New clients welcome now. Our Speech Pathology team has immediate availability for speech and language assessments at our Springwood clinic — no long waitlist to sit on — with home, kindy and school visits available within 10km.

Speech & Language Assessments in Springwood

Have you been asked to get your child assessed? Maybe their teacher mentioned something, your GP suggested a speech pathologist, or you’ve had a quiet worry of your own that their talking isn’t quite where you’d expect. Wherever the nudge came from, you’re in the right place — and you don’t need to have it all figured out before you get in touch.

A speech and language assessment is simply a way of understanding how your child communicates — what’s going well, what’s a little harder, and what kind of support (if any) would actually help. It’s the clear first step that takes the guesswork out of what to do next.

Looking for our full range of speech pathology support, including therapy? Visit our main Speech Pathology page.

Worried about the cost? Weekly payment plans are available. We know a private assessment is a significant investment, and we never want cost to be the reason a family goes without answers. You can spread the fee across manageable weekly payments, with the final report released once the assessment has been paid in full. There’s no need to have it all worked out before you enquire — just ask, and we’ll find an approach that works for your family.

You Don’t Need to Know Which Assessment to Book

This is the part that stops most parents in their tracks — and we want to put your mind at ease straight away. You do not need to work out which type of assessment your child needs before you enquire. That’s our job, not yours.

When you get in touch, we’ll ask a few questions about what you’ve noticed and what’s prompted the assessment. From there, your speech pathologist starts with an intake session to really get to know your child and understand your concerns, and works out the right approach with you from there — whether that’s looking at speech sounds, language, fluency, literacy or social communication, or a combination. All you need to bring is what you already know: your child, and the things you’ve been wondering about.

What a Speech & Language Assessment Actually Covers

If you’ve never booked one before, here’s what an assessment involves, in plain language. Our speech pathologists use a mix of clinical observation, informal activities and formal standardised tools to build a genuine picture of how your child communicates — their strengths as much as their challenges — and to give you clear recommendations for what would help next.

Depending on what you’ve noticed, an assessment might look at one or more of the following areas.

Speech Sounds

How clearly and accurately your child produces sounds, and whether their speech is developing as expected for their age. This helps make sense of unclear speech, speech sound delays, and patterns like Childhood Apraxia of Speech — often the “people outside the family can’t quite understand them” worry.

Language

How your child understands language (following instructions, understanding concepts and questions) and how they use it (vocabulary, sentence structure, grammar and putting ideas into words). This helps identify delayed language development, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and learning difficulties.

Fluency & Stuttering

If your child gets stuck on words or repeats sounds, a fluency assessment looks at the type and frequency of stuttering and how much it affects everyday communication — so you know whether support would help and what that looks like.

Literacy

Reading and writing draw on the same language foundations as talking. A literacy assessment looks at phonological awareness, decoding, reading comprehension, spelling and written expression — helpful where there are reading difficulties, spelling and writing challenges, or a need for school learning support.

Social Communication

How your child connects with others — conversation, reading social cues, non-verbal communication and perspective-taking. This is often relevant for autistic and ADHD children and other neurodevelopmental differences, and is always approached from a strengths-based, neuro-affirming perspective.

Communication & Autism

We assess the language and communication skills that can be associated with autism — social communication, play skills, language use and interaction — often alongside a multidisciplinary diagnostic team. This can support an autism diagnostic assessment, help identify social communication differences, and assist with NDIS applications.

Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)

For children who can’t yet meet all of their communication needs with spoken words alone, an AAC assessment identifies whether supports like Key Word Sign, communication boards or speech-generating devices would help, and which system suits them best.

We also provide adult communication, cognitive-communication and swallowing assessments. If you’re enquiring for an adult, our team can guide you through the right pathway — just get in touch.

The Report — and Who It’s For

If you’ve been asked to “get a report,” this is often the whole reason you’re here — so here’s exactly what you can expect. After the assessment, you’ll receive a clear written report that explains what we looked at, what we found, your child’s strengths, and practical recommendations for what would help next. It’s written to be genuinely readable, not buried in jargon.

