Bluebird Assessment Services
At Bluebird we aim to offer compassionate, inclusive and meaningful assessments.
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ADHD
We provide comprehensive and neuroaffirming assessment for ADHD for kids, teens and adults from ages 5 and up.
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Cognition and Learning
Assessment of cognition (intelligence) and learning strengths and struggles. Available for kids, teens and adults from ages 5 and up.
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Autism
Comprehensive and neuroaffirming Autism assessment is available for kids, teens an adults ages 5 and up.
Assessment processes
1. Bookings
Call us on (02) 9659 5696 to discuss which assessment may best suit your needs or to discuss alternative services if we may not be best suited to meet your needs. During this call we will book your initial interview, assessment and follow up sessions. A booking deposit of 10% will be taken to confirm your booking.
2. Initial interview
For children and younger teens, this interview will be with a parent/guardian without the child present.
For adults this is conducted on their own (a support person is welcome to attend as well).
This initial interview can be conducted face to face in our rooms in Castle Hill, or by video call.
3. Gathering of additional documentation
Following the initial interview you will be sent online assessments to be completed. For adults there may be assessments to be completed by yourself and a support person, and for children there may be assessments to complete by parents/guardians and teachers. These assessments will need to be to be completed prior to your assessment appointment. If any other information is required, your psychologist will let you know.
4. Assessment day
Bring a drink and snacks and any other documentation your psychologist may have asked you to provide. If you are attending an appointment that is over 3 hours, you will have a lunch break where you can walk over to the local shopping centre and have lunch or take a walk around the block.
The initial interview is a 50 minute - 1 hour interview that allows us to gain background information for your assessment.
For older teens this interview can be with a parent/guardian with the teen also child present.
5. Feedback session and report
At your feedback meeting, we provide your report, feedback from your assessment, recommendations, and answer your questions. A diagnostic report is provided that summarizes assessment results and recommendations. This report can then be sent to your Psychiatrist, pediatrician or GP and can be beneficial for gaining additional supports at school, university or workplace. If you are seeking medication, you can provide this report to your treating psychiatrist or pediatrician to discuss treatment options. With your permission, your psychologist will send your report to any professionals working with you such as a pediatrician or GP. Further follow up assessments or ongoing therapy sessions may be organised by your psychologist if needed.
Frequently asked questions
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Your assessor will be an AHPRA Registered Psychologist or Provisional Psychologist. Provisional Psychologists are at the end of their 6 years of training and their assessments are undertaken with the support of the director, Joanna Bailey. Our Psychologists are professionally trained in providing psychological assessments through scientific and evidence-based approaches. Our team work from a neurodiversity affirmative lens and are passionate about supporting individuals in growing in awareness of their own neurology.
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Bluebird Psychology values a strengths-based approach, which focuses on individuals' strengths and interests to work towards goals that are personally meaningful for them. We prioritize a ‘Neurodiversity Affirming’ or ‘Neuroinclusive’ approach, striving to create environments that embrace and celebrate diverse neurological functioning. This involves recognizing and valuing diversity in individuals' neurological systems and fostering inclusive spaces that support the unique strengths and challenges associated with neurodivergence.
Assessments for autism and ADHD have historically been grounded in the medical model, which pathologizes these presentations and focuses on how these presentations create deficits and impair people’s quality of life. Bluebird Psychology holds to a social model of disability. That is, we recognise that the majority of neurodivergent people view many of their struggles as being a result of neuro-normative expectations, and not as being inherently disordered. We value advocating for acceptance, accommodation, and the celebration of neurodiversity.
Our autism and ADHD assessments serve as a means to explore your neurotype, fostering self-understanding and empowerment. With a focus on self-discovery, our assessments aim not to critique or invalidate your neurodivergence; but rather to enable self awareness and celebration of your authentic self.
We acknowledge that many education and medical systems allocate funding and supports using a deficit-based model. Therefore, to support clients in receiving support they may be eligible for based on educational or medical criteria, at times, deficit-based language is used in reports where needed.
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For current assessment fee information. Please contact our office for an assessment guide.
We have structured our assessment fees with the primary aim of ensuring cost-effectiveness while maintaining the high standards in assessment quality and covering essential business costs.
Despite this, we recognize that investing in psychological assessments still constitutes a significant financial commitment. As such we encourage you to thoroughly review this information to determine if our services align with your needs and preferences.
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Medicare cannot be used towards the cost of your assessment (unless in some cases where you are under 25 and have a referral for assessment from a pediatrician).
If you are currently an NDIS participant, please check with your NDIS manager to ensure this service is covered as part of your plan. Please note we accept plan and self managed NDIS funding, not NDIA managed funding.
To find out about any private health rebates, you can contact your private health insurance to enquire about coverage.
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The NDIS is a government agency that, among other things, provides funding for supports and thus have their own eligibility requirements to determine who can access this funding. NDIS funding access is not guaranteed and may be subject to further eligibility requirements as well as terms and conditions outlined by the NDIA.
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We have options to pay for your assessment in instalments. Full payment is due on the day of your initial session. A 10% deposit is taken upon booking for all assessment services.
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No, our assessments can be independent services. There is no obligation for you to access other Bluebird services unless you wish to.
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No, you are not guaranteed a diagnosis of Autism, ADHD, a learning disorder, intellectual disability or any other diagnosis.
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No, psychologists do not prescribe medication. To access medication, you need to be seen by a psychiatrist or pediatrician. You may take your report to a psychiatrist or pediatrician after assessment to help with that process if you wish.
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Whilst we recommend attending all assessment sessions in person, we are able to undertake your initial interview and your feedback session by telehealth. For the assessment session (second appointment), ADHD assessment can be conducted for adults via telehealth. For child and adolescent ADHD assessment as well as all autism, cognitive and learning assessments, these are required to be undertaken face to face from our offices in Castle Hill, NSW.