Psychoeducational assessments for children and teens (ages 6 to 16)

in Brookvale, Northern Beaches, Sydney

If your child is struggling at school, experiencing frustration with homework, or showing signs of a learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia, a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment identifies difficulties early and provides clear answers, renewed confidence, and an actionable plan.
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At a glance
WHO CAN BE ASSESSED

Children and adolescents, ages 6 to 16

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

WISC-V, WIAT-III, and screening questionnaires, alongside a review of school reports

WHAT YOU RECEIVE

A full written report and feedback session, suitable for sharing with schools, GPs, or other health professionals

MEDICARE REBATES

May be available, see the FAQs below for eligibility

✦
GETTING STARTED

A 20-minute intake call to check availability and talk through whether this is the right fit

Understanding how your child learns

A psychoeducational assessment looks at how your child thinks and how they learn, and at the relationship between the two. It measures cognitive abilities such as verbal reasoning, visual processing, working memory, and processing speed, alongside academic skills in reading, writing, and maths. A psychoeducational assessment can help determine if your child has a specific learning disorder, facilitating appropriate supports and understanding.
Psychoeducational assessment for children and teens by psychologist Jessica Radovan in Brookvale, Northern Beaches, Sydney
Learning difficulties are often mistaken for a lack of effort or motivation, particularly in bright children who have found ways to compensate. Northern Beaches families often reach out for an assessment when noticing that their child is:
  • Struggling with core learning skills like reading, writing, spelling, or maths
  • Working hard with little progress, where their effort isn’t reflected in their grades
  • Exhausted after the school day, drained by the constant energy required to keep up
  • Avoiding homework, or becoming distressed and frustrated when it’s time to start
How an assessment can help

Clear answers, and a plan for school

Every assessment is a collaborative process of understanding, not a checklist. The goal is genuine insight into how your child thinks and learns, whatever the outcome.

An explanation for the struggle

Identifying a specific learning disorder reframes years of school reports and homework battles that were never about effort.

Strengths as well as challenges

Cognitive testing shows what your child is genuinely good at, which is often the key to how they learn best.

Formal school support

A clear report opens the door to learning support applications, classroom adjustments, and exam provisions where relevant.

Renewed confidence

Children who have been told to try harder for years often find real relief in knowing the difficulty was never a reflection of their intelligence.

The process

What to expect

A psychoeducational assessment runs across four appointments, from the first phone call through to a written report and feedback session.
20 minutes
01
Intake call

A brief call to discuss your current concerns, answer initial questions, and determine the most appropriate assessment pathway for your child.

3 hours
02
Background information session

A detailed parent or carer interview exploring developmental history, school performance, current concerns, and previous supports. Past school and assessment reports are reviewed, and screening questionnaires (Conners 4, BRIEF-2, ABAS) are completed by parents, carers, and teachers.

1.5 hours
03
In-person testing

A supportive, child-friendly evaluation in a quiet environment with breaks as needed, covering cognitive functioning (WISC-V) and academic achievement (WIAT-III), with close clinical observation of how your child approaches each task.

3 weeks later
04
Feedback session and report

A dedicated consultation to review results, discuss diagnoses if applicable, and outline practical, actionable recommendations for home and school, with plenty of time for your questions.

FEES AND REBATES

$1,850, split across sessions

Children and teens under 25 may be eligible for a complex neurodevelopmental referral from a paediatrician or psychiatrist, which attracts a rebate of $406.20 across the assessment sessions. This is discussed during the intake call, and current fees are listed on the FAQs page.
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Psychoeducational assessment for children and teens by psychologist Jessica Radovan in Brookvale, Northern Beaches, Sydney
A neuroaffirming approach

Tools used for assessments

A combination of gold-standard and sensory-informed tools, selected to suit each person’s age and presentation. Select a tool to read more.

WISC-V

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 5th Edition evaluates verbal comprehension, visual spatial processing, fluid reasoning, working memory, and processing speed, providing an overall estimate of intellectual functioning and a clear picture of thinking style.

WIAT-III

The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, 3rd Edition assesses core academic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. Comparing these results against cognitive testing is how a specific learning disorder such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia is identified.

Questionnaires

Screening questionnaires including the Conners 4, BRIEF-2, and ABAS are completed by parents, carers, and teachers, gathering insight into how your child functions across home and school.

School reports

Past school reports and any previous assessment reports are reviewed as part of the process, building a picture of progress over time rather than a single snapshot.

Clinical observation

Close engagement throughout testing to observe how your child approaches tasks, their attention span, and any signs of neurodivergence, all in a low-pressure environment.
What comes next

Following the assessment

A report is the beginning of the support, not the end of the process. Following an assessment, individual therapy can help your child rebuild confidence after a long stretch of school feeling hard, and parenting support is available for working out how to advocate at school and reduce friction around homework.

Post-diagnostic support
Common questions

Psychoeducational assessment FAQs

An assessment is never wasted. If diagnostic criteria aren’t met, the assessment will still provide a much greater understanding of your or your child’s unique strengths and challenges, plus guidance on how to offer support and which adjustments may be useful.

Tell them they’re meeting someone who will do some activities with them to learn how their brain works and learns best. Let them know there’s no pass or fail, everyone’s brain works differently.

An IQ test measures cognitive ability alone. A psychoeducational assessment measures cognitive ability alongside academic achievement, then examines the relationship between them, which is what makes it possible to identify a specific learning disorder such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia.

Yes. Dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia are diagnosed through the pattern between cognitive testing (WISC-V) and academic achievement testing (WIAT-III), combined with developmental history and school information.

The process runs across four appointments. From first contact to final report is usually four to six weeks, with the feedback session held three weeks after the final testing session.

Yes. Reports are written to a standard suitable for school learning support applications, classroom adjustments, special exam provisions, and other formal supports, with clear and practical recommendations.

Medicare rebates may be available in some circumstances. Children and teens under 25 may be eligible for a complex neurodevelopmental referral from a paediatrician or psychiatrist, which attracts a rebate of $406.20 across the assessment sessions. This is discussed during the intake call.
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