Autism Assessment

Children's Autism Assessments

Cath Black Speech Pathology provides autism assessments with a child-centred approach, thoughtfully tailored to each child’s communication style. The goal is to understand your child’s strengths and identify areas where support may help them thrive.

The Assessment Process

Initial Parent Consultation

A 60-minute session (parent-only) to gather a detailed developmental history and discuss your child’s experiences, qualities, and any observations you may have.

Cost: $190

Child Assessment Sessions

These sessions with your child combine formal assessments and play-based activities to explore communication, language, and social engagement in an engaging, child-friendly way. Two sessions are typically sufficient.

Cost: $190 per session

Questionnaires for Home and School

Questionnaires completed by parents, carers, and educators help capture your child’s communication skills across different settings, providing valuable insights from their everyday environments and experiences.

Comprehensive Report

After the assessment, you’ll receive a detailed report outlining your child’s communication profile, autistic qualities, and social communication style, with insights on where support may be beneficial if identified.

Cost: $800

Why Choose Cath Black Speech Pathology?

Finding the right path for an autism assessment can be overwhelming, especially when reports are often full of jargon or lack practical guidance. Cath Black Speech Pathology offers a practical, neuroaffirming approach that’s focused on providing real insights and a welcoming experience for you and your family.  You can expect the following:

Clear communication and practical support

Cath prioritises clear explanations, leaving you with a foundational understanding of your child’s unique qualities and tips on how to support them in daily life. There’s a focus on accessibility, so you’re not left with confusing information.

Collaboration with allied health professionals

Autism assessments often involve multiple professionals, and Cath works seamlessly with psychologists, paediatricians, and others to ensure the process is collaborative and well-rounded. Her 20+ years of experience as a Speech Pathologist, including 15 years in autism assessment, means she brings seasoned insight to each assessment.

Understand Your Child’s Report

The assessment report is designed to be clear and accessible, sharing insights into your child’s communication profile, their social communication, and autistic qualities. The report is also a valuable part of the multidisciplinary assessment, providing essential information for a complete understanding of your child’s development.

Professional and lived experience

Cath’s extensive experience as both a professional and someone with lived experience of autism and ADHD gives her a compassionate understanding of neurodivergence. She also seeks to continuously learn from lived expertise and experience perspectives from professional and broader neurodivergent communities. This unique blend of experience and commitment to learning allows her to provide assessments that are both knowledgeable and empathetic, with a commitment to the latest neurodiversity-affirming practices.

A neuroaffirming approach

Cath’s assessments focus on recognising your child’s unique qualities, not looking for something 'wrong'. This neuroaffirming approach identifies areas for environmental adjustments and support, aiming to create a nurturing environment where your child’s strengths are valued and they can thrive. For families looking for ongoing guidance, the LIFT program offers further exploration of practical support.

Additional Support

LIFT Program: Learning and Insight for Flourishing Together

For families seeking further guidance, Cath offers a 6-10 week program for families, following a recent or suspected autism identification (diagnosis), to help deepen your understanding of your child’s autistic qualities and provide practical support in their daily life. Find out more about LIFT here.