Psychological & Diagnostic Assessments
Understanding your child through a different lens
ASSESSMENTS THAT FEEL HUMAN, NOT CLINICAL
Our Approach
Many families arrive at an assessment feeling anxious. They have heard that assessments are long, cold processes that reduce a child to a score on a page. Our approach is deliberately different.
Before any formal assessment begins, we take time to meet with both parents and children separately. We listen carefully, asks questions that matter, and creates a space where children feel safe and parents feel heard. Drawing on our training as play therapists, our clinicians are skilled at building connection quickly, even with children who are anxious, avoidant or have had difficult experiences with clinical settings.
Every assessment concludes with a feedback meeting where we walk families through the findings in plain language, answer your questions, and discuss what the results mean practically for your child’s life at home, at school and in the community.
"The assessment gave us answers we had been searching for. We finally understood our child's strengths, challenges and what support would help most. We left feeling informed, reassured and hopeful."
— A Play Therapy Melbourne family
What is included
- An initial meeting with parents and caregivers to understand your child's history, strengths and concerns
- A child-centred assessment session tailored to your child's age and needs
- Standardised assessment tools administered by a registered psychologist
- A comprehensive written report with findings, diagnosis where applicable, and practical recommendations
- A feedback meeting to discuss results and next steps with your family
- Recommendations for school, therapy and home support where relevant
Assessment types and fees
Assessment Type
Fee
Funding your assessment
Assessments may be funded through NDIS Capacity Building budgets where they align with your child’s plan goals. We are a registered NDIS provider under registration group 0128 Therapeutic Supports. If you are self-funded, please get in touch to discuss your options.
Is an assessment right for your child
Families seek assessments for many different reasons. Some are looking for a clearer understanding of why their child is finding certain things difficult. Others need a formal diagnosis to access NDIS funding, school support or specialist services. Some simply want answers after years of uncertainty.
You do not need a referral to book an assessment with us. If you are not sure whether an assessment is the right next step, we are happy to have a conversation first.
Not sure where to start?
Get in touch and we will help you work out the right pathway for your child.
Not sure where to start?
At Play Therapy Melbourne, we recognise that family life is busy and filled with challenges. We understand how important it is for parents to feel confident, reassured, and supported, especially when navigating the complexities of raising children in today’s world.
Whether you have questions regarding neurodivergence, developmental differences, or educational needs, our online session will equip you as the parent or caregiver, with the information needed to make informed decisions about potential next steps for your child’s wellbeing.
Navigating the process of deciding whether to obtain a formal assessment or potential diagnosis for your child can be complex and overwhelming. With waitlists across Melbourne averaging over 18 months, determining the best course of action can be challenging.
✔ 50 min individualised online discover session
✔ We’ll guide you through the process and options
Play Therapy Melbourne offers parents and guardians an individualised online discovery session. These sessions are designed as a first step in seeking support for your child, to provide a comprehensive understanding of:
- how we can make sense of what is going on for your child and your family, including options for psychological assessment (including behavioural, cognitive and educational assessments) and exploring whether and when these are right for your child, and
- different therapeutic supports available to your family, based on presenting concerns.
You can expect to leave your Psychological Assessment Discovery Call with a clear understanding of the next steps based on your family’s unique circumstances and needs.
Play Therapy Melbourne are committed to supporting you throughout the process, offering in-house referrals with reduced wait times (including Psychological & Diagnostic Assessments) to ensure timely access to the appropriate resources and specialists.
✔ 60-90 minutes clinical interview with Child's primary caregiver to start
✔ Complete the intake form to get started
If you already have a referral from your GP or Paediatrician for a psychological assessment and know what you’re after, we can begin the process with you right away.
Book today, to start with a thorough intake session; a 60 – 90 minute clinical interview with the child’s primary caregivers. This will help us build a full understanding of your child’s history, needs, and strengths. Following this, we’ll schedule a series of appointments with you and your child, tailored by the psychologist to ensure the assessment is both comprehensive and supportive.
Types of Assessments
BASC-3
Behaviour Assessment System for Children and adolescents
WIATT-III
Academic achievement and learning evalution.
WPPSI-IV & WISC-V
Cognitive ability and intellectual assessment
Academic & Learning Assessments
Comprehensive assessment of learning strengths and challenges.
Additional Screening Tools
A range of additional tools to support a clearer understanding.
Costs & Fees
- BASC-3: $1,164.95 (5 hours)
- Cognitive: $1,863.92 (8 hours)
- Academic & Educational: $2,329.90 (10 hours)
- Autism & ADHD: $2,795.88 (12 hours)
- Additional Screeners & Tools: $232.99 (1 hour)
Fees vary depending on the type and scope of the assessment.
