Does My Child Need a Psychological Assessment?
Learning, Cognitive, Autism & ADHD Assessments Mandurah & Rockingham

Parents are often the first to notice when something doesn’t feel quite right with their child’s learning, emotional regulation, behaviour, attention, social communication, or daily functioning.
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Sometimes the signs are obvious. Other times, families may simply notice that their child seems to be struggling more than expected, feeling overwhelmed, falling behind at school, finding friendships difficult, becoming anxious, or having trouble managing routines and emotions.

It’s also very common to feel unsure about:

• What might be causing the difficulties
• Whether an assessment is needed
• What type of assessment may be most appropriate
• Whether to begin with a screening assessment or a comprehensive assessment

​At Belong Health, our Clinical Psychologist provides Psychology Assessments for children, adolescents, and adults across Mandurah, Rockingham, and surrounding areas.

We provide:

• ADHD Assessments
• Autism Assessments
• Learning & Cognitive Assessments
• Screening Assessments
• Combined Autism & ADHD Assessments

Our assessments are designed to help individuals and families better understand strengths, challenges, neurodevelopmental differences, learning profiles, and support needs.

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Progressive Invoicing Available

Assessment costs are invoiced progressively throughout the assessment process as sessions and report work are completed, rather than requiring one large upfront payment.
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This allows families and individuals to spread the cost across the assessment process instead of paying a large lump sum upfront.

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Not Sure What Your Child Might Need Support With?

​If you’re here, you may already be noticing that your child is struggling, but it’s not always clear why.
Some children may experience:

• Attention and concentration differences
• Emotional regulation difficulties
• Social communication differences
• Sensory sensitivities
• Learning difficulties
• Anxiety or overwhelm
• Executive functioning challenges
• School participation difficulties
• Behavioural differences

These areas can sometimes overlap, which is why it can be difficult to know what type of assessment or support pathway may be most appropriate.

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Not Sure Whether Your Child Needs a Full Assessment?

Many families are unsure whether they should proceed directly to a comprehensive assessment or begin with a screening assessment first.

To help support families earlier in the process, Belong Health now offers:

• ADHD Screening Assessments
• Autism Screening Assessments
• Combined ADHD & Autism Screening Assessments

Screening assessments may provide:

• Early clinical insight
• Guidance regarding whether further assessment may be beneficial
• Recommendations for next steps and supports
• Identification of possible neurodevelopmental differences
• A lower-cost starting point for families exploring concerns

Screening assessments are different from comprehensive assessments and may not provide sufficient information for:

• Formal diagnosis
• NDIS-related documentation
• Complex presentations
• Detailed cognitive assessment
• Comprehensive reporting requirements

Screening assessments are also not designed to “rule in” or “rule out” diagnoses on their own.

Some children may later be recommended to proceed to a comprehensive assessment depending on the outcome of the screening process and clinical recommendations.

​Our team can help guide families through the different assessment options and discuss which pathway may be most appropriate for their child.

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ADHD, Autism, Learning & Cognitive Concerns

ADHD & Attention Concerns
Some children and adolescents may experience:

• Difficulty focusing or concentrating
• Forgetfulness
• Impulsivity
• Emotional outbursts
• Difficulty following instructions
• Challenges staying organised
• Restlessness or hyperactivity
• Executive functioning difficulties

ADHD can present differently between individuals, and not all children with attention difficulties will have ADHD.

​Belong Health offers both ADHD Screening Assessments and Comprehensive ADHD Assessments.

Learn more about ADHD support

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Autism & Social Communication Concerns
Some children may experience:

• Social communication differences
• Sensory sensitivities
• Difficulty with changes in routines
• Emotional overwhelm
• Repetitive behaviours or focused interests
• Difficulty understanding social expectations
• Burnout or masking

Autism presents differently across individuals, including girls, teenagers, and individuals who may mask difficulties in social environments.

Belong Health offers both Autism Screening Assessments and Comprehensive Autism Assessments.

