What you can expect from this assessment
What it is
A structured psychological assessment evaluating intellectual functioning, cognitive processing, working memory, and specific learning capacities such as reading, writing, and numeracy.
Who it's for
Children and adults who are struggling academically or occupationally in ways that don’t have a clear explanation. People seeking clarity about intellectual disability, specific learning disorders, giftedness, or cognitive decline. Anyone requiring a formal report for NDIS, school, or employment purposes.
How it works
A multi-session process involving standardised intelligence and achievement testing, a structured clinical interview, and where appropriate, collateral information from a parent, teacher, or support person.
What you receive
A written psychological report detailing your cognitive profile, any identified diagnoses, and clear, practical recommendations for support, treatment, or next steps.
What is a Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment?
A Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment is a comprehensive psychological evaluation of how a person thinks, learns, and processes information. It examines intellectual ability across domains, verbal reasoning, visual-spatial processing, working memory, and processing speed, and may assess academic skills such as reading, written expression, and mathematical reasoning.
In Australia, these assessments are used to identify intellectual disability, specific learning disorders (such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia), giftedness, and cognitive changes associated with acquired brain injury or neurological conditions. They use internationally validated, standardised instruments interpreted against normative data for age-matched peers.
Understanding Your Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment
A Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment at Integro Health is a multi-session clinical process, not a single sitting with a score at the end. It integrates test results with a structured clinical interview, a review of developmental and educational history, and where appropriate, information from a parent, teacher, or support person. The result is a nuanced cognitive profile, not a number, reflecting your real-world strengths and difficulties.
Importantly, cognitive difficulties rarely exist in isolation. Anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep difficulties, and attentional problems can each affect cognitive performance and must be considered as part of a thorough assessment.
Our assessments are conducted at our Eaton Clinic and are available via telehealth for eligible components, serving clients across South West WA including Bunbury, Busselton, Harvey, and surrounding areas.
Signs you may need this assessment
People come to a Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment from many different starting points. Some have struggled for years without understanding why, while others arrive after a teacher, employer, or specialist suggests something cognitive may be contributing to their difficulties.
Reading and writing difficulties
Persistent difficulty with reading, spelling, or written expression that doesn’t respond to extra effort or tutoring.
Maths and numeracy challenges
Significant challenges with mathematics or numerical reasoning across multiple settings and over time.
Underachievement or misjudged behaviour
A pattern of underachievement at school or work that doesn’t match apparent intelligence or motivation, or a history of being described as slow, lazy, or disruptive when the real explanation may be a learning difficulty.
Concerns raised at school
A teacher has raised concerns about learning pace, comprehension, or academic progress over consecutive terms, or a young person transitioning to secondary school or tertiary study needs formal documentation for special exam provisions.
Memory difficulties or adult-onset questions
Noticeable difficulty retaining and recalling information compared with peers, or an adult who has always found certain tasks disproportionately difficult and wants to understand why.
Formal documentation needs
A suspected or confirmed intellectual disability requiring formal documentation for NDIS, Centrelink, or support services, or concerns about cognitive change following an acquired brain injury, illness, or as part of ageing.
Who refers you
Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessments at Integro Health can be accessed through several pathways. The table below outlines the most common referral routes and when each applies.
| Referral Source | Context | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GP (Mental Health Treatment Plan) | Adults and children referred by their GP | A Mental Health Treatment Plan may support Medicare-rebated psychology sessions; the GP may recommend cognitive assessment as part of this pathway |
| Self-referral | Adults or parents seeking assessment independently | No GP referral required to book; self-funded or private health options available |
| School or educational setting | Children and teenagers | Teachers, school psychologists, or principals may recommend assessment; parents initiate the referral |
| NDIS Plan Manager or Support Coordinator | Participants requiring formal cognitive documentation | Assessment for intellectual disability or cognitive impairment may be funded under Improved Daily Living supports in an NDIS plan |
| Employer or workplace | Adults requiring documentation for workplace adjustments or return-to-work planning | Employer or HR may request or support the referral in the context of acquired injury or disability |
| Paediatrician or specialist | Children already under specialist care | The paediatrician may coordinate the assessment as part of a broader diagnostic or developmental workup |
If you’re unsure which pathway applies to you, our team can help you work through the options when you get in touch.
The assessment process, what to expect
Every Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment follows a clear, considered path. Here is what you can expect at each stage, from your very first contact through to receiving your written report.
Intake and history gathering
Before the first clinical session, you’ll complete an intake form covering your background, current concerns, and relevant history. For children’s assessments, parents or caregivers provide developmental, medical, and educational history.
Clinical interview
A structured clinical interview explores the nature, onset, and impact of the presenting difficulties across home, school or work, relationships, and day-to-day functioning. For children, a separate parent or caregiver interview is typically conducted.