With your consent, we’re also happy to liaise directly with the people who need it — your child’s school or kindergarten, your GP or paediatrician, or other members of their support team. If the assessment was requested by a teacher or doctor, we’ll make sure the report answers what they were actually asking, so it’s useful the moment it lands on their desk.

What to Expect, Step by Step

• Get in touch. Call, email or enquire online. We’ll ask a few questions about what you’ve noticed — no referral needed, though we’re glad to work with one if you have it.
• An intake session with your speech pathologist. They take the time to get to know your child and understand what you’ve noticed, and work out the right assessment approach from there. We’ll confirm fees and any funding before your first appointment.
• The assessment session. A warm, play-based session at our Springwood clinic (or at home, kindy or school within 10km), including a case history and the assessment itself. Most children find it feels more like play than a test.
• Your report and next steps. You’ll receive a clear written report with findings and recommendations, and we’ll talk you through what it means and what (if anything) comes next.

Fees, Funding & Availability

We want fees to feel straightforward, not stressful. An assessment typically begins with an initial consultation, with report writing charged at our standard hourly rate. We see private clients and NDIS participants (plan-managed and self-managed), and clients with a GP Chronic Disease Management plan may be eligible for a Medicare rebate.

Whatever your situation, we’ll confirm all costs and any applicable funding with you before your first appointment, so there are no surprises. You can see the full breakdown on our Speech Pathology fees & funding page.

We also offer weekly payment plans, so the cost of an assessment can be spread over time rather than paid all at once. The final report is released once the assessment has been paid in full — just ask and we’ll set up a plan that works for you.

Right now, our Speech Pathology team has immediate availability for assessments — so there’s no long waitlist between deciding to act and getting answers.

Warm, Neuro-affirming Assessment

An assessment with us is never about labelling a child as behind. It’s about understanding how they communicate and what would help them take part and feel confident. Our team works from a neuro-affirming, strengths-based approach in a purpose-built, sensory-aware clinic — and our speech pathologists sit alongside our psychologists and occupational therapists, so if your child would benefit from wider support, it’s all under one roof.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to know which assessment my child needs?

No. You just tell us what you’ve noticed and why the assessment was suggested. Your speech pathologist starts with an intake session, gets to know your child, and works out the right approach from there. Choosing the assessment is our job, not yours.

Do I need a referral?

No referral is required — you can enquire and book directly at any time. If you do have a referral from a GP, paediatrician, teacher or other professional, we’re happy to liaise with them.

Will I get a written report for my child’s school or GP?

Yes. You’ll receive a clear written report, and with your consent we can share it and liaise directly with your child’s school, kindy, GP or paediatrician.

How long does an assessment take?

It varies with what we’re looking at and your child’s pace on the day. We’ll give you a clear idea of timing, session length and cost after the intake session, before you commit to anything.

Is an assessment covered by NDIS or Medicare?

We see NDIS participants (plan- and self-managed) and private clients, and clients with a GP Chronic Disease Management plan may be eligible for a Medicare rebate. We’ll confirm your options before your first appointment — see our fees & funding page for current rates.

Do you offer payment plans for assessments?

Yes. We know assessments are a significant cost, so we offer weekly payment plans that let you spread the fee over time. The written report is finalised and released once the assessment has been paid in full. Get in touch and we’ll set up a plan that works for your family.

What ages do you assess?

All ages — from toddlers through to adults. This page focuses on children, but our team also provides adult communication, cognitive-communication and swallowing assessments.

Do you offer home, kindy or school visits?

Yes, within approximately 10km of our Springwood clinic. Telehealth is also available where suitable.

Ready to Understand Your Child’s Needs?

If someone has asked you to get your child assessed, we can help you take that next step — gently, and without a long wait. You don’t need to know exactly what you’re looking for. That’s what we’re here for.

Call us on 07 3290 4218, email admin@capabilitypsychology.com.au, or enquire online to book a speech and language assessment at our Springwood clinic. Prefer someone to reach out to you? Make an enquiry through our referral form and our client support team will guide the next step.