A typical assessment includes the following steps;

Step 1: Introductory Consultation & Initial Screening

An introductory consultation is very important for intake and triage.  This is very helpful if you are unsure whether you or your child/young person needs a full neurodevelopmental assessment.  

This involves a current perspective interview/ mental health review, & preparation for the diagnostic assessments to follow, approx. 1 hour.

Step 2: Assessment Appointment(s)

Standardised and validated diagnostic assessment with specialist clinician.  This may include multiple appointments. 

ADI-R interview – approx. 2 hours

ADOS-2 – approx. 2 hours

ADHD Assessment

Neurodevelopmental/neuropsychological & cognitive assessment

Step 3: Formulation of Diagnosis and thorough feedback session, approximately 1 hour.

Step 4: Write up of detailed report, accepted by HSE, Dept of Education. & Health Care Providers. PDF of report also provided.

If you or your child experience difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity that interfere with daily activities, an ADHD Assessment may be beneficial. Our assessments provide a clear diagnosis and tailored recommendations.  This will be discussed at the initial triage consultation. 

The Psychological Toolkit assessments focus on autism & ADHD.  However, it is important to consider other mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions as part of the diagnostic process. A comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessment will be carried out, along with sreening for commonly co-occurring conditions to highlight what else needs to considered.

If it is felt that there may be additional mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions requiring a specific assessment for example, Dyslexia. This will be highlighted in the report with relevant recommendations.

An Autism diagnosis can help a person, along with their families and/or partners better understand the ways in which a person with autism experiences and relates to their world.

Many inaccurate ideas of what Autism ‘looks like’ and ‘means’ are often based upon knowing someone with a diagnosis.  Each person has a unique presentation and experience of autism. In itself, Autism is a natural form of human variation. 

At its’ core, having Autism means having a different type of nervous system, and therefore one will experience, process and respond to the world differently from non-autistic people in numerous ways. 

Yes, as a chartered psychologist with the P.S.I. for over 20 yrs, our reports are accepted by the HSE, Dept. of Education & Health Care Providers. 

All assessment packages involve a comprehensive assessment informed by NICE & PSI guidelines. 

One factor that often influences the price is the amount of time spent on the assessment and report writing process.  Some companies offer assessments and reports that are quite brief, others are more in-depth and comprehensive.

The ADOS-2, the Autism Diagnostic Schedule can take 2 - 3 hours to carry out, with the appropriate training.  Some companies offer a brief ADOS-2 informed assessment, which may be less expensive but will not have the same reliability.

At The Psychological Toolkit, we offer comprehensive assessments which include a current perspectives interview/mental health review, standardised and validated diagnostic assessments, screening questionnaires to consider co-occurring conditions, a thorough feedback session and a detailed report (incl. a PDF).