OUR ASSESSMENTS
Assessment Services That Bring Clarity
At Cognitive Assessments Australia, we provide comprehensive psychological and cognitive assessments for children, adolescents and adults, helping people better understand their strengths, challenges and individual needs.
Whether you are looking for answers about autism, ADHD, learning, cognitive functioning, behaviour or psychological wellbeing, our experienced team takes the time to understand the bigger picture and provide practical guidance for what comes next.
Experienced Psychologists
Comprehensive Assessments
Neuro-affirming Care
Practical Recommendations
We value every person's experiences, perspectives and individual needs.
We take a thorough, evidence-based approach to understanding each person's individual strengths and challenges.
We recognise and respect neurological differences, focusing on understanding the individual rather than simply identifying difficulties.
Our reports aim to provide clear information and practical recommendations to help guide the next steps.
OUR ASSESSMENTS
A Range of Assessments, One Shared Goal
We offer a range of psychological, cognitive and neurodevelopmental assessments designed to help provide clarity, support and practical guidance.
Each assessment is tailored to the individual and the questions that need to be answered, with a focus on understanding the whole person rather than looking at test results in isolation.
OUR SERVICES
Understanding the Different Types of Assessments
Every assessment is tailored to the individual, with a focus on understanding the questions that matter most and providing practical information about what may help next.
Our assessment process may involve specialised testing, clinical interviews, questionnaires and a review of relevant background information. The exact approach depends on the type of assessment and the needs of the person being assessed.
01
Autism Assessments
Autism is a lifelong neurological difference that can influence how a person experiences, communicates and interacts with the world.
For many children and adults, an autism assessment can provide greater self-understanding and help explain experiences that may have felt difficult or confusing for a long time.
At Cognitive Assessments Australia, we use the ADOS-2 alongside clinical interviews, developmental history and relevant rating scales as part of a comprehensive assessment process.
Our approach is neuro-affirming, respectful and focused on understanding the individual rather than viewing differences simply as deficits.
We provide autism assessments for children, adolescents and adults, including presentations that may be less easily recognised, such as autism in women and girls.
Who is this assessment for?
Children, adolescents or adults where autism may be contributing to differences or difficulties in social communication, sensory processing, emotional regulation, learning or everyday functioning, or where a formal diagnosis is being considered for personal, educational or support-related reasons.
02
Neuropsychological Assessments
Neuropsychological assessments explore the relationship between brain functioning and behaviour, providing a detailed picture of how different cognitive abilities are working.
Depending on the individual's needs, assessment may explore areas including attention and concentration, memory and learning, language, executive functioning, processing speed and visuospatial abilities.
For adults, neuropsychological assessments may help understand the cognitive effects associated with conditions such as traumatic brain injury, acquired brain injury, stroke, dementia, multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions.
For children, they may help identify cognitive or developmental factors affecting learning, attention and everyday functioning.
The findings can help guide appropriate support, intervention and planning across clinical, educational, NDIS, return-to-work or legal contexts where appropriate.
Who is this assessment for?
Children or adults who require a detailed understanding of cognitive functioning, including where there is a history of brain injury, neurological conditions, concerns about cognitive change or a need for a comprehensive neuropsychological profile.
03
ADHD Assessments
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect attention regulation, executive functioning, impulse control, emotional regulation and everyday organisation.
For many people, ADHD may have been present for years without being formally recognised. An assessment can help make sense of long-standing difficulties and provide greater clarity about what may be contributing to them.
Our ADHD assessments may combine standardised cognitive testing, validated rating scales and detailed clinical interviews covering developmental history, current functioning and the impact of symptoms across different settings.
We also recognise that ADHD can present in different ways, including inattentive and later-identified presentations that may be overlooked.
A comprehensive assessment provides a clear clinical conclusion together with practical recommendations tailored to the individual's circumstances.
Who is this assessment for?
Children, adolescents or adults experiencing difficulties with attention, organisation, impulse control, emotional regulation, academic or work performance, relationships or everyday functioning where ADHD may be a contributing factor.
For additional support with organisation, focus and everyday skills, see our ADHD Coaching service.
04
Cognitive Assessments
Cognitive assessments provide a detailed understanding of an individual's intellectual and thinking abilities across a range of areas.
Depending on age and purpose, assessment may explore areas such as verbal reasoning, visual-spatial reasoning, working memory and processing speed.
Cognitive assessments can be useful for understanding intellectual giftedness, intellectual disability, learning needs, educational planning, NDIS applications, vocational decisions and changes in cognitive functioning.
