available assessments

What is an ADHD Assessment?
At Pivot Point Psychology, our ADHD assessments are warm, engaging, and designed with your child’s comfort in mind. We know the diagnostic process can feel daunting, so we work closely with you and your family to make it smooth, supportive, and affirming.

Why Choose Our Assessments? 

• Neuroaffirming approach: We create a welcoming, sensory-friendly space that respects your child’s needs, identity, and strengths.  
• Expert understanding: Our team is skilled in recognising ADHD across ages and contexts, including complex cases (e.g., twice exceptional).  
• Best practice standards: We follow Australian guidelines (AADPA), DSM-5-TR criteria, and use trusted, evidence-based tools.

What to Expect 

• Fun, tailored process: Engaging tasks (e.g., puzzles, conversations) in our Orange clinic, adjusted to your child’s pace and self-regulation needs.  
• Family collaboration: We listen to you and your child, ensuring everyone feels heard and supported.  
• Takes 1-2 sessions: Includes breaks and a comfortable setting, typically 2-3 hours total.  
• Comprehensive report: Get a clear, detailed report with personalised strategies for home, school, and therapy.

How It Helps
Our assessments:  

• Celebrate strengths: Highlight your child’s unique talents, like creativity or problem-solving.  
• Guide support: Offer practical recommendations for school accommodations, parenting strategies, or therapy.  
• Empower understanding: Clarify ADHD and related needs, fostering confidence and growth.

Who Benefits? 

• Kids & teens: Helps families and schools create effective support plans.  
• Complex cases: Supports twice-exceptional or neurodivergent children with affirming care.

Why Pivot Point Psychology?
We’re a neuroaffirming practice, embracing identity-first language, gender preferences, and a strengths-based approach. Our goal is to make your child feel valued and understood in a safe, inclusive space.

What is a Cognitive (IQ) Assessment?
A cognitive (IQ) assessment is a friendly, professional way to explore how you or your child think and learn. It gives a clear picture of intellectual abilities, highlighting strengths and areas where extra support might help. We offer assessments for ages 6 to 90, so everyone can benefit. 

What Does It Measure?
Our assessments look at key thinking skills, including:  

• Verbal comprehension: Understanding and using words.  
• Visual-spatial skills: Solving puzzles or visualising ideas.  
• Fluid reasoning: Problem-solving and thinking flexibly.  
• Working memory: Holding and using information in the moment.  
• Processing speed: How quickly you handle tasks.

This creates a unique cognitive profile to guide your journey.

How Can It Help?
An IQ assessment can:  

• Uncover strengths: Discover what you or your child excel at, like creative problem-solving or strong memory.  
• Identify support needs: Pinpoint areas where learning or focus might be tricky, helping tailor support at home or school.  
• Support diagnoses: Pair with evaluations for autism, ADHD, or other needs to understand the full picture.  
• Guide planning: Inform school accommodations, therapy goals, or personal growth strategies.

What to Expect 

• Warm, supportive process: Our psychologists create a comfortable space, using engaging tasks (like puzzles or questions) suited to your age.  
• Takes 1-2 hours: Usually completed in one session, with breaks as needed.  
• Detailed report: You’ll get a clear, easy-to-read summary of results, plus practical recommendations.  
• Follow-up chat: We’ll explain findings and next steps to support you or your child.

Who Can Benefit? 

• Kids (6+): Helps parents understand learning styles, school challenges, or giftedness.  
• Teens: Supports academic planning or clarifies neurodevelopmental needs (e.g., ADHD).  
• Adults: Offers insights for career planning, self-understanding, or managing cognitive changes.

What is an Academic Assessment?
Our academic assessments are a friendly, professional way to understand how you or your child learn in key school skills like reading, writing, math, and oral language. Designed for ages 6 to 50, they show strengths and areas for growth compared to others of the same age.

What Does It Measure?
We explore essential academic skills:  

• Oral language: Speaking and understanding spoken words.  
• Reading: Decoding, comprehension, and fluency.  
• Written expression: Writing clearly and creatively.  
• Mathematics: Number skills, problem-solving, and reasoning.

This creates a clear picture of learning abilities to guide success.

How Can It Help?
An academic assessment can:  

• Highlight strengths: Discover talents, like strong reading or math skills.  
• Spot challenges: Identify areas needing support, like writing or comprehension.  
• Guide school support: Inform individualised education plans (IEPs) or tutoring.  
• Clarify learning needs: Pair with cognitive (IQ) assessments for a full view, especially for ADHD, dyslexia, or other needs.

What to Expect 

• Welcoming process: Our psychologists use engaging tasks (like reading or math activities) in a comfortable setting.  
• Takes 2 hours: Usually one session, with breaks as needed.  
• Clear report: Get an easy-to-read summary with practical tips for home or school.  
• Follow-up: We’ll explain results and next steps to support learning.

Who Can Benefit? 

• Kids (6+): Helps parents understand school struggles or giftedness.  
• Teens: Supports study strategies or accommodations for exams.  
• Adults (up to 50): Aids career training or academic goals.

When to Choose This Assessment 

• Standalone: If you’ve had a recent cognitive (IQ) assessment or only need academic skills checked.  
• Full educational assessment: If a broader evaluation (including IQ) is needed, we’ll guide you.

What is an Educational Assessment?
Our educational assessments are a warm, professional way to understand how you or your child learn and think. Combining cognitive (IQ) and academic evaluations, they offer a complete picture of strengths and areas needing support. Offered at our Orange clinic for ages 6 to 90, they guide personalised learning plans.

What Does It Measure? 

• Cognitive (IQ) Assessment: Explores key thinking skills:  
  • Verbal comprehension (using words).  
  • Visual-spatial skills (solving visual puzzles).  
  • Fluid reasoning (problem-solving).  
  • Working memory (holding information).  
  • Processing speed (task efficiency).
• Academic Evaluation: Checks school skills:  
  • Reading (comprehension, fluency).  
  • Writing (expression, clarity).  
  • Math (numbers, reasoning).

This creates a unique profile to boost learning.

How Can It Help?
An educational assessment can:  

• Celebrate strengths: Highlight talents, like math skills or creative writing.  
• Support challenges: Identify needs, such as help with reading or focus.  
• Diagnose conditions: Spot learning disorders (e.g., dyslexia, affecting 5-10% of students), intellectual disabilities (1-3% of people), or giftedness.  
• Guide plans: Create school accommodations, therapy goals, or advanced learning strategies.  
• Enhance understanding: Pair with ADHD or autism assessments for a fuller picture.

What to Expect 

• Friendly process: Our caring psychologists use fun tasks (puzzles, reading, math) in a cozy Orange clinic setting.  
• Takes 4 hours: Usually one or two sessions, with breaks for comfort.  
• Detailed report: Get a clear, easy-to-read summary with tips for home and school.  
• Follow-up chat: We’ll explain results and next steps to support you.

Who Can Benefit? 

• Kids (6+): Helps parents understand school struggles or giftedness.  
• Teens: Supports exam accommodations or study plans.  
• Adults (up to 90): Aids career training or lifelong learning goals.