Assessment Options
“Every child is different. Our assessments are designed to help families understand what may be contributing to learning, attention, behaviour, emotional regulation or developmental differences.”
We understand that starting an assessment can feel like a big step for families. To make the process feel clearer and less overwhelming, we have created a simple overview of what to expect at The Joyful Psych. This guide explains each step in an easy-to-follow way, so families can feel more prepared and confident before beginning an assessment.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Assessments
At The Joyful Psych, we provide warm, child-centered autism assessments to support families in better understanding their child’s unique strengths and needs. Our in-person evaluation process is designed to be engaging, comprehensive, and developmentally appropriate—especially for neurodivergent children.
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We offer autism assessments for children who may be showing signs of neurodivergence, including differences in:
Communication
Play
Social interaction
Emotional regulation
Sensory processing
Whether you're just beginning to explore a diagnosis or seeking greater clarity and support, we’re here to help.
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Our Autism assessments include three face to face sessions and as many screening questionnaires for parents, teachers and your child as necessary. The total cost is calculated based on assessments needing approximately 6-8 hours for full completion. Our autism evaluation includes the following key components:
1. Initial Parent/Caregiver Interview
We begin by meeting with you to learn about your child’s developmental history, daily routines, strengths, and areas of concern. This collaborative conversation sets the foundation for a meaningful assessment.
2. MIGDAS-2 (Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum)
We use the MIGDAS-2, a sensory- and language-based approach to evaluating autism, designed to make the process engaging and less stressful for children. This approach uses conversation, storytelling, and play to gain insight into how your child experiences the world.
3. Screening Questionnaires
We gather input through standardised autism and adaptive functioning screening tools completed by parents and (when appropriate) teachers. These questionnaires help inform a full picture of your child’s behaviour across different environments.
4. Comprehensive Diagnostic Report
Following the evaluation, you will receive a detailed report that outlines findings, diagnostic impressions, and individualised recommendations for support at home, school, and in the community.
5. Report Feedback Session
We will schedule a follow-up session to walk through the report with you, answer any questions, and ensure you feel supported and informed moving forward.
*Please note report finalisation cannot occur until all questionnaires and testing sessions have been completed. This may affect the timing of the report feedback. Timing of the report feedback session and release of the report is usually 2-3 weeks after the final testing session. Reports will not be released until full payment of fees has been received.
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The cost is divided into four payments as follows:
Payable at initial session - $300
Payable at assessment session 1 - $300
Payable at report feedback session - $300
Report fee, payable prior to release of report - $850
Total Cost: $1,750 (incl. GST)
Unfortunately, Medicare does not offer rebates for Autism Assessments. Please check with your private health fund to see if they cover any assessment sessions. Policies
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Assessments
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We work with children who may be showing signs of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), such as:
Difficulty focusing or completing tasks
Impulsivity or frequent interruptions
High levels of physical or verbal energy
Trouble organizing, remembering, or following instructions
Emotional regulation difficulties
Helpful when parents or schools are seeking clarity around attention, executive functioning and day-to-day regulation.
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Our ADHD assessments include three face to face sessions and as many screening questionnaires for parents, teachers and your child as necessary. The total cost is calculated based on assessments needing approximately 6-8 hours for full completion. Sessions are broken down as follows:
1. Initial Parent/Caregiver Interview
We start by learning about your child’s developmental history, daily routines, and specific concerns you’ve noticed at home or in school.2. Young DIVA-5
This structured diagnostic interview is based on DSM-5 criteria and adapted for children. It helps us understand how ADHD symptoms may show up across settings and over time.3. ADHD Screening Questionnaires
You (and teachers, if applicable) will complete targeted rating scales that assess attention, impulse control, hyperactivity, and executive functioning.4. Comprehensive Diagnostic Report
We’ll synthesize all data into a clear, actionable report outlining diagnostic impressions and personalized recommendations.5. Report Feedback Session
We’ll review the findings with you in a dedicated session, answer questions, and guide you through next steps for support and advocacy.*Please note report finalisation cannot occur until all questionnaires and testing sessions have been completed. This may affect the timing of the report feedback. Timing of the report feedback session and release of the report is usually 2-3 weeks after the final testing session. Reports will not be released until full payment of fees has been received.