Cognitive and achievement testing
Standardised, validated cognitive batteries are administered across one or more sessions, such as the WAIS-IV for adults or the WISC-V and WIAT-III for children and teenagers. Testing is paced and explained throughout.
Scoring and clinical formulation
The psychologist compares results against normative data, examines the pattern of scores across cognitive domains, and considers whether the profile is consistent with intellectual disability, a specific learning disorder, giftedness, or another explanation.
Feedback session
A dedicated session where the psychologist explains the findings in plain language, walks through what the assessment did and didn’t find, and discusses what the results mean practically.
Written report
A comprehensive written report covering methodology, your full cognitive profile, any diagnostic conclusions, and practical recommendations, provided to you and, where consented, to your GP, NDIS plan manager, school, or employer.
Meet the Team
At Integro Health, you don't just book a clinic, you choose a practitioner who is the right fit for where you are right now. Our team of experienced psychotherapists brings clinical depth, genuine warmth, and a broad range of specialisations together under one roof. Take a moment to read about each of our practitioners and find the person who feels right for you.
Dr Paul King
General Practitioner
MBBS Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgery
FRACGP Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Jools Fordyce
Social Worker & Family Therapist
Bachelor (Hons) – Applied Social Science with Diploma in Social Work
Postgraduate Diploma in Family and Relationship Therapy
Brooke Eden
Psychologist
Bachelor of Psychology
Graduate Diploma of Education
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Nicholas Kerr
Psychologist
Masters of Psychology (Organisational)
Bachelor of Arts
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Carli King
Office Administrator
As Practice Manager, Carli keeps the daily operations of Integro Health running smoothly, ensuring our clients always receive the highest standard of care.
Tools and methods used
A robust Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment uses multiple validated instruments alongside clinical reasoning. At Integro Health, the specific tools selected depend on the age of the person being assessed, the purpose of the assessment, and the nature of the presenting concerns.
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV)
A comprehensive cognitive battery for adults aged 16 and over, measuring verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed across 15 subtests.
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V)
A full-scale intelligence battery for children and adolescents aged 6-16, assessing fluid reasoning, visual-spatial processing, working memory, and processing speed.
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-III)
A standardised achievement battery assessing reading, writing, mathematics, and oral language skills, used alongside cognitive testing to identify specific learning disorders.
Structured clinical interview
A systematic exploration of developmental history, academic and occupational functioning, and the onset and duration of presenting difficulties across settings.
Developmental and educational history review
A review of school reports, prior assessments, and developmental milestones, particularly important for children and for adults seeking to understand long-standing difficulties.
Collateral information
Where appropriate, information from a parent, teacher, or support person provides an external perspective on day-to-day functioning across different environments.
Nicholas Kerr
Nicholas has more than 18 years’ experience across mental health, disability, employment services, and psychological assessment, with intelligence testing and diagnostic assessment among his core areas of practice.
He conducts Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessments, using intelligence testing and structured clinical evaluation to understand how a person learns, processes information, and functions day to day.
Nicholas takes a client-centred, strengths-based approach, informed by cognitive behavioural therapy, schema therapy, and mindfulness-based practice. He tailors each assessment to the person in front of him rather than a one-size-fits-all process.
Nicholas holds a Masters of Psychology (Organisational) and a Bachelor of Arts, and is a member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Cost and funding
Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessments at Integro Health can be accessed through several funding pathways. We don't publish specific fees, as costs can vary depending on the complexity of your assessment, we're always upfront about pricing before you begin. We encourage you to contact us or speak with your GP to determine which option best fits your situation.
Medicare (via a Mental Health Treatment Plan)
If your GP refers you under a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you may be eligible for Medicare rebates on psychology sessions that form part of the assessment process.
NDIS plan funding
If you are an NDIS participant, a Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment may be funded under the Improved Daily Living (IDL) budget within your plan, particularly where it supports a finding of intellectual disability or significant cognitive impairment. Your Support Coordinator or plan manager can help confirm this.
Private health insurance
Some private health funds include psychology services in their extras cover. It’s worth checking with your insurer before your appointment.
Self-funded
You are welcome to access the assessment without a referral or funding support on a self-funded basis. Please contact us to discuss current fees.
Common misconceptions about cognitive assessments
No. A comprehensive cognitive assessment examines performance across many domains, verbal reasoning, visual-spatial ability, working memory, processing speed, and academic achievement. The profile that emerges is far more nuanced than any single score.
No, a diagnosis is not a ceiling, it’s a map. Understanding why a child is struggling is the first step toward the right support. Without it, many children are misread as lazy, difficult, or unmotivated when the real explanation is an unidentified learning disorder or intellectual disability.
