getting psychological assessment

icebergiceberg

Can anyone assist with these questions?

If a parent wanted to get a Psychological Assessment (PA) done privately, how much would it cost?

For medical card students:

A: What is the first contact point for a student to get a PA?
B: If a parent wanted to get their child tested for ADHD, would this be part of the PA? Or is it a seperate procedure?
C: Does the school pay anything for students holding a medical card to get a PA? How long, in general, would it take?
If a student is diagnosed with ADHD, is he/she entitled automatically to a SNA?
Thanks.

strawberrie

There are different types of psychological assessment, educational or behavioural. For a diagnosis of ADHD a behavioural/clinical assessment is needed. Schools only have access to educational assessments not behavioural. These are through the NEPS services to school. Schools are given access to a number of assessments per year based on their size, could be as few as one, and usually have a waiting list of children in need.
Private assessment options are available, cost varies widely. Cheapest I heard of was €400.
For behavioral/clinical assessment access is thru the HSE and your medical doctor. Schools do not pay for assessments and are not given funding for this.
A school can apply for SNA access for a child if a professional assessment report explicitly states this is needed. They apply to the SENO or Special Ed Needs Organiser. He or she will decide if an SNA is assigned to the school and for how many hours a week. The school then decide how best to use the SNA hours in the school for the children who have access. One SNA may work with several children in different rooms who all have psychological reports (or not) and specific needs. Hope this helps

icebergiceberg wrote: »

Can anyone assist with these questions?

If a parent wanted to get a Psychological Assessment (PA) done privately, how much would it cost?

For medical card students:

A: What is the first contact point for a student to get a PA?
B: If a parent wanted to get their child tested for ADHD, would this be part of the PA? Or is it a seperate procedure?
C: Does the school pay anything for students holding a medical card to get a PA? How long, in general, would it take?
If a student is diagnosed with ADHD, is he/she entitled automatically to a SNA?
Thanks.

byhookorbycrook

What age is the child? SNAs are very ,very difficult to get and I haven't heard of one being allocated for "just" ADHD in a long time.

icebergiceberg

strawberrie wrote: »

There are different types of psychological assessment, educational or behavioural. For a diagnosis of ADHD a behavioural/clinical assessment is needed. Schools only have access to educational assessments not behavioural. These are through the NEPS services to school. Schools are given access to a number of assessments per year based on their size, could be as few as one, and usually have a waiting list of children in need.
Private assessment options are available, cost varies widely. Cheapest I heard of was €400.
For behavioral/clinical assessment access is thru the HSE and your medical doctor. Schools do not pay for assessments and are not given funding for this.
A school can apply for SNA access for a child if a professional assessment report explicitly states this is needed. They apply to the SENO or Special Ed Needs Organiser. He or she will decide if an SNA is assigned to the school and for how many hours a week. The school then decide how best to use the SNA hours in the school for the children who have access. One SNA may work with several children in different rooms who all have psychological reports (or not) and specific needs. Hope this helps

Thanks for that.

So if a parent thinks that their child (15) has ADHD and want to get an assessment for same, it is a behavioural/clinical assessment they need and this would be the responsibility of the parents, not the school, to deal with that?

strawberrie

The school could certainly recommend it and give advice to the family on where to pursue it. I work at primary level. I know once when the school requested educational assessment was completed with a child with learning needs the psychologist involved also recommended that the family applied through the HSE for an assessment which resulted in a diagnosis.
Look at CAMHS, child and adult mental health services. Your school may be able to make a referral to them or recommend one.
GP referral is another route. Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and medical doctors can make a diagnosis of ADHD.
Hadd.ie seem to have good info too

byhookorbycrook

GPs cannot diagnose ADHD -so it's not true to say "medical doctors can make a diagnosis"
Have a look at http://www.hadd.ie/ and maybe talk to them about the best route in your area.

strawberrie

It was the hadd website that stated this.

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

GPs cannot diagnose ADHD -so it's not true to say "medical doctors can make a diagnosis"
Have a look at http://www.hadd.ie/ and maybe talk to them about the best route in your area.