Autism and ADHD Assessments
- Amy Eades
- May 6
- 3 min read
Updated: May 13
How do you get an assessment? Who can assess for Autism and ADHD? How much does it cost? What happens in an assessment? Feeling overwhelmed? We get it!
The bad news: Assessments come in all shapes and sizes, there is no standard approach and there is a lot of different information online. This can be very confusing.
The good news: Here is some basic info to get you started and a list of neurodiversity affirming psychologists who are experts in these assessments. You're in safe hands.
How do you get an assessment and who can do the assessments?
There are a number of pathways to assessment, and it depends on what you want to get out of your assessment.
Psychologists Some psychologists have done extra training in the assessment of Autism and ADHD. Each of these psychologists will conduct their assessments a little differently, but they have the ability to diagnose (or as we like to say "formally identify") both Autism and ADHD - this includes all psychologists, not just clinical psychologists. Assessments will typically involve a clinical interview with you and sometimes friends and family, questionnaires, and maybe some attention or executive functions tests (although these are not compulsory for diagnosis).
Psychologists can't provide medication, but they can provide some environmental, behavioural, emotional and cognitive recommendations to support your neurotype. For more support after formal identification, it's helpful to find a neurodiversity affirming psychologist for some therapy.
Assessments with psychologists happen in lots of different spaces including (but not limited to) private practices, schools, government departments, and disability support services. To connect with these psychologists, it is best to send an email or give the service a call to ask about their intake process. If you're under 25 there may be some Medicare cover, so be sure to discuss this with your GP as well.
Psychiatrists and Paediatricians Psychiatrists and paediatricians are medical doctors who can diagnose and support neurodevelopmental differences like ADHD and Autism. Psychiatrists often focus on how these presentations interact with mental health, considering the role of medication and broader psychiatric wellbeing. Paediatricians work with children and often take a developmental and medical lens, looking at how traits are observable over time and whether any underlying health factors may be involved. Their assessments usually emphasise clinical history, observable traits, and diagnostic criteria from a medical perspective. To access a psychiatrist or paediatrician, you'll need a referral from a GP. This helps ensure the right type of specialist support is provided and allows you to claim Medicare rebates for eligible appointments.
List of Assessors
Authentic Allies is currently taking a break from assessments, but we recommend these psychologists who are trained in Autism and/or ADHD assessment and work from a neurodiversity affirming framework. Costs will vary from psychologist to psychologist, so have a look on their website or contact them directly for their fees.
Rebecca Gannon – Kaleidoscope Assessment
Haylea Hodges – Be Seen Psychology
Sharen Lui – Sprout Psychology
Shelley Viskovich – Dr Shelley Viskovich Clinical Psychologist
Lumen Gorrie – Brains Beyond Binaries
Amanda Moses – Divergent Assessments
Johanna Badenhorst – Holistic Wellness Psychology
Andrew Grant – Your Calmer Mind
Elysia Thomas – Elysia Thomas Psychology
Katherine Kerimofski – Katherine Kerimofski
Hannah Le Leu – Talk it Through Psychology
Sarah Harrower – Sarah Harrower Psychology
Phillip Tchernegovski – Psychology4Humans
You can also check out the LOAPAC website for more options.