Learn more about Autism support

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Learning & Cognitive Concerns
A learning or cognitive assessment may be helpful if your child:

• Is struggling with reading, writing, or maths
• Is falling behind at school despite effort
• Appears bright but struggles academically
• Has uneven learning skills
• Requires a clearer understanding of how they learn

These assessments may explore:

• Intellectual functioning (WISC-V)
• Academic achievement (WIAT-III)
• Learning profiles
• Cognitive strengths and challenges

Learn more about learning difficulties

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What Is the Difference Between a Screening Assessment and a Comprehensive Assessment?

Screening Assessments
Screening assessments are designed as an initial exploration tool and may help identify whether further comprehensive assessment is recommended.

​Screening assessments generally involve:

• Parent questionnaires
• Teacher questionnaires
• Behavioural rating scales
• Adaptive functioning questionnaires
• Learning and behaviour questionnaires

Screening assessments may provide:

• Early insight into patterns of concern
• Recommendations regarding next steps
• Guidance regarding whether comprehensive assessment may be beneficial

​Comprehensive Assessments
Comprehensive assessments involve significantly more clinical assessment, interpretation, developmental history review, cognitive testing, collateral information, scoring, and report writing.

​Comprehensive assessments may include:

• Clinical interviews
• Neurodevelopmental history
• Cognitive assessment (WISC-V)
• ADOS-2 assessment (where appropriate)
• Parent and teacher questionnaires
• School collateral information
• Behavioural observations
• Detailed report and recommendations
• Feedback session

​Comprehensive assessments may be more appropriate where families are seeking:

• Diagnostic clarification
• School accommodations
• Workplace accommodations
• NDIS-related documentation
• Assessment of more complex presentations
• Detailed recommendations and support planning

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​What Does a Psychological Assessment Involve?

​Depending on the type of assessment, the process may include:

• Parent interviews
• Clinical interviews
• Standardised assessment tools
• Cognitive assessment
• Behavioural questionnaires
• Teacher questionnaires
• Observation
• Scoring and interpretation
• Comprehensive report writing
• Feedback session and recommendations

The goal is to build a clearer understanding of strengths, challenges, support needs, and possible next steps.

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What Types of Assessments Does Belong Health Offer?

Belong Health currently offers:

• ADHD Screening Assessments
• Autism Screening Assessments
• Combined ADHD & Autism Screening Assessments
• Comprehensive ADHD Assessments
• Comprehensive Autism Assessments
• Combined ADHD & Autism Assessments
• Intellectual Assessments
• Specific Learning Disorder Assessments

Assessments are completed by our Clinical Psychologist and include a detailed report and feedback session where appropriate.

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What Age Should a Child Have an Assessment?

The most appropriate age depends on the type of assessment and the concerns being explored.
At Belong Health:

• Intellectual Assessments: Ages 6-16
• Specific Learning Disorder Assessments: Ages 6+ including adolescents and adults
• ADHD & Autism Assessments: Completed where clinically appropriate when the individual can participate in structured assessment

​If you are unsure, our team can help guide you.

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Adult ADHD & Autism Assessments

Belong Health also provides ADHD and Autism assessments for adolescents and adults.

Many adults seek assessment later in life after years of:

• Burnout
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Difficulty managing routines or responsibilities
• Workplace challenges
• Emotional regulation difficulties
• Social exhaustion
• Masking difficulties
• Long-standing attention or executive functioning challenges

​Adult assessments may help provide greater understanding, recommendations, and guidance regarding supports and next steps.

When It’s Not Clear What’s Causing the Difficulty

​In many cases, it’s not immediately obvious whether a child’s challenges are related to attention, learning, or another area.
For example:

• A child may avoid reading because it feels difficult
• A child may avoid tasks because they struggle to focus
• A child may become overwhelmed due to sensory or emotional factors

​Understanding the underlying reasons can help guide the most appropriate support.

Compare learning difficulties and ADHD

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Still Not Sure Which Assessment is Right?

You don’t need to figure this out on your own.

