Assessments

We know finding a psychologist is hard to do. It's even harder to ensure that the psychologist will have a large library of up-to-date and evidence-based assessment tools. When you book an appointment with one of our psychologists, we will be able to assist you with your assessment needs which utilise technology for a quicker, more accurate and more enjoyable assessment process.

Diagnostic assessments

Each of the VCPS practitioners are highly specialised in conducting assessments in order to understand your symptomotology of a wide range of concerns. Our wide range of assessment tools allow every concern to be appropriately diagnosed, and a tailored, evidence-based treatment plan to be put into place. We have a number of practitioners who specialise in working with complex concerns which may have been difficult to understand or diagnose within other mental health services. We can also provide assessments specialised for each age group, including children and teenagers, in order to make the session more understandable and interesting to engage in.

Learning assessments

We have a number of practitioners who can provide learning assessments to identify learning difficulties, learning disorders or areas of academic giftedness. These are commonly requested for children, teenagers or young adults who are experiencing difficulties at school and have struggled to find a way to improve their results. The practitioners at VCPS have a broad range of tools to find out the specific areas of learning that are impaired, and to implement targeted, evidence-based strategies to improve their learning in these areas. Our practitioners also have the experience to engage young people in the assessment process, including through the use of trust-building and play therapy in a comfortable, relaxed environment.

Cognitive assessments

We have a range of cognitive assessments which are specialised for a range of unique concerns. These can include a test of intelligence, cognitive abilities, and problematic areas which are a cause of concern or difficulty. Each of the VCPS practitioners are qualified to conduct the basic cognitive assessments, and determine the best way to treat this or whether to refer on to more comprehensive testing such as a neuropsychological assessment.

Medico-legal assessments

Psychological assessments are often required for legal purposes, including to be used within court, within a workplace or for funding applications. We provide these services for individual clients, lawyers or insurers who are seeking an assessment. There are a number of practitioners at VCPS who are experienced in providing medico-legal assessments and writing comprehensive legal reports. Some of the specific areas that we provide assessments for include:

• Personal injury matters (e.g. nature/severity of an emotional difficulty resulting from an accident or injury)
• Work-related injury matters (e.g. personal injury or brain injury)
• Employment-related matters (e.g. capacity to work, barriers to progress, treatment needs)
• Decision-making capacity (e.g. in relation to managing financial affairs, appointing an enduring Power of Attorney, guardianship, medical treatment, or changing a will)

If you want to find out more information or enquire about a specific medico-legal assessment, please contact us to speak to our intake and support team.

Neuropsychological assessments

We have psychologists that specialise in providing comprehensive neuropsychological assessments. These can be to assess the direct impact of a range of injuries, disorders or difficulties on brain functioning. For more information, please click here.

Assessment for children and adolescents

We have psychologists that specialise in providing assessments for children and adolescents in order to gain information for diagnostic purposes, guide treatment and determine any educational needs. Some of the most common child and adolescent assessments are listed below.

• Autism assessment: Identify and diagnose autism spectrum disorders across ages, developmental levels and language skills, and determine the symptom severity. The assessment is designed to elicit behaviours directly related to ASD and covers the areas of communication, social interaction, restricted and repetitive behaviours and play. These assessments gain information that can inform diagnosis, treatment planning and educational recommendations.
• ADHD assessment: A reliable and leading assessment tool is used to diagnose ADHD and used to also assess comorbid disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years. The assessment takes into account home, social and school setting behaviours with rating forms for parents, teachers and youth. The results assist in developing informed intervention and treatment strategies.
• Cognitive assessments: This assessment is used for diverse reasons such as identifying intellectual disabilities, learning disorders and difficulties, evaluating cognitive strengths and weaknesses, assessing giftedness and assessing the impact of brain injuries. A cognitive profile is greatly beneficial in not only guiding treatment, but more importantly can lend vital information required to assist in educational planning in terms of a child’s learning styles, strengths and utilising these strengths to improve cognitive weaknesses.
• Emotional and behavioural assessments: Identify emotional and behavioural difficulties in children and adolescents, particularly when it is unclear as to what may be causing a child’s problem behaviours.