Assessment FAQs

1. Can I use my work benefits to pay for the assessment?

Many benefit plans have some degree of Psychology coverage. In many cases, we are able to use benefits from each parent as well as the child to represent time spent with each of you. We can set the receipt up to reflect this in order to maximize your benefit coverage. At this point, we do not direct bill to insurance companies, but you will be provided with a detailed receipt to submit to your insurance provider.

2. How long does the assessment process take?

Gifted assessments typically take 1-2 weeks. ADHD, Mood, Anxiety, and Behaviour assessments can take up to 6 weeks. Full psychoeducational assessments can take up to 8 weeks.

3. When should we get an assessment done?

We are big believers in completing the assessment as soon as your child is demonstrating behaviours that are "red flags"...chronic headaches and/or stomach aches before and at school, school avoidance and refusal, unexpected academic underachievement, reports from the school that your child is struggling, etc. The traditional model is one of Wait to Fail, in that historically parents have been told to wait until at least grade 3 before having an assessment done to allow for time for further cognitive development. However, this regularly places children in the position of failing for 3-5 years (or more) before we are able to support them in their specific areas of difficulty (which are determined during the assessment process). Unfortunately, by that point, many students often experience much more significant impairment in their functioning in addition to having a secondary mental health condition (e.g., anxiety, depression, etc.) develop that results from lack of appropriate supports.

4. Do I need to give a copy of the assessment report to my child’s school?

Given that you would be having the assessment done privately, no, you do not need to provide the school with a copy of the assessment. However, if you would like the school to support and accommodate for your child’s individual needs, you will likely need to provide the report to the school so that they can truly understand how to best serve your child.

5. How much do assessments cost?

Fees range depending on the purpose of the assessment, as the amount of time required for each varies. For example, a Gifted Assessment which takes approximately 10 hours to complete from start to finish (including report writing) ranges from $600 to $1200. A full Psychoeducational Assessment without Autism screening can take 20-30 hours depending on the child’s age and ranges from $2200-$2600. A Full Psychoeducational Assessment with Autism screening for children ages 5-15, which can take 30-40 hours, is $3100, and $3500 for a Full Psychoeducational Assessment that includes Autism screening for those ages 16-22. We work hard to ensure that our fees are competitive with other service providers in the Calgary area. We also don’t want costs to be a barrier for your child to be able to get the help they need. Contact us to get more specific information.

6. How do custody arrangements impact the assessment process?

If the parents share or have joint custody of the child, both parents will need to provide informed consent in order for the assessment process to happen. Any court documentation referencing custody arrangements will need to be provided to your psychologist. If a guardian is seeking out the assessment, proof of guardianship will need to be provided to your psychologist.

7. What should I tell my child about the assessment?

We encourage an honest, age-appropriate response that includes a discussion of the purpose of the assessment, which is to make sure that all of the adults (parents, educators, other professionals) are able to provide the best support for their learning. We minimize the concept of “testing” and focus on learning about strengths and struggles. Check out this fantastic article by Understood.org for more help with this.

8. If we get the assessment, will my child get help at school?

Psycho-educational assessments are designed to provide a document to help advocate for the support a student needs. However, whether your child receives help and what type of help they receives depends on the results of the assessment and the decisions of the school and the school division.

9. Do we need a referral to get an assessment done?

Anybody can be referred for a psychoeducational assessment simply by contacting us by clicking the “Book an Assessment” button below. You do not require a physician’s referral.

STARS Literacy Program FAQs

10. How many hours of instruction per week will my child require?

This ultimately depends on several things: how far behind your child is in their literacy skill development, your availability, and your budget. The key elements of any intensive literacy program are FREQUENCY (fewer days between lessons equals less learning loss) and INTENSITY (the amount of time spent each session). We recommend 5-10 hours per week in 1-2 hour blocks, but some time (e.g., 2 hours a week) is better than none at all!

11. Is the STARS program effective for kids with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia (writing LD), ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or Autism?

Yes! Our instructors are specially trained to work with ALL children. We personalize each child’s experience to maximize their learning. We highly recommend, however, that if your child is currently working through a medication trial (e.g., ADHD medications) that you work through this first before introducing intensive literacy instruction.

12. If my child attends lessons during the school day, won’t they be missing out on too much instruction at school?

Our experience over the past 20 years has indicated that the instruction children receive with us actually increases their ability to access more curriculum sooner than they would be able to without this program by teaching them the critical literacy skills they require for learning across ALL subjects. Your child’s teacher may be able to work with you to help bridge gaps in math. Otherwise, we find that over the span of their education, the small amount of curriculum they may miss in their current grade pales in comparison to the skills, confidence, and ability to read and write across all subjects through working with us!

1. 13. How is each session structured?

Again, this depends on your child. We typically start each session with relationship and rapport building so that your child feels safe to take learning risks. This also builds trust with your child. Breaks are taken as needed, with games (both educational, skill building, and other games), play, and a bit of silly mixed in. We want your child to enjoy working with us and we want them to keep coming back!