Services

We provide comprehensive psychological assessments and evidence-based therapy for children and adolescents. An initial consultation is booked with the parents or caregivers prior to an assessment or the commencement of therapy to discuss your child’s needs, developmental history, and whether an assessment is recommended, and/or the goals for therapy. Following an assessment, you will receive a comprehensive professional report and a feedback session with the parents or caregivers to discuss the results and recommendations.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Assessments

We offer a comprehensive autism assessment to diagnose whether your child is autistic. We also offer a review assessment to assist with support planning, funding applications, or autism-specific school admissions. We utilise the Autism Cooperative Research Centre (Autism CRC) gold standard of autism assessments as per the ‘National Guidelines for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder’, and include the following recommended assessments:

  • Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Second Edition (ADOS-2): for individuals aged 12 months+
  • Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R): for individuals aged 2 years+

The ADOS-2 is a semi-structured, observation-based tool that aims to assess communication, social interactions, play, and restricted and repetitive behaviours. The assessment duration is usually one hour, and completed with the individual being assessed. 

The ADI-R is a structured clinical interview completed with the parents or caregivers. The purpose of the ADI-R is to collect a comprehensive developmental history to help distinguish autism from other developmental disorders. The assessment duration is two hours. 

In addition, we contact your child’s school to gather information regarding their strengths, challenges, and presentation in the classroom and school yard. A school observation can be added as an additional service (please see the School-Based Observations section below). 

Furthermore, where appropriate, an adaptive behavioural assessment is included in the assessment, and completed by parents or caregivers online. 

Lastly, we schedule a feedback session to discuss the results, outcome of the assessment, your child’s support needs, and recommendations moving forward. We can also discuss how to apply for government funded programs to access greater resources, if applicable.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Assessments

We follow the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA) recommended guidelines to assess ADHD as per the “Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)”. We utilise the following measures to assess ADHD:

  • Conners – Fourth Edition (Conners 4): for individuals aged 6 years to 18 years
  • Behaviour Assessment System for Children – Third Edition (BASC-3): for individuals aged 2 years to 25 years 11 months

The Conners 4 is a thorough assessment of ADHD and its most common comorbid challenges and disorders. The assessment is multi-informant that utilises observational ratings from parents or caregivers, teachers, and young people being assessed (for 8-year-olds and over). For children under the age of 8, only the parent and teacher forms are utilised. 

The BASC-3 is a multi-dimensional approach to evaluating behaviour and emotions of children and adolescents and utilises observational ratings from multiple respondents, including parents or caregivers, teachers, and young people being assessed (for 8-year-olds and over). For children under the age of 8, only the parent and teacher forms are utilised. This assessment is useful in the clinical diagnosis of disorders that can start in childhood or adolescence, such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression. The BASC-3 can also indicate issues associated with learning disabilities, such as adjustment problems.

Additionally, a clinical observation session is included to obtain further information and evidence. Sometimes a cognitive assessment is recommended to rule out differential diagnoses or if more information needed for an accurate assessment. The NEPSY-II can be added to this assessment.

A feedback session is scheduled to discuss the results, outcome of the assessment, recommendations, and the specific support your child may require in the home, social, and school environments. 

Behavioural Assessments

We provide several highly regarded behavioural assessments which measure different aspects of behaviour. The adaptive behavioural assessments can portray a complete picture of your child’s adaptive functioning skills. The behavioural assessment can identify behavioural and emotional strengths and weaknesses in the home and school environments. The following assessments are utilised:

  • Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System – Third Edition (ABAS-3): for individuals from birth to 89 years
  • Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales – Third Edition (Vineland-3): for individuals from birth to 90 years
  • Behaviour Assessment System for Children – Third Edition (BASC-3): for individuals aged 2 years to 25 years 11 months

The ABAS-3 is a comprehensive standardised assessment which measures the adaptive skills needed to effectively and independently care for oneself, respond to others and meet environmental demands at home, school and in the community. This assessment is useful for evaluating children or adolescents with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, learning disabilities, neuropsychological disorders, and sensory or physical impairments. This assessment requires observational ratings from parents or caregivers, and childcare educators or teachers. 

The Vineland-3 is a comprehensive standardised measure of adaptive behaviour, which are the things that people need do to function in their everyday lives. There is a focus on what behaviours the person actually completes in daily life activities. The Vineland-3 is a norm-based instrument, and the individual’s adaptive functioning skills are compared to that of other children their age.

