Assessment

This page includes information about:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnostic Assessment 
• Cognitive Assessment:

-WPPSI-IV for 2 years, 6 months to 7 years, 7 months,

-WISC-V for 6 to 16 years,

– WAIS-IV or WAIS-V for ages 17-to 90 years

(WISC-V and WAIS-IV/ WAIS-V available via qInteractive iPad administration)

• Educational Assessment/Academic Achievement Assessment (Using the WIAT-III)
• Adaptive Skills Assessment (Using the Vineland Parent/Caregiver Form, 3rd Edition, AND the Vineland Teacher Form, 3rd Edition, Vineland-3)
• Behavioural Assessment (Using Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklists (CBCL), Parent- OR Teacher-report DSM-V scoring edition)
• ADHD Screening using Conners Comprehensive Behaviour Rating Scales (CCBRS) OR Conners-4 ADHD Scales OR BRIEF
• Assessment for School Funding Purposes (for example Disability Inclusion Profile in government schools, Nationally Consistent Collection of Data Program; NCCD in Catholic Schools or Independent Schools)   

Please scroll down to read more information. Prices are correct for 2026-2027 financial year. Appointments phone Melbourne (03) 9808 3917 or Traralgon (03) 5176 6831.

Assessment for Autism Spectrum Conditions at Outside the Square Psychology includes:

• Comprehensive Developmental History.  (Parent interview may utilise ADI-R or MIGDAS)
• Child observation (using ADOS-2, MIGDAS/CARS-2)

and can also include:

• Cognitive assessment
• Adaptive Skills assessment
• Observation of the child at home, or in educational settings
• You may request, or the psychologist may suggest a feedback session following the autism diagnostic assessment.

The National guidelines for autism spectrum assessments can be found here

The child’s paediatrician may also recommend a cognitive assessment in addition to the above.  An adaptive skills assessment might also be recommended if the child is almost of school age, to assist with an application for inclusion support funding in school. Costs of these assessments in addition to the basic assessment can be found below.

Considerations for school funding applications are also covered separately further down the page.

A cognitive assessment is sometimes also referred to as an IQ assessment, or a psycho-educational assessment. Assessment at Outside the Square Psychology is available for:

Children aged 2 years, 6 months, to 7 years 7 months using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV Australian and New Zealand Adaptation)

Children 6 years to 16 years, 11 months using the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V Australian and New Zealand Adaptation).

Adults 17-90 years of age using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV).   

To save time and reduce costs for families, before your scheduled assessment date a Client Intake Form will be sent for you to complete. This helps gather relevant information for the cognitive assessment report about other involved professionals, prior assessments and current educational placements. In some cases, the psychologist may request an intake session to explore this information further if necessary. This consultation is separate to the cognitive assessment occurring and an additional standard session cost is charged. You may request, or the psychologist may suggest a feedback session following the cognitive assessment.

An educational assessment tests an individuals’ academic achievement in specific areas in a standardised manner. Using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Third Edition (WIAT-III) an individual’s achievement compared to their age- or grade- peers can be determined. Then, comparing this information to the individual’s cognitive potential (as measured by a cognitive assessment) it can be determined whether they are achieving academically in line with their potential.

Such a protocol is used to identify specific learning difficulties including Dyslexia (specific reading difficulties), Dyscalculia (specific mathematical difficulties), and Dysgraphia (specific written expression difficulties).

Our psychologists conduct relevant parts of the WIAT-III at minimum, and may also include the Comprehensive test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP) and/or other academic achievement measures depending on the individual psychologist’s preferred test battery.

The cost of this assessment includes administration of an age-appropriate cognitive assessment (Cost $1200), administration of the specific achievement tests related to the referral question (eg. reading/ maths/ spelling) at a cost of $1200, and a written report detailing results and recommendations. 

If a cognitive assessment has been conducted in the past two years and the report detailing IQ Index Standard Scores can be provided to our psychologists, an achievement test only will be conducted at a cost of $1200 to complete the Educational assessment.

