Child psychologist & neuropsychologist · Gold Coast Understanding how your child develops, learns and copes.
Child psychologists and clinical neuropsychologists in Southport, assessing children and adolescents from the first months of life to 18 years. Developmental assessment for babies and toddlers, autism and ADHD, learning and dyslexia, and behaviour and emotions. We work alongside your paediatrician, GP and school.
Not sure which assessment fits? Book a no-obligation 15-minute discovery call.
- Who this is for
- Infants, children and adolescents to 18, and the parents, schools and doctors supporting them.
- What it can clarify
- How your child is developing, learning, behaving or coping, and whether a developmental, learning or neurodevelopmental condition explains what you are seeing.
- What you receive
- A feedback discussion and a written report with recommendations for home, school and further support, shared with your doctor and school with your consent.
- Format
- A parent interview, questionnaires for parents and teachers, one or more sessions with your child, and a feedback appointment.
- Next step
- Request an assessment, or book a 15-minute discovery call.
An assessment describes how a child thinks, learns and develops, so that the right support can be put in place at home and at school.
Assessments are conducted by Dr Tiffany Gerlich, clinical neuropsychologist and clinical psychologist, and Elie Walsh, psychologist and clinical neuropsychology registrar. Elie's focus includes autism and ADHD assessment, and concussion in children and adolescents. Qualifications and registration are on the team page. Children are seen at their own pace, with breaks, and younger children are assessed through play. We are now taking referrals for developmental assessment of babies and toddlers.
Our assessments
Which assessment fits your child
Early development, birth to 3½ years
A play-based developmental assessment for babies and toddlers who are not reaching milestones as expected, were born early, or have a medical condition that can affect development.
Early development →Learning and cognition, 2½ to 16 years
Assessment of cognitive ability, academic skills and everyday functioning where learning is harder than expected, or a specific learning disorder, intellectual disability or giftedness is a question.
Learning and cognition →Behaviour and emotions
Assessment of what is driving behaviour, attention, anxiety or mood, drawing on parent and teacher information and standardised rating scales.
Behaviour and emotions →Autism and ADHD
Guideline-informed assessment where autism or ADHD is a question, drawing on more than one setting and working with your paediatrician or psychiatrist.
Autism and ADHD →Concussion in children and adolescents is on our concussion page; assessment after a more serious brain injury is on our brain injury page.
What is involved
What every assessment includes
A parent interview covering your concerns and your child's developmental, medical, family and school history, with any previous reports reviewed. Standardised questionnaires completed by parents and, with your consent, teachers, because children often present differently at home and at school. One or more sessions with your child at our Southport rooms, with breaks. These are play-based for infants and toddlers, puzzle- and game-like activities for children, and more conversation for adolescents. Results are scored against age expectations and interpreted alongside the history. A written report sets out the findings and recommendations for home, school and any further support. A feedback appointment follows, in person or by telehealth. With your consent, the report goes to your GP or paediatrician, and we can speak with your child's school. An interpreter can be arranged where a family needs one.
What to tell your child: describe the day simply, as time with someone who is going to do some puzzles and activities to understand how they learn. A rested child who has eaten, with glasses or hearing aids if used, gives the most representative picture.
After the assessment
What the report is used for
- Understanding and strategies at home: what the pattern of results means for your child, and what helps day to day
- School planning: evidence for classroom and assessment adjustments, which schools document under the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) without needing a diagnosis. Where special school enrolment is being considered, the standardised evidence Queensland's verification processes require
- Medical care: a detailed profile for your paediatrician, GP or psychiatrist, including where a diagnosis is being considered
- Funding and support: reports written to describe functional impact and support needs for the NDIS and other funders
Adolescents can have part of the appointment on their own, with parents involved in planning what happens next. We also provide psychological therapy for young people, and sessions for parents after an assessment or diagnosis. For adults, see our adult ADHD assessment.
Cost & logistics
Fees, referral and funding
Referral and fees
No referral is needed for a privately funded assessment, and parents can contact us directly. GPs, paediatricians, psychiatrists, schools and allied health professionals can refer through our referrer page. Each assessment is quoted individually according to its scope, with a written estimate before booking and a booking fee credited to the total. See our fees and policies.
Medicare
Medicare does not rebate cognitive, learning or developmental assessment in general. Rebates apply with a referral from a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist for a possible complex neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism, or an eligible disability. They cover up to eight assessment services for a young person under 25, shared across the allied health professions involved. Our report goes to the referring doctor, who makes the diagnosis. These items do not apply to ADHD on its own. Psychological therapy for children is rebated under Better Access with a mental health treatment plan from a GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician.
NDIS
The NDIS funds assessment that describes a participant's functional needs and informs their supports. It does not usually fund assessment whose purpose is diagnosis. For children younger than 9 the early childhood approach applies, and children younger than 6 do not need a diagnosis to be considered for developmental delay.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Does my child need a referral?
Not for a privately funded assessment. A referral from a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist is required for the Medicare items that apply to some neurodevelopmental assessments. NDIS-funded assessment follows the participant's plan. A GP or school referral is welcome.
Is there a Medicare rebate for a child's assessment?
Only for assessments referred by a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist for a possible complex neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism, or an eligible disability, for young people under 25. Cognitive, learning and developmental assessments are not rebated, and the items do not cover ADHD on its own. Therapy is rebated separately under Better Access.
How long does an assessment take?
Most assessments involve a parent interview, one to three sessions with your child, and a feedback appointment, spread over a few weeks. Sessions run one to two hours, depending on age.
Will you talk to my child's school?
With your consent, yes. Teacher questionnaires are part of most assessments, and after the report we can speak with the school about putting the recommendations into practice.
Can you diagnose autism or ADHD?
Our assessment follows the Australian national guideline for autism assessment and the Australian ADHD guideline, and gives a clear clinical opinion. Where the assessment is referred by a paediatrician or psychiatrist under Medicare, the referring doctor confirms the diagnosis from our report and their own review. Medication decisions sit with a doctor.
For referrers
For paediatricians and GPs
We accept referrals from paediatricians, GPs, psychiatrists, child health nurses, schools and allied health professionals. Every referral is acknowledged on receipt and reviewed by our administration team and a psychologist.
- Developmental assessment, birth to 3½ years: delayed milestones, prematurity, medical or genetic conditions, and NDIS early childhood evidence
- Autism and ADHD: the allied health assessment for your diagnostic formulation, with multi-setting evidence and a cognitive profile
- Cognitive and learning: specific learning disorder, intellectual disability, giftedness, and reports for school adjustment and verification
- Behaviour and emotions, and concussion where recovery is prolonged
Medicare. A referral from a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist for a suspected complex neurodevelopmental disorder or eligible disability attracts Medicare rebates for our assessment services. These are item 82000 and its telehealth equivalents, up to eight services across allied health disciplines. Once your treatment and management plan is in place, treatment services are rebated under item 82015. A GP referral alone does not attract these items where autism is suspected. How to refer and what to include are on our referrer page.
Request an assessment
Tell us your child's age and the main question. Our team and a psychologist review every enquiry. We reply by email within two working days with the assessment that fits, the likely fee and the next available appointment.
GP, paediatrician, psychiatrist or school? Refer a child · Phone enquiries are welcome during business hours on 0452 452 262; if we are with a client, please leave a message and we will call you back.
Request an assessment Book a 15-minute discovery call