FAQs

This process is not a test (even though it is unfortunately frequently called an assessment!) This process is actually a set of activities or tasks, and we don’t give out any “grades”. You cannot “fail” these tasks and there’s no studying that needs to be done. If we are nervous during the process, the results may not be valid. The only requirement is that the child continues to be their wonderful self by trying their best. We recommend making the assessment day an exciting experience for the child. Please tell them that they will have the day off school to celebrate their hard work that day. Make them a special breakfast, or take them out for lunch. You may consider giving them a small gift before they go to bed that night. 

A tailored assessment is designed to accommodate families who might need a different type of evaluation to best support their child. Tailored assessments can also be used to decrease costs, however, please note that we will never recommend a tailored assessment that would not be adequate for that particular case. 

It is normally recommended to re-assess children 2-3 years after the initial assessment. Please note that these are called Abridged Assessments at SPOT. Generally, the cost of an Abridged Assessment is lower as they may not need every assessment component as in the initial evaluation. 

In some cases, re-testing may not be necessary. Please speak with the child’s teachers and healthcare team to assess whether a re-assessment is warranted first.

We understand that many of the questionnaires may seem repetitive, but we still request that all forms are completed. The more information we can collect from the child’s caregivers and teachers, the better understanding we will have of the child’s current functioning. Therefore, we kindly request that parents and teachers please complete their questionnaires within 7 days of receiving the link. 

It depends on the insurance company, and the plan. We recommend first asking for a referral letter from a GP or Psychiatrist. In some cases, a GP’s referral for assessment is needed before an insurance company will cover the cost of an assessment. In other cases, an insurance company will ask SPOT to produce an invoice or letter to explain that an assessment is warranted. We are happy to help you with this. In any case, the best practice is to first speak with your insurance company to find out whether or not they can cover the cost of assessments for your child. 

Yes, we do. These assessments are generally tailored to the adult. As such, we have no standard package for adults. Please reach out to the assessment coordinator or our front of house directly to find out more. 

We ask the psychologist to decide what would be the best way to understand the child’s functioning within the school context. Some children can be timid or anxious if a stranger is present in the classroom and they may present differently to how they normally would. Older children are also not best suited for observations as secondary school classrooms are much more structured. Conference calls with teachers/learning support staff can be a better way of understanding the child’s functioning across different subjects, with different teachers and in different contexts. We will always choose the best option for your child. Please note that we request that the observation is kept discreet as we do not want the child to feel self-conscious. We ask the class teacher to explain to the class that the observer is there to observe the teacher and to learn from their class. 

We can understand that there might be some information that is relevant to our overall understanding of the child. In cases where this information may not necessarily affect the overall authenticity of the report, we will use our discretion when reporting on such details. However, we kindly ask parents and caregivers to share all that you can so that the psychologist has a detailed picture of the child’s environment. 

However, please note that if we feel that there are any issues that are relevant to the child’s safety, we will take further steps to ensure you and your family are safe.

We also want families to know that schools do not normally recommend a psychoeducational assessment for children without good reason, and it is likely that children behave or present differently at school and home. Therefore, it is best to ensure that families are working collaboratively with the child’s teachers and therapists. 

Parents should also note that prior to the pre-assessment meeting, we also request their consent to share a Referral Form with the school. This form is completed and submitted by the child’s teachers. Once returned to us, we will forward the form’s results to the psychologist for their reference. The purpose of this form is to ensure that we are considering the child’s functioning in both the home and classroom environments when making a recommendation for assessment or interventions.

We encourage parents to make recommendations on which teachers should be approached as we would like teachers who know the child well to complete the questionnaires. However, please note that we prefer to be in touch with the school’s Inclusion/Learning Support Coordinator. We organise the observation/consultation with the Coordinator directly. We also ask the school’s Learning Support Coordinator to send the questionnaire links to the appropriate teachers. Upon completing the background form, please include the Learning Support Coordinator’s name and email address. 

In some situations, there may not be a conclusive ‘diagnosis’ but the Recommendations will help pave the way forward for the student, parents and teachers, however, the Full Psychoeducational Assessment can diagnose a range of mood disorders, or learning difficulties. We certainly do not carry out assessments in order to create ‘a label’ but to help understand and support the child and family.