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The cost is divided into four payments as follows:
Payable at initial session - $300
Payable at assessment session 1 - $300
Payable at report feedback session - $300
Report fee, payable prior to release of report - $850
Total Cost: $1,750 (incl. GST)
Unfortunately, Medicare does not offer rebates for ADHD Assessments. Please check with your private health fund to see if they cover any assessment sessions. Policies
At The Joyful Psych, we offer compassionate, developmentally appropriate ADHD assessments for children. Our in-person evaluations are designed to help families make sense of their child’s behaviour, uncover their strengths, and create a clear plan forward.
Psychoeducational Assessments
At The Joyful Psych, we provide psychoeducational assessments for school aged children and adolescents. This assessment investigates cognitive ability, academic standing and may identify possible neurodevelopmental disorders (ADHD, Autism), specific learning disorders (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia), as well as mood/anxiety disorders.
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For children experiencing learning difficulties, reading, writing or maths challenges, attention issues, or uneven academic progress. this may possibly present as some of the following:
Academic difficulties are present and there are concerns about progress.
Specific school tasks are difficult, such as reading, writing or maths.
There is difficulty with organisation, following instructions or completing tasks, even when there is a willingness to do well.
There may be hyperactivity, impulsivity, distractibility or difficulty staying on task.
The assessment has been requested by another professional (teacher, paediatrician, psychologist, psychiatrist).
Helpful when families need to understand a child’s learning profile and identify practical school-based recommendations.
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Our psychoeducational assessments include four face to face sessions and as many screening questionnaires for parents, teachers and your child as necessary. The total cost is calculated based on assessments needing approximately 10 hours for full completion. Sessions are broken down as follows:
Initial session (60 minutes) - In this session I meet with parents for the majority of the session to gain a comprehensive history and understanding of current difficulties. I spend a few minutes with your child to build rapport and gain an understanding of their experiences. Parents may decide to attend this session without their child.
Testing session 1 (60 minutes) - This session is spent with the child only and testing occurs in a quiet room using the WJ-IV Achievement and Cognitive suites.
Testing session 2 (60 minutes) - This session is spent with the child only and testing occurs in a quiet room using the WJ-IV Cognitive suite.
Report Feedback session (60 minutes) - This session is a parent only session where we discuss the results of the testing. The report is generally released at this time also.
*Please note report finalisation cannot occur until all questionnaires and testing sessions have been completed. This may affect the timing of the report feedback. Timing of the report feedback session and release of the report is usually 2-3 weeks after the final testing session. Reports will not be released until full payment of fees has been received.
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The cost is divided into five payments as follows:
Payable at initial session - $395
Payable at testing session 1 - $525
Payable at testing session 2 - $525
Payable at report feedback session - $395
Report fee, payable prior to release of report - $610
Total Cost: $2,450 (incl. GST)
Unfortunately, Medicare does not offer rebates for Psychoeducational Assessments. Please check with your private health fund to see if they cover any assessment sessions. Policies
Not sure which assessment your child needs?
That is completely normal. Many families are unsure where to start, especially when concerns overlap across learning, attention, behaviour, emotional regulation and social development.
During the enquiry process, we can help guide you toward the most appropriate assessment pathway based on your child’s age, school year, current concerns and any recommendations already made by a teacher, GP, paediatrician or allied health professional.
ASD Assessment may be suitable when:
Your child has differences with social communication, play, flexibility, sensory processing, friendships or emotional regulation.
ADHD Assessment may be suitable when:
Your child has difficulty sustaining attention, completing tasks, managing impulses, organising themselves or regulating energy levels.
Psychoeducational Assessment may be suitable when:
Your child is experiencing learning difficulties, school-based challenges, reading, writing, maths or attention concerns.