Assessments for children and teens
Academic assessments for children and teens.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm, or leave a message and we’ll call you back.
We’re away from the phones right now. Send an enquiry and we’ll get back to you by the next business morning.
First appointments are often available within 2 weeks.
- You don't need a GP referral to book.
- Call to ask about this week's appointments.
- Kingswood clinic, Nepean Health Hub, Level 3, 302/13 Barber Avenue. Parking in the car park under the Health Hub is free for up to 2 hours.
- Gledswood Hills clinic, Gregory Hills Health and Business Centre, Level 2, 25/13 Digitaria Drive.
- Our psychologists assess and diagnose
- A written report and a feedback session
- Reports take 4 to 6 weeks
Which assessment answers your question?
Start with the question you most want answered. Children often have more than one thing going on, so each assessment looks at the whole picture, not just one label.
| Your question | The assessment that answers it |
|---|---|
| Is my child's reading, writing or maths behind for their age? | An academic (educational) assessment |
| Could it be dyslexia, dysgraphia or dyscalculia? | An academic assessment, often with a cognitive assessment. See dyslexia assessments. |
| Why is school so hard when they try so hard? | A cognitive assessment and an academic assessment together |
| How does my child think and learn, and are they gifted? | A cognitive assessment |
| Is it ADHD? | An ADHD assessment |
| Is it autism? | An autism assessment |
Not sure which one fits? Call 1300 151 110 and we'll help you work out where to start.
Is this assessment for your child?
A child’s learning isn’t just a grade or a NAPLAN band. We look at how they’re taught, their confidence and how the school day runs, so the results make sense in real life.
What it answers
- Where are your child’s reading, writing and maths skills now, and why?
- What else is part of the picture, such as attention, working memory, language, vision, hearing, sleep or anxiety about school?
- What are your child’s strengths, and which skills need support?
- What could help at school and at home?
Who it’s for
An academic assessment suits children and teens whose reading, writing, spelling or maths isn't where you or their teachers expect, even with effort and support at school. It also helps when a child is losing confidence, avoiding schoolwork or working much harder than their results show. If the main worry is attention, behaviour or friendships, one of the other assessments in the table above may answer your question better.
Common signs include:
- Trouble learning letters, sounds or phonics
- Slow, effortful reading
- Guessing words, skipping lines or losing their place
- Spelling errors that don’t match phonics rules
- Trouble understanding what they’ve read
- Writing that’s short, messy or hard to organise
- Slow handwriting or tiredness during writing
- Trouble with number facts and basic operations
- Word problems that are hard to break into steps
- Forgetting instructions or losing school items
- Avoidance, tummy aches or meltdowns after school
- Big effort, but grades don’t reflect the work
These are differences, not failings.
How it works, from first call to follow-up.
Here's every step, and how long it takes, so you know what to expect before you book.
- Your first call. Call 1300 151 110, or send an enquiry and we'll get back to you by the next business morning. Client Care answers your questions.
- Intake session with parents or carers. You tell your psychologist about your child's development, health, schooling and what you and their teachers have noticed.
- Questionnaires and school input. Forms for home and, with your consent, for your child's teacher. School reports, work samples and NAPLAN results help if you have them.
- Assessment sessions with your child. Reading, writing, maths and thinking tasks, with breaks and play built in. The number of sessions depends on your child, and we explain the plan before you start.
- School observation, if it helps. Optional, in the classroom or preschool.
- Scoring and your report. Your psychologist scores the tests, compares your child's results with what is expected for their age, weighs up other explanations and writes the report in plain language. Reports take 4 to 6 weeks.
- Feedback session. You go through the findings, the report and the next steps for school and home together.
- Follow-up, if you want it. An optional extra session to review progress and next steps.
What you get, and what it takes.
The number of sessions depends on your child and what we need to understand. We’ll explain the plan before you start.
What it takes
- Intake session With parents or carers.
- Questionnaires And school input.
- Assessment sessions With breaks and play built in.
- School observation Optional, in the classroom or preschool, when helpful.
What you get
Feedback session
To go through the findings and next steps.
Your report
A written report with your child’s results and recommendations, in plain language. Reports take 4–6 weeks. Your report covers:
What your report includes
Your child's report sets out what was assessed, the tests used and the results, and explains them in plain language. Where the findings support it, it can include a diagnosis of a specific learning disorder, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia or dyscalculia. Recommendations are practical, for teachers and for home. You can share the report with your child's school if you choose.
Your report covers:
- A plain-language summary of your child’s learning profile, for home and school
- Their strengths and the skills that need support
- Recommendations for teachers and short routines for home
Follow-up
An optional extra session, with its own fee, to review progress and next steps.
Who does it
One of our psychologists carries out your child’s assessment and writes the report.
A clinical psychologist, a registered psychologist, or a provisional psychologist working under the supervision of a Board-approved supervisor. Our Client Care team will tell you who is doing your child’s assessment, and their registration type, before you book. All our psychologists are registered with AHPRA.
