Child Cognitive and Academic Combined Assessments

If your child has been given a referral for a Cognitive/Academic assessment, this might be the appropriate assessment for you. Alternatively, this is the assessment to choose where you’ve noticed and are concerned by any of the following behaviours:

• Memory Issues
• Slow at Activities
• Reading and Comprehension Difficulties
• Poor School Performance
• Disorganisation
• Behavioural Problems at School
• Difficulty Following Instructions
• Concerns with Intellectual Function
• Lack of Independence

This assessment can also be administered for Gifted and Talented Identification, where you may have noticed the following behaviours:

• Advanced Language Skills
• Intense Curiosity
• Rapid Learning Ability
• Exceptional Memory
• High Attention Span
• Emotional Intelligence
• Preference for Adult Conversation
• Unusual Sense of Humour
• Advanced or Early Development
• Perfectionism
• Questioning Norms

Please note: These behaviours are only indicators that this assessment may be helpful. These behaviours are normal and can be observed to different extents in children of all ages.

A Cognitive and Academic Combined Assessment may be useful if your child experiences difficulties in areas such as reading, writing or mathematics. A cognitive assessment is usually completed first to ensure there are no cognitive weaknesses that may be impacting on the child's ability to learn and complete academic tasks.  

A combined cognitive/academic assessment aims to help you and your child better understand their ability to learn, and their strengths and weaknesses in a school environment. If a learning disorder diagnosis was indicated, recommendations and accommodations/adjustments would be provided to assist the child’s family and school. 

Currently, we provide cognitive/academic combined assessments for children aged 7 and over. We are able to see NDIS and insurance clients. 

1. Assessment Agreement/Pre-Service Questionnaire

Parents/caregivers are required to complete a pre-service questionnaire before the assessment can commence. This collects background information about your child. 

2. Initial Consultation 

The initial consultation is a fact-finding, information gathering session where you will meet the clinician for the first time. It is to ensure you are receiving the most suitable assessment for your child. and to discuss background information and your current concerns. Please note, children below the age of 12 do not need to attend the initial consultation. 

3. Questionnaires

We ask for parents/caregivers, teachers/childcare providers and the child (age dependent) to complete a range of questionnaires prior to the testing sessions. These are completed online and take approximately 20 minutes each to complete. 

4. School Report / Medical or Psychological Reports

We request you to provide school reports and other documents from health professionals who have worked with your child prior to the first testing session.

5. Psychometric Testing Sessions

Typically, a combined cognitive/academic assessment requires 2 testing sessions, which can be completed online through Telehealth. You may be sent physical response booklets in the mail for Telehealth sessions. 

7. Report

After the testing sessions are complete, your clinician will prepare a comprehensive assessment report. The report would include a diagnosis if diagnostic criteria are met and, a summary of the results and recommendations for next steps. 

8. Feedback Session

Your clinician will meet with you to discuss all results and recommendations. You will be provided with an electronic copy of the full assessment report following this session. Please advise if you require a hard copy. 

We use a combination of online questionnaires, clinical interviews and psychometric testing sessions in our Cognitive/Academic assessments.

Our cognitive/academic combined assessments can be completed online via Telehealth. 

The estimated cost of a child cognitive/academic combined assessment is $3,630. 

At present, there are no Medicare rebates for cognitive/academic combined assessments. 

We do not process private health funds claims here at Northside Psychology. However, if you have private health, you can check with your fund if they cover psychological assessments.