Services
Diagnostic Assessments
At Little People Therapies, we offer structured developmental and behavioural assessments to help families better understand their child’s strengths, differences, and support needs.
We know that exploring assessment can feel overwhelming. Our team is here to guide you through the process in a way that feels clear, supportive, and respectful of your child’s individuality.
Our assessments provide meaningful, evidence-based information that can support therapy planning and contribute to broader diagnostic pathways when required.
How Our Assessments Fit Within the Bigger Picture
Some families seek assessment to explore questions around autism, ADHD, developmental differences, or functional capacity.
At Little People Therapies, we complete formal, standardised assessments and provide detailed written reports. These results form an important part of a child’s assessment journey.
Formal diagnostic decisions, however, are made by a paediatrician, psychiatrist, or psychologist, who consider:
- Standardised assessment results
- Developmental history
- Parent and caregiver input
- Clinical interviews
- Other relevant assessment findings
We work collaboratively with medical and psychology professionals and are happy to provide reports to support these discussions.
ADOS-2 Autism Assessment
The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Second Edition (ADOS-2) is a well-recognised, play-based assessment used internationally to explore social communication, interaction, and behavioural patterns.
What the ADOS-2 Looks At
- Social communication
- Interaction and play
- Repetitive or restricted behaviours
- Observed responses within structured activities
The ADOS-2 provides detailed observational information that helps build a clearer understanding of how a child engages and communicates.
How ADOS-2 Results Are Used
The ADOS-2 is a structured assessment tool and provides valuable clinical information. It does not provide a diagnosis on its own.
When families are exploring a formal autism diagnosis, ADOS-2 results are typically reviewed by a paediatrician, psychiatrist, or psychologist, who considers the assessment findings alongside developmental history and other clinical information.
Our role is to provide thoughtful, structured assessment data to support that broader process.
Vanderbilt ADHD Behavioural Assessment
The Vanderbilt ADHD Behavioural Assessment is a standardised, evidence-based tool used to explore behaviours related to attention, activity levels, emotional regulation, and adaptive functioning across everyday settings.
This assessment uses questionnaires completed by parents and teachers, which are then scored and interpreted by a trained Occupational Therapist. The information gathered provides insight into how a child functions across home and school environments, and can support planning and understanding of their needs.
What the Vanderbilt Assessment Includes
- Review of background and referral information
- Parent and teacher questionnaire completion
- Scoring and clinical interpretation
- A written summary report
- A feedback session to explain findings and next steps
How Vanderbilt Results Are Used
The Vanderbilt Assessment does not provide a diagnosis on its own. Instead, it contributes important information that can be used to support a child’s goals and planning, and is often shared with other professionals such as paediatricians, psychiatrists or psychologists to support further assessment or diagnostic pathways.
What to Expect
Diagnostic assessments at Little People Therapies typically include:
- A parent or caregiver history session
- Administration of standardised assessment tools
- Scoring and clinical interpretation
- A comprehensive written report
- A feedback session to discuss findings and next steps
We aim to ensure families leave feeling informed, supported, and clear about what comes next.
A Collaborative Approach
We believe assessment works best when professionals work together.
Little People Therapies provides detailed, structured information that supports informed clinical decision-making by medical and psychology professionals. Our focus is on understanding each child’s profile in a respectful, strengths-informed way, while helping families navigate next steps with confidence.
Fees
The fee schedule for Diagnostic Assesments can be found here: Autism and Behavioural Assesment Fees