One of our psychologists carries out your child’s assessment and writes the report.
It may be a clinical psychologist, a registered psychologist, or a provisional psychologist working under the supervision of a Board-approved supervisor. Our Client Care team will tell you who is doing your child’s assessment, and their registration type, before you book. All our psychologists are registered with AHPRA.
At our Kingswood clinic, minutes from Penrith, IQ and learning assessments are done by these psychologists.
- Jarrod McNicoll, Registered Psychologist
- Brooke Gardner, Registered Psychologist
At our Gledswood Hills clinic, IQ and learning assessments are done by these psychologists.
- Christina Quattropani, Senior Registered Psychologist
- Owen Tong, Registered Psychologist
- Vanessa Dawson, Registered Psychologist
Funding
Whether any funding can help depends on your situation. Client Care can talk it through with you when you call.
See Rebates and funding.
What we assess, and tools we may use
What we assess
- Reading accuracy, fluency and comprehension
- Spelling and written expression
- Maths facts, calculation and problem solving
- Oral language that supports learning
- Phonological awareness and rapid naming
- Working memory and executive skills that affect the classroom
Tools we may use
- WIAT for achievement, and WRAT where appropriate
- WISC‑V for cognitive profile
- CTOPP‑2 and TOWRE‑2 for reading skills
- CELF if language concerns are present
- BRIEF‑2 for executive function
- Teacher consult, work samples and NAPLAN data, if available
If the results raise other questions
From the start, we look at what else could explain what you’re noticing, such as attention, working memory, language background, vision and hearing, sleep or anxiety about school. We do this first when we talk with you at intake, then throughout the assessment.
If the results raise other questions, your feedback session and report explain what we found and what could help next.
What the assessment does and doesn’t do
- It does look at what’s behind the difficulties you’ve noticed, and set out the findings and recommendations in the report.
- It doesn’t prescribe medication.
You can share the report with your GP or paediatrician if you choose.
See what a report looks like.
A fictional sample, so you can see what you’ll receive before you book.
Getting to our clinics
Kingswood, minutes from Penrith. Nepean Health Hub, Level 3, 302/13 Barber Avenue, Kingswood NSW 2747, next to Nepean Hospital.
- Look for the T-Spoon Cafe on the ground floor. We're upstairs on Level 3.
- Parking in the car park under the Health Hub is free for up to 2 hours. Ask us to validate your ticket if you're with us for over an hour.
- Wheelchair-accessible car park, entrance and toilet.
More about our child psychologists in Kingswood.
Gledswood Hills. Gregory Hills Health and Business Centre, Level 2, 25/13 Digitaria Drive, Gledswood Hills NSW 2557. More about our child psychologists in Gledswood Hills.
Questions, answered.
Can’t see yours? Our Client Care team can help on 1300 151 110.
Why would I seek an academic assessment for my child?
Assessments can explain why a child may be falling behind, losing confidence, or finding school unusually difficult. They help identify specific learning difficulties, developmental patterns, or emotional factors that may be affecting progress.
Is an academic assessment the same as an educational assessment?
Yes. Schools and families use both names. It measures reading, spelling, writing and maths, and compares your child's skills with what is expected for their age.
What is the difference between an academic and a cognitive assessment?
An academic assessment measures skills your child has been taught, such as reading, spelling, writing and maths. A cognitive assessment measures thinking skills, such as reasoning, memory and processing speed. Together they give a fuller picture of how your child learns and why school may feel hard.
What does the assessment process involve?
We use standardised tests that measure areas like memory, problem-solving, attention, literacy, and numeracy, alongside interviews and observations. We may also include questionnaires from parents and teachers to understand how your child functions in different settings, at home and at school.
How long does the assessment take?
The number of sessions depends on your child and what we need to understand. We’ll explain the plan before you start, so there’s time for history-taking, testing and gathering input from parents and teachers. Reports take 4–6 weeks.
What happens after the assessment?
You’ll receive a detailed written report that explains the findings clearly. We also meet with you to talk through the results, answer your questions, and provide practical recommendations for home and school.
Can Unbound Minds provide a formal diagnosis of learning disorders?
Yes. Our psychologists can diagnose specific learning disorders, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia, when the findings support it. A formal diagnosis can support school accommodations and targeted intervention planning.
Can I share the report with my child's school?
Yes, if you choose. The report includes recommendations for teachers and short routines for home.
Start with a phone call.
Not sure whether your child needs an assessment or therapy? We’ll help you work out the right next step.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm, or leave a message and we’ll call you back.
We’re away from the phones right now. Send an enquiry and we’ll get back to you by the next business morning.
Locations
Gledswood HillsLevel 2, 25/13 Digitaria Drive, Gledswood Hills. We call from (02) 8319 1945.
KingswoodLevel 3, 302/13 Barber Avenue, Kingswood. We call from (02) 8528 4620.
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