Assessment · Autism
Autism assessment in Echuca and across Victoria
An autism assessment builds a structured picture of social communication, sensory processing and patterns of interest for children and teens aged 8 and over, gathered across home and school. Testing is completed in person in Echuca, and Aley also travels to complete assessments. Ongoing therapy is available by telehealth across Australia. It starts with a conversation about what you want the assessment to answer, and scope and total cost are agreed before anything is booked.
The testing itself is always done in person. If you would prefer, the intake and feedback appointments may be able to be held by telehealth. Just ask when you enquire.
Reviewed by Alexandra (Aley) Hooper, Registered Psychologist ·
What it looks at
How your child experiences the world.
The approach is neurodiversity-affirming. The goal is an accurate description of how your child communicates, plays, learns and takes in the world, not a deficit list. An assessment typically draws on:
- Structured observation and interview measures
- Developmental history with a caregiver
- Social communication rating scales
- Sensory processing profile
- School and home observation where useful
- Coordination with your paediatrician or speech pathologist
Attention and learning questions often sit alongside autism ones. Where that is the case, an ADHD assessment can be included in the same scope.
What sessions look like
Gathered across settings.
It begins with an intake appointment with a parent or caregiver, covering your child’s development, health, family and school history. With your consent, teachers complete rating scales, and Aley can observe at school where that has been arranged.
Direct sessions with your child are completed in person and can be split up where shorter sittings suit them better. Where a multidisciplinary picture is indicated, Aley works alongside your paediatrician, GP or speech pathologist rather than in isolation.
The number and length of sessions depends on the type of assessment and the question it needs to answer, and is agreed with you before anything is booked.
A feedback session explains what was found in plain language, and you keep a written report with recommendations a school can act on. Whatever the outcome, the report sets out what is going on for your child and what would help at home and at school, so the work is useful even when the answer isn’t a diagnosis. The full process is on the assessment overview.
Training
Development is the specialty.
Aley Hooper is a registered psychologist and Educational and Developmental Psychology Registrar, with a Master of Educational and Developmental Psychology. Thirteen years as a secondary teacher, including senior roles in Wellbeing and Learning Diversity, means she has seen how differently young people present across a school day. More on Aley’s background.
Questions
Common questions.
The goal is an accurate description of how your child experiences the world, including their strengths, rather than a list of deficits. The report is written in that spirit.
Yes. Where a multidisciplinary picture is indicated, Aley works alongside your paediatrician, GP or speech pathologist rather than in isolation.
Where it is useful, yes. Aley can attend school to observe your child in their usual setting, arranged with the school directly and with your consent.
Assessments are charged at an hourly rate of $260, covering the intake appointment, school consultation if needed, testing, report writing and feedback. Because the hours depend on scope, you are given a total before you commit.
No referral is needed to enquire. GPs, paediatricians and schools are welcome to refer directly, and school wellbeing staff can use the online school referral form.
Fees and Medicare
Assessments are charged at an hourly rate of $260, with a total agreed before you commit. Whether a rebate applies depends on your referral pathway. See fees and Medicare for the detail.
Start with a conversation.
Assessment scope is worked out before anything is booked. Get in touch to talk through what you're hoping to find out.