The BASC-3 is a multi-dimensional approach to evaluating behaviour and emotions of children and adolescents and utilises observational ratings from multiple respondents, including parents or caregivers, teachers, and young people being assessed (for 8-year-olds and over). For children under the age of 8, only the parent and teacher forms are utilised. This assessment is useful in the clinical diagnosis of disorders that can start in childhood or adolescence, such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression. The BASC-3 can also indicate issues associated with learning disabilities, such as adjustment problems.

Cognitive Assessments

We utilise an IQ test (or psychometric assessment) to determine an individual’s learning abilities by identifying their cognitive strengths and weaknesses. This assessment can assist in the development of individualised learning support plans, to apply for special provisions for the HSC, and to apply for government funding (such as the NDIS). Depending on your child’s age, we utilise one of the following:

  • Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV): for children aged 2 years, 6 months to 7 years, 7 months
  • Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fifth Edition (WISC-V): for individuals aged 6 years to 16 years, 11 months 

Cognitive assessments are essential when diagnosing intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, dyslexia, working memory deficits, auditory processing issues, and giftedness. The assessment duration ranges from two to three hours. The NEPSY-II can be added to this assessment. 

The following areas are assessed:

  • Verbal Comprehension
  • Visual Spatial
  • Fluid Reasoning
  • Working Memory
  • Processing Speed

Academic Assessments

We offer an achievement test which measures your child’s ability in core academic areas. The following assessment is utilised:

  • Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Third Edition (WIAT-III): for individuals aged 4 years to 50 years, 11 months

The WIAT-III provides age equivalent measurements to help determine areas of strengths and weaknesses across key academic areas. The areas assessed may include:

  • Reading (for e.g., reading fluency, and reading comprehension)
  • Writing (for e.g., spelling, and essay writing)
  • Mathematics (for e.g., maths problem solving, and fluency)
  • Oral Language (for e.g., listening comprehension, and oral expression) 

This information is important in the diagnosis of specific learning disorders, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. The assessment duration ranges from two to three hours. The WIAT-III is completed in conjunction with a cognitive assessment.

Please note, to undertake an assessment of a specific learning disorder, it is a prerequisite (in the DSM-5-TR) that your child has received targeted intervention to improve their learning difficulties (in reading, writing, and/or mathematics) for at least six months. Intervention may include an in-school support program (such as MiniLit or MacqLit) or one-on-one tutoring.

Neuropsychological Assessment

We offer a neuropsychological assessment which measures various cognitive domains, such as attention, executive functioning, and memory. The following assessment is utilised:

  • A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment – Second Edition (NEPSY-II): for individuals aged 3 years to 16 years

The NEPSY-II is a neuropsychological assessment addressing several cognitive domains, and is widely used for diagnostic and intervention planning related to childhood disorders. The scores in the NEPSY-II are described in relation to expected levels of performance, based on normative data by age. This assessment can be added to the cognitive and/or ADHD assessments. The assessment duration is one to two hours. 

The areas assessed may include:

  • Attention and Executive Functioning 
  • Language
  • Memory and Learning
  • Sensorimotor
  • Visuospatial Processing

Therapy (currently unavailable)

We provide evidence-based therapy for children and adolescents who present with a range of issues or mental health concerns, including the following:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Behaviour management
  • Attention and concentration issues
  • Poor emotion regulation 
  • Grief and loss
  • Low self-esteem / confidence 
  • School readiness preparation
  • Anger management issues
  • Bullying
  • Mindfulness and relaxation training
  • Poor social skills 
  • Trauma
  • Body image issues
  • Stress management
  • Learning difficulties

We are passionate about working within a family framework, and including parents in therapy where possible. We have extensive experience in working with neurodiverse children and adolescents, for example, autistic clients, ADHD clients, and clients with learning disorders. 

We utilise a multi-modal approach in therapy, and are experienced in the following interventions:

  • Play-based therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
  • Trauma-focussed CBT
  • Attachment therapies
  • Circle of Security 
  • Tuning Into Kids
  • Emotion Coaching
  • Schema Therapy
  • Solutions Focussed Therapy
  • Parent-Child Psychotherapy
  • Marte Meo
  • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
  • Family Therapy Framework
  • Social Skills Groups
  • School Readiness Groups

Preschool/School-Based Observation

We offer preschool, childcare, or school-based observations that include discussions with teachers and educational staff. Our goal is to provide practical and applicable strategies specifically related to managing students’ difficulties with learning, behaviours, social skills, and emotion regulation after observing the child in their school environment to inform these recommendations. Additionally, these observations and discussions can be beneficial for your child who may be engaged with other allied health professionals. The school observations can be a stand-alone service or an addition to another assessment (such as the autism or ADHD assessments).