Why Does My Child Need a Psychoeducational or Social Emotional Assessment?

If your child’s school has recommended an assessment, it’s because teachers or counselors have noticed some behaviors or challenges in how your child learns or interacts with others. These challenges might be more visible at school, even if they don’t happen at home. For example, they might show up when your child is working on school tasks, with classmates, or talking to teachers. The assessment helps the school understand your child’s needs better, so they can get the right support from specialists like a child psychologist.

Not all children learn or grow in the same way. Some children face challenges that may affect their attention, emotions, or behavior. These difficulties could show up as problems including focusing, solving tasks, or getting along with others. The assessment helps to find out what might be causing these challenges, and after assessment, specialists can create a plan to support your child’s learning and success.

What happens after the assessment?

Once the assessment is finished, the results are analyzed by a psychologist and report is given only to parents. This report includes your child’s school history, test results, and recommendations to help both parents and teachers better support your child.

Confidentiality

The report is private and only shared with you, the parent. It’s up to you whether you want to share it with your child’s teacher or school counselor. However, sharing it can help teachers adjust lessons to help your child learn in a way that matches their abilities and ensuring they get the best possible support.

Here is the list of some of the children challenges for parents to note about why schools might refer children to a psychologist for different kinds of assessments:

Learning Challenges

Dyslexia

Attention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity

Autism and Asperger

Tourette Syndrome

Emotional and Behavioral challenges