ASSESSMENTS
Psychological and Educational Assessment for Children in Melbourne
Understanding how your child learns is the first step towards clarity and confidence for the whole family.
Psychological Assessments
Understanding how your child learns is the first step towards clarity and confidence for your family.
Many parents come to us unsure whether what they’re noticing is part of their child’s unique learning style or something that may benefit from additional support.
You might see changes in your child’s attention, learning, behaviour or emotional regulation, and wonder whether it’s time to seek further understanding.
It’s natural to feel unsure when you’re trying to make sense of what your child needs. Our team provides thoughtful, family-centred support to help you understand how your child learns and what may support them.
Why start with an assessment for your child?
A psychological assessment can help bring much-needed clarity to you and your family.
Assessments explore how your child processes information, approaches tasks and engages with the world around them. This broader understanding allows families to better support their child both at home and in the classroom.
At Step by Step Psychology, our assessments help families understand their child’s learning profile and what supports will help them succeed.
Based in Melbourne, our team provides a range of structured assessments, including:
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- ADHD assessment for children experiencing differences in attention, focus or self-regulation
- Autism assessment to explore differences in social communication, interaction and sensory processing
- Learning disorder assessment, including dysgraphia, dyscalculia and dyslexia assessment Melbourne, for children experiencing ongoing writing, mathematical or reading challenges
- Cognitive assessment to better understand thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills
- Educational assessment to explore how your child learns at their best, and identify appropriate primary school and high school supports
- Giftedness assessment to identify high cognitive ability and provide guidance on how best to support your child
Each assessment focuses on understanding how your child thinks and processes information, so we can identify strengths and recommend supports that work for them.
If you’re unsure whether an assessment would help your child, our team is here to help
What psychological assessments can provide
For many families, the greatest value of an assessment is the clarity it provides. An assessment can offer:
A clearer understanding of how your child learns
We explore how your child processes information, approaches tasks and responds to different learning environments.
Insight into attention, learning and cognitive strengths
Assessments such as ADHD or cognitive assessments help identify both strengths and areas where additional support may be helpful.
Practical recommendations for home and school
Findings are translated into clear strategies that parents and educators can implement in everyday settings.
Guidance on next steps and supports
Families receive direction on appropriate supports, which may include school adjustments, referrals or allied health services where helpful.
Our goal is not simply to identify challenges, but to provide families with useful knowledge and practical guidance that supports their child’s development over time.
Types of psychological assessments we offer
ADHD assessments
An ADHD assessment explores how attention, self-regulation and executive functioning may be affecting your child’s daily life.
You may notice your child:
- struggles to sustain attention
- finds it difficult to organise tasks
- becomes easily distracted
- has trouble regulating impulses or emotions
- finds transitions between activities challenging
An ADHD assessment helps families:
- understand how attention and executive functioning affect learning
- identify strengths alongside support needs
- receive practical recommendations for home and school environments
Autism assessments
An autism assessment helps families better understand how their child communicates, connects with others and experiences the world around them.
You may notice your child:
- experiences differences in social communication
- finds social interaction challenging
- prefers routines or predictable environments
- experiences strong sensory sensitivities
An autism assessment helps families:
- understand their child’s neurotype and communication style
- recognise strengths, preferences and support needs
- create environments at home and school where their child can thrive
Learning disorder assessments
A learning disorder assessment explores how your child is developing key academic skills such as reading, writing and mathematics.
Learning disorders are typically identified as differences in:
- reading (often referred to as dyslexia)
- mathematics (dyscalculia)
- written expression (dysgraphia)
Assessments of these areas focus on understanding your child’s individual learning profile and how they process information, rather than merely applying labels in isolation.
You may notice your child:
- works hard but continues to struggle with reading or spelling
- finds written work difficult or tiring
- has difficulty understanding mathematical concepts
- appears to fall behind peers despite strong effort
A learning disorder assessment helps families:
- understand their child’s learning profile
- identify specific learning differences, such as dyslexia and dyscalculia
- receive practical recommendations to support progress at school and at home
Cognitive assessments
A cognitive assessment (sometimes called an IQ assessment) explores thinking skills such as reasoning, memory, problem-solving and processing speed.
Families may consider a cognitive assessment to:
- better understand how their child approaches learning
- explore reasoning and information processing patterns
- identify cognitive strengths and areas that may require support
A cognitive assessment helps families:
- understand their child’s thinking and learning style
- guide school supports or adjustments
- inform future learning and development planning
Educational assessments
An educational assessment examines how a child applies their thinking skills to academic tasks such as reading, writing and mathematics.
You may notice your child:
- struggles to keep up with schoolwork
- receives mixed feedback from teachers
- finds lessons increasingly difficult or frustrating
- appears bored or disengaged in class
An educational assessment helps families:
- understand why learning challenges may be occurring
- identify both strengths and support needs
- receive practical strategies to support classroom progress
Giftedness and twice-exceptionality (2e) assessments
A giftedness assessment explores advanced thinking abilities such as reasoning, problem-solving, learning speed and depth of understanding.
Some children demonstrate high cognitive or academic ability alongside neurodevelopmental differences, such as ADHD or autism. This is often referred to as a twice-exceptional (2e) profile. In these cases, strengths and differences can interact in complex ways, sometimes masking one another.
