Assessment information helps you or your child’s team understand needs and identify developmental delay, disability, neurodiversity and mental health difficulties. Assessments ensure therapists, teachers, parents and individuals are able to target those specific needs and gaps with their intervention support.
There are many types of assessments and your practitioner or therapist will discuss how they plan to assess you or your child’s needs.
Costs vary but are generally based on the type of assessment and the time required to complete assessments and reports. Please enquire directly with your clinic and therapist regarding costs.
Psychology Assessments:
Assessments may include interviews with you, or with other key people in your child’s life, observations of you or your child, spending time with and getting to know you or your child, and perhaps completing formal checklists or other assessments such as cognitive or learning assessments.
Psychologists offer a range of assessments for many areas of concern. Behaviour, mental health, learning difficulties, general ability and cognition, neurodiversity, personality and executive functioning are among the more commonly requested assessments.
We have a variety of assessments available. Some of the assessments that may be used at All Kids and Family, or similar, include those listed below.
Autism Assessments
- Autism Diagnostic Obs. Schedule (ADOS)
- ASD assessments and recommendations (ADOS-2, ADI-R, ASRS, School Observation, GARS, CARS, MIGDAS)
ADHD Assessments
- Attention, Executive Functioning, Hyperactivity and ADHD assessments (Conners 4, Brief, CEFI etc)
- Test of Variable Attention TOVA
Executive Functioning Assessments
Adaptive Behaviour Assessments
- Vinelands 3
- Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System Third Edition (ABAS-3)
Cognition and Learning Assessments
- Cognitive testing e.g. WAIS IV, WISC V, WPPSI III, SB-5,
- Learning assessments e.g. WIAT III, KTEA
Mental Health Assessments
Assessments in this area are varied and mostly range from observation checklists to self-report questionnaires and standardised checklists
If you are looking for a diagnosis of Learning difficulties, Dyslexia, Intellectual disability, ADHD/Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ASD/Autism, our diagnostic clinicians generally complete a ‘package’ of formal and informal assessments in order to make clear decisions about diagnoses. It is very important to ensure that other reasons for you or your child’s presentation are ruled out prior to making a formal, lifelong diagnosis. At All Kids And Family we are committed to supporting our clients through the diagnostic process and clarifying any diagnosis and the support and intervention following identification of a psychological disorder.
Functional Capacity Assessments
When to Choose a Psychologist-Completed Functional Capacity Assessment
- Psychosocial disabilities
A psychologist FCA is often the most appropriate choice for conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, severe depression or borderline personality disorder. Psychologists are trained to link symptoms such as thought disturbance, emotional dysregulation or trauma responses to real-world functional impacts.
- Neurodevelopmental conditions
For Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD or Intellectual Disability, psychologists assess not only observable behaviour but also the underlying cognitive skills, executive functioning, communication and adaptive behaviour. They may use standardised psychometric tools (e.g. WAIS, WISC, Vineland-3, SRS-2, BRIEF-A) to provide a comprehensive developmental profile.
- Complex presentations
If a participant presents with both psychosocial and developmental conditions, a psychologist FCA can provide an integrated assessment framework that considers all relevant domains of functioning.
- Diagnostic insight
Psychologists may reference DSM-5-TR criteria and provide clinical observations where appropriate. This can help link psychological factors to functional impact, supporting the overall credibility of the FCA.
- How to Decide
Primary area of impact:
Cognitive, emotional, behavioural or psychosocial → Psychologist FCA
Physical, sensory or environmental access → OT FCA
Type of evidence needed:
Standardised psychometric testing, diagnostic reasoning, behavioural risk assessment → Psychologist FCA
Home modifications, task analyses, equipment prescription → OT FCA
Complex or dual needs:
Many participants benefit from both types of assessments. A psychologist FCA provides a broad clinical overview, while an OT FCA offers detailed insight into environmental and functional tasks. Together, they can give the NDIA a comprehensive understanding of a participant’s support needs.
- Final Thoughts on Psychologist FCA’s
Choosing between a psychologist FCA and an OT FCA depends on the participant’s individual profile and the type of evidence needed for the NDIS. In some cases, both assessments provide complementary perspectives.
A psychologist FCA is best suited when key concerns involve mental health, cognitive functioning, behaviour or neurodevelopmental conditions. (i.e ASD/ADHD/LD etc)
An OT FCA is best suited when the primary challenges relate to physical, sensory, environmental or equipment-related needs.
A well-matched FCA helps ensure NDIS funding decisions are informed by clear, relevant evidence—supporting participants to access the services and supports that enhance independence, inclusion and quality of life.
Occupational Therapy Assessments:
As Occupational therapy assesses a child’s functioning across all occupations or ‘activities of daily living’, assessments can cover quite broad areas of development and skill level. Typically, these assessments are one on one with your child and parent/teacher questionnaires. Your OT will interview you to understand your child’s needs including developmental history, current progress and immediate concerns. They use assessments to identify your child’s development and set a baseline to measure future progress.
All Kids And Family currently offers the following assessment services:
Preschool/Kindergarten/Prep Screeners for School Readiness
Comprehensive Fine and Gross Motor Assessments
- Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Edition BOT™-2
Handwriting Assessments and School Provisions Assessments
- Beery Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration, Motor Coordination and Visual Perception (Beery VMI)
- Detailed Assessment of Speed Handwriting (DASH)
Sensory Processing, Sensory Integration and Self-Regulation Assessments
- Sensory Profile 2 – Infant, Toddler, Child, Teacher
Executive Functioning Assessments
Functional Assessments
- Vinelands 3
- Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System Third Edition (ABAS-3)
Kindergarten/School Observation
Note that these assessments depend on therapist location and availability, please call to discuss with our Reception and Administration Team or with your Occupational Therapist if you have any queries regarding applicability to your child/adolescent. Basic assessments costs are included in your initial visit, further charges may apply if a large battery of assessments are completed. Depending on your goals and your child’s needs, additional assessments may be completed over subsequent appointments and incur additional fees. Your therapist will discuss this with you if this occurs.
Speech Pathology Assessments
Speech pathology assessments focus on communication and literacy development. Your therapist may discuss your child’s immediate needs and seek to understand their developmental history particularly in the ways your child communicates with you and other people.
All Kids And Family offers a range of assessments which will help to diagnose and work out the best way to support your child/family.
Speech Assessments
- Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation, Third Edition (GFTA-3)
- The Articulation Survey
Oral Motor Exam
- Language Assessments (including receptive and expressive language)
- Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Fifth Edition (CELF-5)
- Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals – Preschool, Second Edition (CELF-P2) à CELF-P3 coming soon!
- Preschool Language Scales, Fifth Edition (PLS-5)
- Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fifth Edition (PPVT-5)
- The Rossetti Infant-Toddler Language Scale
Pragmatic (Social) Language Assessments
- Pragmatics Profile
- Talkabout Social Skills Assessment
Assessment of Reading and Writing Skills
- Foundations of Early Literacy Assessment (FELA)
- Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Third Edition (KTEA-3)
- Various Tests from Macquarie Online Test Interface (MOTIf)
Voice Production
Chewing and Swallowing Assessments
Assessment costs are generally included in your initial visit, however, there are times additional assessments may be needed. Some of these assessments may incur additional costs and will be discussed if needed.