You may request, or your psychologist may suggest a feedback session following the assessments.

An adaptive skills assessment compares a child’s skills in the areas of communication, social interaction, motor skills and self-care skills to the level of skill expected for their age. The purpose of the assessment is to determine whether a child is showing age-appropriate development in skills needed for everyday life.

The adaptive skills assessment available at Outside the Square Psychology utilises the Vineland Scales of Adaptive Behaviour- Third Edition (Vineland-III), Teacher Edition. This assessment is completed by the child’s  teacher at creche, kindergarten or school. A questionnaire is completed and scored, and a formal report with assessment results and recommendations is prepared.

If a child has never been in a formal learning program outside the home, a Vineland Scales of Adaptive Behaviour, Third Edition  (Vineland-III) Parent Report Form will be administered instead.

An adaptive behaviour assessment is required for some types of funding applications for additional assistance at school. More information about school funding assessments can be found below.

Screening for some psychological conditions, such as mood disorders, and behavioural disorders, such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder can be undertaken with a formal behaviour assessment. This may be incorporated in an initial parent consultation session, if the psychologist is not already familiar with your child. If your child is already a client at Outside the Square Psychology, the assessment may be conducted without an initial parent session. The assessment is then scored, the scores compared to diagnostic criteria from the DSM-5 and a formal report with assessment results and recommendations is prepared.

One type of formal behavioural assessment available at Outside the Square Psychology utilises the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklists (ASEBA; CBCL). These parent- and teacher-rated assessments are for children aged from eighteen months to eighteen years. Cost $650.00

Another type of formal behavioural assessment available with our team is the Conners-4 ADHD Scales or the Behaviour Assessment for Children (BASC-3), measuring the probability a child has ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder. This assessment is for children from six to eighteen years of age. The Conners-4 Adult ADHD Rating Scale is also available for ages 18 plus. Cost $650.00. Your referring medical professional may also request a cognitive assessment is conducted in addition to this behavioural screening assessment before making the final diagnostic decision about ADHD .

A formal behaviour assessment is useful for school funding applications under the criteria of Severe Behaviour Disorder. More information about school funding assessments can be found below.

Outside the Square Psychology can assist you with documentation required for applications for integration support funding through the Disability Inclusion Program, and the equivalent programs in non-government schools. 

More specifically, the required assessments can be completed to apply for funding when there is the presence of:

• Intellectual Disability OR
• Autism Spectrum Disorder OR
• Severe Behaviour Disorder (ADHD, ODD)   

To read more about the DIP program, what can be funded and which assessments are needed to show a student meets the criteria , click here

Contact the administration team to make an initial appointment (cost $230.00), and during the consultation, your psychologist will talk with you about the elements required for the application; which you have already completed and which the psychologist will need to assist with. A cost will then be determined depending on which of the following is required:

• A Vineland-III Adaptive Behaviour Assessment
• A formal behaviour assessment
• A cognitive assessment

For Victorian state government schools, applications for the Disability Inclusion Plan for children already attending school usually occur after a child’s support needs in the classroom have been observed for several months. Compulsory year 5/6 funding reviews are usually required before transition to secondary school. Read more here: https://www.schools.vic.gov.au/disability-inclusion

For Catholic schools, the program of support is the Students with Diverse Learning Needs Program model overseen by the Catholic Education Office (CEO). Round one funding applications are usually lodged in October, and round two applications are usually lodged in early February. Read more here: https://www.macs.vic.edu.au/Our-Schools/Students-with-Diverse-Learning-Needs/Disability-Funding.aspx

For Independent schools, the support program is called Students with Disability, overseen by Association of Independent Schools Victoria (AISV). Read more here:  https://isa.edu.au/our-sector/diversity/students-with-disability/ . Contact your child’s independent school to find out the closing date for applications.

All of these programs collect data for the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD). Read more here: https://www.nccd.edu.au/