It is important to talk to your child/youth about what will happen before any procedure, including an assessment.  Children/youth feel less anxious when they know what to expect.  Adults do too!  Ensure that they know that there will NOT be a physical exam so no needles, poking or prodding.  It might be helpful to let them know that there might be some play-like elements such as games and puzzles.  Older children/youth should be told that there will be school-type work but no marks or grades are assigned. 

Psychological assessments are conducted by registered and/or supervised professionals who may include registered psychologists, registered psychological associates, and psychoeducational consultants. All psychology team members have extensive post-graduate training in child development, learning processes, social-emotional development, and psychological health and wellness. The assessor(s) the Glebe uses are certified to perform assessments within the scope of their practice. 

If your child/youth wears glasses or hearing aids, make sure that they are brought to the assessment.  Also, if your child/youth is insulin dependent, ensure the assessor knows of any snack/break requirements.  Alert the assessor of any other medical needs or concerns PRIOR to the day of the assessment. 

If possible, also bring copies of recent report cards, copies of previous assessments of any kinds (psychological, speech, hearing, language, OT). If your child has an IEP (Individual Education Plan), please bring that as well. 

First, the psychology team member will meet with the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) (if the client is under the age of 18) to provide information about the assessment and implications in order for the parent/guardian to make an informed decision on proceeding with the assessment. 

Once the parent/guardian agrees to an assessment, the psychology team member will spend time with the parent/guardian reviewing the child’s/youth  developmental history and any medical concerns or issues, in order to develop an understanding of the child/youth’s personality and how the child functions within the family and the community. 

The psychology team member will then gather information from parents/guardians, and if possible, from teachers.  They will also review all existing documents including any available professional reports. 

The psychology team will administer a variety of standardized tests based on the referral question. Measures that are commonly administered include standardized tests of intellectual ability, academic achievement, attention and information processing, perceptual motor skills, learning and memory, language skills, personality, socio-emotional functioning, and adaptive functioning. 

The psychology team member then gathers all the information, including test scores, analyses all measures administered, and concludes about the nature of the difficulties and strategies necessary to help the child/youth be more successful in all relevant areas. 

The psychology team member then writes a complete report, and the results are shared with the parents/guardians.

Children/youth are seen in a one-on-one setting over a few sessions to avoid fatigue and promote optimal performance. A typical break down of the assessment is as follows:  

• • 3-4 hours of interviewing/talking with teachers and parents, reviewing reports, and possibly observing the student at school. 
  • 6-10 hours of test administration. 
  • 10-12 hours to score tests, write the report, and share the information with parents/guardians.  The process takes place over several weeks and varies with the number of measures used and the child’s ability to focus and concentrate for extended periods. 

The original report is stored in the child/youth’s confidential clinical file which is securely maintained until the child/youth reaches 21 years of age.  If the individual assessed is over the age of 18, the report is securely maintained for a period of 10 years. Parents/guardians will receive a copy of the report. 

Access to the file is determined by the parents/guardians.  If the assessment has been arranged for and paid for by a third party (such as a school) that third party will also be given access to the results. The information in the psychological assessment cannot be released without parental permission. In rare cases the information can be requested by the court.