​Many families come to us unsure whether their child may benefit from:

• An ADHD assessment
• An autism assessment
• A learning assessment
• Or a combination

We can help:

• Talk through your concerns
• Identify patterns
• Recommend the most appropriate next steps

Speak with Our Team for Guidance
Our team is here to help call us on 08 9586 3934 or send us an email here

Learn how to get a learning or ADHD assessment in WA

Learn how to get a learning or ADHD assessment in WA

free 20min connect Session
with our clinical psychologist

If you’re unsure whether an assessment is the right next step, we offer a Free 20-minute Meet & Greet call with our Clinical Psychologist.

Book Now

​​Frequently Asked Questions - Psychological Assessments for Children

What are signs my child may benefit from a psychological assessment?
Some signs may include learning difficulties, attention and concentration challenges, emotional regulation difficulties, social communication differences, anxiety, behavioural difficulties, sensory sensitivities, or concerns about school participation.

How do I know if my child needs a psychological assessment?
Families may consider a psychological assessment when concerns are ongoing or impacting learning, emotions, behaviour, relationships, daily functioning, or participation at home or school.

What can a psychological assessment help identify?
Psychological assessments may help identify strengths, support needs, learning differences, emotional or behavioural factors, and recommendations for supports or accommodations.

What is the difference between a screening assessment and a comprehensive assessment?
Screening assessments are designed as an initial exploration tool and may help identify whether further comprehensive assessment is recommended. Comprehensive assessments involve more detailed clinical assessment, cognitive testing, developmental history review, interpretation, and reporting.

Can a screening assessment provide a diagnosis?
Screening assessments are not designed to replace comprehensive diagnostic assessments and may not provide sufficient information for formal diagnosis or more complex presentations.

What is the difference between an ADHD assessment and an Autism assessment?
ADHD assessments primarily explore attention, impulsivity, executive functioning, and emotional regulation. Autism assessments explore social communication, sensory processing, behavioural patterns, and developmental history.

Can a psychologist help a child with autism or ADHD?
Yes. Clinical Psychologists can assess, support, and provide recommendations relating to autism and ADHD, including emotional regulation, behavioural understanding, parent guidance, and support planning.

Can therapy help my child with ADHD?
Many children with ADHD benefit from emotional regulation strategies, executive functioning support, parent coaching, school accommodations, Occupational Therapy, and psychology supports.

What are common signs of autism in children?
Some children may experience social communication differences, sensory sensitivities, repetitive behaviours, emotional overwhelm, focused interests, or difficulty with change. Autism presents differently across individuals.

How do I know if my child needs a psychologist?
Families may consider psychology support when a child is experiencing ongoing difficulties with emotions, behaviour, learning, attention, anxiety, social interaction, or daily functioning.

What age should a child see a psychologist?
Children may see a psychologist at different ages depending on their needs and concerns. Some children benefit from early support, while others seek assessment during school years, adolescence, or later.

What happens during a psychology assessment?
The assessment process may include parent interviews, questionnaires, standardised testing, behavioural observations, cognitive or learning assessments, feedback sessions, and recommendations.

How long does a psychology assessment take?
Timeframes vary depending on the assessment type. ADHD assessments may take approximately 1–2 weeks, autism assessments 2–3 weeks, and combined assessments 3-4 weeks.

Can psychology assessments help with school supports?
Yes. Assessment reports may help identify accommodations, recommendations, learning supports, and strategies that can assist participation and learning at school.

Can psychology assessments be completed through telehealth?
Some parts of the assessment process may be completed through telehealth where clinically appropriate.

Do I need a referral for a psychology assessment?
​No referral is required to book a psychology assessment. However, some families may access Medicare rebates through eligible referral pathways.

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Explore Home Therapy Packs
Our guides provide practical strategies to support children facing these challenges. To further enhance your approach, consider our Home Therapy Packs, designed to engage children and improve focus at home.
Explore Home Therapy Packs

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Phone: 08 9586 3934

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