Parents often ask how they can best prepare themselves and their child for an assessment with a psychologist. The assessment process can be daunting for parents and kids, so we aim to make the experience as smooth as possible. Here Hannah outlines some of the key steps for parents and suggestions of how to talk about the assessment with your child.

Preparing for the Intake Session

The goal of the intake session is for the psychologist to best understand your child’s development, strengths, difficulties and support needs. Therefore, it is helpful for parents to review and provide any relevant documents and information regarding their child. This includes:

Early Developmental History

It can be hard for parents to recall the specific details of their child’s early developmental milestones, particularly if your child is older or you have multiple children who developed at different rates. Where possible, it is recommended to briefly review this information by looking back at the records from your child’s Maternal and Child Health Nurse visits. Parents can also take copies of any relevant notes and provide these to the psychologist.

Prior assessment reports

If your child has already had an assessment with another psychologist, or with a different professional (e.g. speech pathologist or occupational therapist) then it is very important to provide copies of these reports. This prevents the psychologist from doubling up and repeating unnecessary assessments and also provides background information about your child’s development and presentation.

School Documents

Copies of your child’s most recent school reports provide helpful information to the psychologist about their academic progress, as well as any observations from teachers regarding their behaviour and engagement in class. If your child has an individual education plan (IEP) or similar document, then this is also helpful to provide to the assessing psychologist.

Referral

If your child is being referred for the assessment by another practitioner or their school, then it is important to provide a copy of the referral letter. 

Medical Documents

Any reports or letters from medical professionals that are relevant to the assessment should be provided. This includes consult notes from any paediatrician or psychiatrist consults, mental health care plans which your GP has completed for your child, or notes from any other specialists.

Don’t worry if you forget something! Your psychologist will follow up and you can send this information across after the intake session.

Preparing your Child for the Assessment

Most children will be curious to know why they are seeing a psychologist and what the assessments will involve. It is important to explain the process in a clear and transparent way.

For older children and teenagers, it is recommended that parents explain the assessment in a way which frames the process as a positive way to find out more about them. For example:

“We are going to see a psychologist named Hannah. Hannah is going to talk to you and us, and you are going to do some assessments with her. Hannah is going to help us to find out more about your brain and the supports you might need at home and school.”

For preschool and early primary children, it can be helpful to show them a picture of the psychologist and talk about some of the activities they will be doing.