Psychological assessment of children
Gaining insight into a child’s strengths and challenges
Psychological assessment
The purpose of the psychological assessment is to uncover the child’s strengths and challenges, in order to plan the necessary support. This can be done through observations, testing and other channels, to ensure the most accurate assessment.
I have more than 20 years of experience in assessing children of all ages, with a wide range of challenges. For example:
- Learning disabilities
- Delayed development
- Autism
- Attentional difficulties
- Behavioral issues
- Cerebral palsy
- Prenatal exposure to medication, alcohol etc.
The assessment is planned in accordance with your needs and requirements and can be performed using standardised tests in Danish or English, depending on the language spoken at home or at school. If the child has recently moved to Denmark or for some other reason not yet acquired sufficient language skills in Danish or English, the assessment can be based on nonverbal skills, observation etc., and provide you with a guideline for preliminary support.
The assessment usually takes place in the child’s home or school-environment for the child to feel safe and at ease.
The psychological assessment can be used as a guideline for counseling parents and teachers working with the child, as well as planning the support needed to ensure optimal development in school and at home. If there is an indication of a psychiatric diagnosis, the assessment can be used in referring the child to further evaluation at the hospital.
A psychological assessment is planned based on what you need to know more about.
For instance:
- Assessment of intellectual skills
- Assessment of attentional skills
- Assessment of other neuropsychological functions
Usually the assessment begins with an interview with the primary caregivers. This is followed by an observation and an assessment of intellectual skills. Any following tests are planed based on the focus of the assessment.