Yes. Many adults with unidentified learning disabilities have spent decades developing workarounds they don’t recognise as such. An assessment in adulthood can provide clarity, open access to workplace adjustments, and offer an explanation for experiences that have been quietly distressing for years.
No, specific learning disorders are defined by a discrepancy between overall cognitive ability and performance in a specific area. Someone with a high verbal IQ who struggles significantly with reading fluency may have dyslexia. Uneven profiles are characteristic of these conditions, not evidence against them.
Not exactly. The assessment identifies what is happening cognitively, but translating that into a treatment or support plan requires clinical judgement and ongoing conversation. The report provides specific recommendations, but it’s the beginning of a process, not the end.
Not necessarily. Tutoring without knowing the underlying cognitive picture can miss the point, a child with a working memory deficit needs a different approach than one with a phonological processing difficulty. A cognitive assessment identifies the right targets for intervention, which is often why tutoring starts working after a diagnosis that previously seemed mysterious.
How this differs from a DSM-5 & ADHD Assessment
People sometimes arrive wondering whether they need a cognitive assessment, an ADHD assessment, or both. A Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment evaluates intellectual functioning across domains, verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed, and assesses academic skills such as reading, writing, and numeracy, producing a detailed cognitive profile.
A DSM-5 & ADHD Assessment, by contrast, focuses specifically on whether the diagnostic criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are met, examining inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms. The two overlap, ADHD frequently co-occurs with learning disorders, and in some cases both assessments are warranted. During intake, our clinician can help clarify which fits your situation.
Medically Reviewed By
General Practitioner · MBBS Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgery FRACGP Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
The clinical information on this page has been reviewed for accuracy by Dr Paul King, a General Practitioner at Integro Health. It is general information, and not a substitute for personal medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
No. You can self-refer and book directly with Integro Health without a GP referral. However, a referral from your GP under a Mental Health Treatment Plan may make you eligible for Medicare rebates on psychology sessions that form part of the assessment process. It’s worth speaking with your GP before booking if you’d like to explore this option. Our team can also guide you when you make initial contact.
A comprehensive Cognitive & Learning Disability Assessment typically involves two or more clinical sessions, one or more for the clinical interview, history review, and standardised testing, and a dedicated feedback session at the end. The exact number of sessions depends on the complexity of the presentation and the range of instruments required. We’ll give you a clear picture of what to expect before your assessment begins.
Adults are absolutely assessed for cognitive difficulties and learning disabilities, and this is an important part of our work. Many adults with dyslexia, dyscalculia, or other specific learning disorders were never identified at school, particularly those who developed strong compensatory strategies that masked the underlying difficulty. An assessment in adulthood can provide long-overdue clarity and open access to workplace adjustments, Centrelink support, or simply a more accurate understanding of how you learn best.
A comprehensive assessment is still enormously valuable even when a specific diagnosis is not reached. The process of thoroughly examining cognitive functioning often surfaces other explanations, anxiety, depression, attentional difficulties, or processing differences that point toward a clearer and more useful path forward. Understanding what is actually driving the difficulties is always the better starting point, regardless of the diagnostic outcome.
Yes. The written psychological report produced at the end of the assessment is a formal clinical document that can be provided to NDIS plan managers, schools, universities, or other relevant parties, with your consent. If you are seeking assessment specifically for NDIS, educational adjustments, or special exam provisions, please let us know at the outset so the report is structured to address the requirements of the receiving body.
Some elements of the assessment, particularly clinical interviews and feedback sessions, can be conducted via telehealth for clients who cannot attend in person. This makes assessment accessible for people across South West WA, including those in Bunbury, Busselton, Harvey, Collie, and more regional areas. Standardised cognitive testing is generally best conducted in person to ensure validity. We’ll discuss the most appropriate approach for your situation when you enquire.
School-based assessments carried out by school psychologists provide useful screening information, but they are typically briefer and may not include the full range of instruments required for a comprehensive diagnostic report. An independent psychological assessment conducted by a registered psychologist at Integro Health uses full-scale standardised batteries, produces a formal report, and carries the weight required for NDIS applications, Centrelink, university adjustments, and other formal processes. If your child has had a school assessment, bring a copy, it’s useful context for our assessment, and we’ll tell you what additional information is needed.
It helps to bring any previous reports or assessments (school reports, prior psychological assessments, medical records relating to the concerns), as well as any GP referral documentation if applicable. For children’s assessments, recent school reports and any teacher observations are very useful. You’ll also complete intake paperwork before your first session, we’ll send this to you in advance so you have time to fill it in thoughtfully. For more on what to expect, see our guide on what to expect from your first psychology session.