At minimum, regardless of what assessment your child partakes in, there will 3 appointments you and/or your child are required to attend for your assessment administration:
1. Initial Intake Consultation (parent/carer)
2. Assessment Administration (child)
3. Feedback consultation and conclusion delivery (parent/carer)
Regardless of how many appointments are required to conclude your childs assessment dependant on your and your childs needs, the total cost of the assessment will be required to be paid on 2 separate invoices. Payments must comply with Play Therapy Melbourne’s Payment Policy which is inclusive of a 7-day due date.
Initial Invoice ($1,164.95): Consultation, preparation, report writing and case review
Final Invoice (balance in full dependant on assessment conducted): Assessment administration, scoring and conclusion.
NDIS & Medicare
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NDIS
Assessments by a psychologist may be covered if it helps participants to find the right supports, if they are in line with the NDIS plan and are considered reasonable and necessary. They need to be care not usually provided by the health system. The below information about where assessments would fit is from the 2025-26 NDIS Price Guide.
Medicare
Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorder or Disability Service
For clients up to 25 years of age who are diagnosed with, or suspected of having, a complex neurodevelopmental disorder (such as ASD) or eligible disability.
Note: ASD included (as extension of Helping Children With Autism items), however ADHD is not.
- Assessment to inform development of a Treatment and Management Plan, and creation of the Treatment Management Plan.
- Allied health services to support implementation of the Treatment Management Plan.
Psychologists could be brought into this scheme in either Step 1 or 2:
For Step 1, the paediatrician or GP could request an allied health practitioner or practitioners (including a psychologist) to conduct an assessment to support their work. For psychologists, these sessions are under Medicare item numbers 82000, 93032 or 93034 (for F2F, video and telephone sessions respectively, sessions need to be at least 50 mins duration, rebate is $96.65 per session).
There are up to 8 of these allied health sessions available to the patient across their lifetime. More than one session can be used in a day, but can only be for time in direct contact with the client (so not report writing or analysis).
For Step 2, which is implementation of the Treatment and Management Plan, the paediatrician / GP could refer to an allied health practitioner/s (including a psychologist) for up to 20 allied health sessions across the client’s lifetime. For psychologists, these sessions are under Medicare item numbers 82015, 93035 & 93043 (for F2F, video and phone sessions respectively, need to be at least 30 mins duration, rebate per session is $96.65).
Initial Invoice ($1,164.95): Consultation, preparation, report writing and case review
Final Invoice (balance in full dependant on assessment conducted): Assessment administration, scoring and conclusion.
- BASC-3: $1,164.95 (5 hours)
- Cognitive: $1,863.92 (8 hours)
- Academic & Educational: $2,329.90 (10 hours)
- Autism & ADHD: $2,795.88 (12 hours)
- Additional Screeners & Tools: $232.99 (1 hour)
At minimum, regardless of what assessment your child partakes in, there will 3 appointments you and/or your child are required to attend for your assessment administration:
1. Initial Intake Consultation (parent/carer)
2. Assessment Administration (child)
3. Feedback consultation and conclusion delivery (parent/carer)
Regardless of how many appointments are required to conclude your childs assessment dependant on your and your childs needs, the total cost of the assessment will be required to be paid on 2 separate invoices. Payments must comply with Play Therapy Melbourne’s Payment Policy which is inclusive of a 7-day due date.
Initial Invoice ($1,164.95): Consultation, preparation, report writing and case review
Final Invoice (balance in full dependant on assessment conducted): Assessment administration, scoring and conclusion.
NDIS
Assessments by a psychologist may be covered if it helps participants to find the right supports, if they are in line with the NDIS plan and are considered reasonable and necessary. They need to be care not usually provided by the health system. The below information about where assessments would fit is from the 2025-26 NDIS Price Guide.
Medicare
For clients up to 25 years of age who are diagnosed with, or suspected of having, a complex neurodevelopmental disorder (such as ASD) or eligible disability.
Note: ASD included (as extension of Helping Children With Autism items), however ADHD is not.
- Assessment to inform development of a Treatment and Management Plan, and creation of the Treatment Management Plan.
- Allied health services to support implementation of the Treatment Management Plan.
Psychologists could be brought into this scheme in either Step 1 or 2:
For Step 1, the paediatrician or GP could request an allied health practitioner or practitioners (including a psychologist) to conduct an assessment to support their work. For psychologists, these sessions are under Medicare item numbers 82000, 93032 or 93034 (for F2F, video and telephone sessions respectively, sessions need to be at least 50 mins duration, rebate is $96.65 per session).
There are up to 8 of these allied health sessions available to the patient across their lifetime. More than one session can be used in a day, but can only be for time in direct contact with the client (so not report writing or analysis).
For Step 2, which is implementation of the Treatment and Management Plan, the paediatrician / GP could refer to an allied health practitioner/s (including a psychologist) for up to 20 allied health sessions across the client’s lifetime. For psychologists, these sessions are under Medicare item numbers 82015, 93035 & 93043 (for F2F, video and phone sessions respectively, need to be at least 30 mins duration, rebate per session is $96.65).