For example, a child’s strong reasoning ability may help them compensate for a learning difference, or a learning difference may make their underlying gifted ability less visible or accessible in school settings. Some children work extremely hard to meet expectations while trying to balance their gifts with their neurodivergence. This can lead to exhaustion, frustration, or gradual disengagement from learning over time.
Families may consider a giftedness assessment to:
- better understand advanced learning ability, curiosity or reasoning
- explore patterns where strengths and neurodivergent tendencies exist together
- identify cognitive strengths alongside areas that may benefit from support
A giftedness assessment helps families:
- understand their child’s unique learning profile and thinking style
- recognise both strengths and support needs in a balanced, strengths-based way
- guide appropriate school supports, extension opportunities or adjustments
Our assessment process
Psychological assessments are designed to bring clarity, not overwhelm. At Step by Step Psychology, families are supported throughout the process with clear communication and thoughtful clinical care.
Assessments are structured and thorough, while paced to suit your child’s age, comfort and needs. Our goal is to help you understand what’s happening and provide practical direction for the next steps.
1
Initial consultation
We begin with a conversation about your concerns and what you’ve been noticing at home or school. This helps us understand the questions you’re hoping the assessment will answer and determine the most appropriate assessment.
2
Clinical intake
We explore your child’s developmental history, learning experiences and behaviour in more depth. This helps build a clearer picture of your child’s background and areas that may require further understanding.
3
Assessment sessions
Your child attends one or more sessions in a calm, supportive environment. These involve standardised tools and activities that help us understand how your child thinks, learns and processes information. During this phase, we may also reach out to teachers as needed for more comprehensive information.
4
Written report
Following the assessment sessions, your psychologist brings together all the information to form a clear understanding of your child’s learning profile.
This may include a diagnosis where appropriate, along with practical recommendations for home and school. The report is designed to give you clear direction, so you understand what’s happening and how best to support your child moving forward.
5
Feedback session
Once the assessment and report are complete, we meet with parents to discuss the results and outcome. Your psychologist explains the results and recommendations in clear language and answers any questions you may have.
What families receive
Often, it’s the ‘not knowing’ that causes families the most distress when a child experiences the world differently.
Through a psychological assessment, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of how your child learns, thinks and experiences the world. This is the best way to help them thrive.
Our families receive:
We collaborate with schools and professionals
Supporting a child effectively often involves more than the work that happens within the clinic. We prefer a holistic approach. After all, life is multi-faceted and so, too, should your child’s learning development be.
At Step by Step Psychology, we work collaboratively with schools, paediatricians and other allied health professionals to ensure children receive consistent and coordinated support across the environments that shape their daily life.
Where appropriate, our team may communicate with your child’s teachers, medical practitioners or other professionals involved in their care. This collaboration helps ensure a shared understanding of needs and aligned recommendations.
By seeking out collaboration with other professionals, we aim to reduce confusion for families and create a clear, consistent support network around your child.
Is it time to consider a psychological assessment for my child?
Parents often seek a psychological assessment when they notice patterns that suggest their child may benefit from additional understanding or support.
You might consider an assessment if your child is experiencing:
- Persistent differences in reading, writing or mathematics learning
- Difficulty sustaining focus or managing attention in the classroom
- Emotional overwhelm that affects school or daily routines
- Disengagement or disinterest in learning over time
- Fatigue or frustration about schoolwork
- Differences in social interaction or communication with peers
- Feedback from teachers about learning or classroom engagement
In many cases, families simply want a clearer understanding of how their child learns and what supports may help them thrive.
If you’re unsure whether an assessment may be helpful, our team can talk through your concerns and help you decide on the most appropriate next step.
FAQs
The length of an assessment can vary depending on the type of assessment and the child’s age and needs. Each assessment session can vary from 1-3 hours, with sessions spanning across a couple of weeks. Most assessments involve several stages, including consultations, assessment sessions, school observations or conversations with teachers and other allied health professionals as needed, and a feedback appointment. The process is paced appropriately for the child so they feel comfortable and supported throughout.
A referral is not required to arrange a psychological assessment. Some families may receive a referral from a paediatrician if they’re seeking access to Medicare rebates.
Depending on the type of assessment needed, psychological assessments can be completed with children from about 3 years old. We also work with adolescents through to young adults. The specific type of assessment recommended will depend on the person’s developmental stage and the concerns being explored.
The report belongs to you as the parent or caregiver. You can choose whether to share it with your child’s school or other professionals involved in their care. If you’d like it shared, we’re happy to facilitate this handover.
Many families find that sharing the report with teachers helps schools better understand the child’s learning profile and implement appropriate supports.
After the assessment is completed, families attend a feedback session where the psychologist explains the findings clearly and answers any questions. You’ll also receive a detailed written report outlining the results and practical recommendations that can support your child at home and at school.
After this, we can discuss ongoing support, like counselling if required, to ensure your child makes positive progress.We understand how confusing this part can be to navigate. Does your child need an ADHD assessment or a learning disorder assessment? We don’t require parents to know this upon contacting us. Our team is here to help you determine the most appropriate assessment, which is why we always start with an initial consultation. Get in touch if you’d like to discuss these options.
Next steps in your child's journey
Many families reach out when they’re still feeling unsure about what their child may need. That uncertainty is completely normal, and it’s exactly why we’re here.
An initial conversation can clarify your options and determine which assessment type is best for your child.
Book an appointment or contact our team to discuss your concerns and take the first step toward greater clarity and support.
Blackburn North: 9893 4537
Nunawading Clinic: 8821 6577
Contact us today