For children, assessment may help explain differences between a child's underlying abilities and their day-to-day academic performance.
For adults, cognitive assessment can provide useful information when considering study, work, support needs or changes in cognitive functioning.
Who is this assessment for?
Children or adults who require a comprehensive understanding of intellectual or cognitive functioning, including for educational planning, giftedness, NDIS applications, vocational purposes or understanding cognitive strengths and difficulties.
05
Learning Disorder Assessments
Specific learning disorders can affect the development and use of academic skills in areas such as reading, writing and mathematics.
These difficulties are not simply a reflection of effort or motivation. A child or adult may be capable and motivated while still experiencing significant challenges with particular aspects of learning.
Our assessments can explore difficulties associated with dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia, using relevant cognitive and academic testing alongside clinical interviews and background information.
We assess both children and adults, including people who may have reached adulthood without previously receiving a formal diagnosis.
Our reports are designed to be practical and can include recommendations for schools, universities, workplaces and examination providers where appropriate.
Who is this assessment for?
Children or adults experiencing ongoing difficulties with reading, writing, spelling or mathematics, or those who need formal documentation to support educational, examination, university or workplace adjustments.
06
Educational Assessments
Educational assessments provide a broader picture of how a student is learning, developing and experiencing school.
Rather than focusing on one area alone, an educational assessment may consider cognitive ability, academic achievement, behavioural functioning and emotional wellbeing to help understand both strengths and challenges.
This can be particularly useful when a student is struggling academically, performing below their expected potential or when parents and teachers have concerns that are difficult to clearly identify.
Findings can help inform school support planning, Individual Education Plans, exam provisions, classroom adjustments and other learning strategies where appropriate.
Who is this assessment for?
School-aged children who need a broader understanding of their cognitive, academic, behavioural and emotional functioning, particularly where assessment findings may help guide school support and educational planning.
07
Behavioural Assessments
Behaviour can communicate something important about what a child is experiencing.
Our behavioural assessments look beyond the behaviour itself to explore the factors that may be contributing to challenging, concerning or difficult-to-understand behaviour.
The assessment may include clinical interviews with parents or carers, standardised questionnaires, behavioural observations where appropriate and a review of relevant background information.
We consider the child's developmental history, home environment, school experience and broader needs when developing an understanding of their behaviour.
The goal is to provide parents, schools and allied health professionals with clearer insight into what may be driving the behaviour and practical recommendations about what may help.
Who is this assessment for?
Children or adolescents experiencing behaviours such as emotional outbursts, aggression, oppositional behaviour, school refusal, withdrawal or other behaviour that may reflect an unmet need, neurodevelopmental difference or emotional difficulty.
08
Forensic Assessments
Forensic assessments are specialist psychological evaluations undertaken in legal, court-related and medico-legal contexts.
At Cognitive Assessments Australia, forensic assessments are conducted or supervised by Kerrin Danswan, who brings experience across forensic settings including government and justice-related environments.
Depending on the requirements of the matter, forensic assessment may include cognitive, neuropsychological, diagnostic, risk, capacity or other specialist psychological evaluations.
Our assessments are approached with careful methodology and an understanding of the legal context in which the report will be used.
Who is this assessment for?
Individuals, legal representatives, courts and tribunals requiring specialist psychological assessment for legal or court-related purposes.
09
Personality and Diagnostic Assessments
Personality and diagnostic assessments can provide valuable information about personality characteristics, emotional functioning and mental health presentations.
We use appropriate standardised assessment tools alongside the broader clinical picture, considering the individual's history, current functioning and the purpose of the assessment.
Rather than interpreting test results in isolation, our clinicians consider how the findings fit within the person's wider circumstances.
These assessments may support clinical formulation, treatment planning, forensic or medico-legal work, occupational assessment and other situations where a more comprehensive psychological profile is required.
Who is this assessment for?
Adolescents or adults who require a detailed understanding of personality, emotional functioning or mental health presentation for clinical, forensic, medico-legal or occupational purposes.
NOT SURE WHICH ASSESSMENT YOU NEED?
The Right Assessment Can Make a Difference
It is completely understandable to be unsure where to start.
Our team can help you understand which type of assessment may be appropriate based on your concerns, goals and circumstances.
Whether you are seeking answers for yourself, your child or someone you support, we can help you take the next step.
GET IN TOUCH
Book an Assessment
Have a question or want to find out more? Fill in the form and our team will be in touch to discuss your needs and help you understand the next steps.
Your enquiry will be reviewed by our team and handled with care and confidentiality.