Psychological and Learning Assessments
What is a psychological or psychoeducational assessment?
It is a structured, standardized way of looking at someone’s functioning in their daily life. A psychological assessment typically focuses on mental health functioning (social, emotional, behavioural functioning). A psychoeducational assessment typically focuses on cognitive functioning (e.g., problem solving, reasoning, processing abilities, memory) and academic abilities (e.g., reading, written expression, mathematics).
At Child in Mind, we do comprehensive assessments that incorporate all components of your child’s functioning, because these areas are linked very closely for most children. Your clinician will work with you at the intake appointment to develop the assessment that meets your needs best.
How do I know if my child needs a psychological assessment?
A psychological assessment can help parents and teachers understand how your child’s strengths and challenges in the way they think, learn, and understand the world. Examples of referral reasons include:
Challenges learning in school; slower progress or uneven learning patterns
Difficulty paying attention, organizing tasks, or managing their time
Ongoing emotional dysregulation, worries, low mood, behavioural outbursts
Social difficulties or challenges navigating friendships or conversations with adults
What ages do your clinic assess?
We assess children from ages 6 to 16 years old.
How do I receive an assessment for my child at your clinic?
Our clinic has a waitlist. Please add your information to our waitlist [put link here] and we will connect with you about the next steps.
Which clinicians conduct assessments at your clinic?
Please see our booking page with information about specific clinicians who complete assessments.
Are sessions in person or virtual?
Parent sessions (intake, feedback) can be done virtually or in person. Sessions with the child are in person.
Do you assess children in French or who are at French schools?
At this time, we do not offer formal psychological assessments in French. When a child attends school in French or French is their primary language, we are usually able to provide clarity for a variety of mental health and behavioral challenges. However, our assessment is not appropriate for assessing academic abilities such as reading and writing. In these cases, the assessment should be done in the language of instruction to accurately represent how your child is learning.
How many hours is an assessment and how much does it cost? The cost will vary depending on your child’s needs in session, the complexity of the case, and the referral questions. More specifics about hours and cost are discussed at your initial intake with your clinician.
Approximately 16 to 20 hours @ $250.00 per hour = $4,000 to $5,000.
What is the process for a psychological assessment?
Intake Interview (parent only / virtual): Your clinician meets with parents to discuss the assessment process, concerns or questions about the child, and background information about your child/family (1 to 1.5 hours).
Assessment Sessions (child only / in person): Your clinician meets with the child to complete standardized activities (up to 9 hours, usually over 2 to 3 sessions).
Questionnaires: The child, parents, and teachers complete rating scales about the child’s functioning.
Data Analysis & Report Writing: Your clinician will integrate the assessment information into a comprehensive report, including background information, results from the assessment, recommendations, and possible diagnoses (5 to 8 hours).
Feedback Session (parents only / virtual): Your clinician meets with parents to review the results of the assessment (1 hour).
Will I receive information about my child’s assessment results?
Yes! At the end of the assessment process, parents meet with the clinician to discuss how the assessment went, any specific results that are relevant, diagnoses that might be given, and recommendations for next steps. You will be provided with a comprehensive report with this information that you can share with your family doctor and/or school.
Will my child receive a diagnosis?
Maybe. Through the assessment process, your clinician will consider what diagnoses your child might meet criteria for. The benefit of a diagnosis is to help your family access resources (for example, an individual education plan, funding to support services, or specific programming). Another benefit might be to better understand how your child navigates their world so you can meet their needs when they require support. The most common diagnoses we see are: learning disorders (e.g., in reading, written expression, or math), anxiety-related disorders, depression and other mood disorders, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and intellectual disabilities.
How should I prepare my child for the assessment?
Discuss the process in a supportive, low-pressure way. We don’t usually talk to children about “testing” or “assessment” because those words can be scary for children. You might start with something like, “You are going to meet with someone who helps find out how your brain learns best. You will do different activities like puzzles, word games, and drawing. There are no grades, and you just need to try your best.” You can discuss things that are hard for them and share that we are going to work together to get some tricks to make those parts of your day easier. Here is a more complete script that provides parents with more information about how to explain the process to your child.
Your child should come to the assessment healthy, well-rested, and comfortable. Please have them arrive taking any medication as usual and wearing glasses if they need. They can bring any snacks, water, and/or comfort items as needed.
How often should my child be re-assessed?
It depends. Results are generally considered “valid” for around 2 to 3 years. If your child has ongoing challenges in an area, difficulties change or increase in certain situations, and/or accommodations and supports are still required at times of transition (for example, between elementary to middle school or middle school to high school), then a re-assessment is recommended.