to compare children’s cognitive capacity and their academic performance.  Using this information, we are able to identify identify specific learning difficulties including Dyslexia (specific reading difficulties) and Dyscalculia (specific mathematical difficulties) as well as Giftnedess in children.

Funding for School Support: We are able to assist with the completion of documentation for funding through the Program for Students with Disability or the equivalent programs. Depending on which area is being applied for (intellectual disability, severe behaviour disorder or Autism), a series of the required assessments can be completed.

DO YOU ASSESS FOR AUTISM?

Yes.  Our team assesses children for Autism using the gold standard of Autism assessments including:  ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – 2nd Edition) and ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised) or a combination of additional/ alternative assessments and adaptive scales.  These combined assessments conducted by our team of Psychologists & Speech Therapists offer a detailed and thorough investigation and can assist your Paediatrician in the process of diagnosis. We recommend you are engaged with a Paediatrician prior to or during the assessment process. Please contact us for further details or if you are having difficulty engaging a Paediatrician and we can advise further.