By Dr Sophie Li
Maybe a teacher raised something at a parent-teacher interview. Your child might be finding it hard to make and keep friends, or getting left out or picked on by other children. Maybe you've noticed your child holds it together all day at school and then falls apart the minute they get home. Or perhaps you've wondered for years and are only now ready to ask.
Whatever brought you here, asking about an autism assessment is a reasonable step. A good assessment gives you a clearer picture of how your child thinks, learns and experiences the world, whether or not it ends in a diagnosis. This guide explains what happens during a child autism assessment at Aperture Psychology, how to prepare, and how Medicare and the NDIS fit in.
When should you consider an autism assessment for your child?
Autism looks different in every child. Clinicians assess against the criteria in the DSM-5-TR, which cover two main areas.
The first is social communication and interaction. A child might find back-and-forth conversation hard, struggle to make or keep friends, or have trouble reading facial expressions and tone of voice. The second is restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. That might look like a strong need for routine, distress when plans change, intense interests, repetitive movements, or big reactions to noise, clothing textures, smells or food.
Some children, often girls, learn to mask their differences at school by copying other children and following rules closely. Masking takes a lot of energy, so these children may seem fine to teachers and then be exhausted, anxious or explosive at home. If that sounds familiar, it is worth raising with your GP or with us.
Aperture Psychology assesses children from age 6. If your child is younger, your GP or a paediatrician is the best first stop, and the Raising Children Network has helpful guidance on early signs and next steps.
Who can diagnose autism in Australia?
In Australia, autism can be diagnosed by appropriately trained clinicians, including paediatricians, psychiatrists and psychologists. The National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism, published by Autism CRC and approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council in 2023, sets out how assessments should be carried out. It recommends gathering information from several sources and settings, including home and school, and focusing on the child's strengths and needs as well as the diagnostic question.
What happens during an autism assessment at Aperture Psychology?
The process starts with a call or an assessment enquiry. We have a brief consultation with you, then send a tailored quote. Once you've paid a deposit, we book your appointments.
A standard child autism assessment has several parts. You, your child's teacher and, where age-appropriate, your child complete questionnaires. You then meet with the psychologist for a parent interview of one to two hours about your child's development, early history and day-to-day life. Your child spends two to four hours with the psychologist on their own, working through play-based tasks, conversation and puzzles. A parent needs to stay nearby during this time. The psychologist also speaks with your child's teacher by phone, or uses a questionnaire if a call isn't possible.
Autism, ADHD and learning disorders often occur together. The assessment screens for other neurodevelopmental differences, and the psychologist will let you know if further assessment is recommended to get the full picture. Any further assessment may involve an additional fee and only goes ahead with your consent.
If you're also wondering about attention and focus, we can run a combined autism and ADHD assessment. This usually involves a parent interview of about two hours and three to four hours with your child.
What tools are used?
The main observation tool is the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition), a structured, play-based assessment with different modules for different ages. It is combined with a diagnostic interview about your child's development, behaviours, emotional wellbeing and social understanding, standardised questionnaires from home and school, and cognitive testing such as the WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children). Depending on the questions you have, the psychologist may also look at executive functioning and academic achievement.
Our earlier post, Psychological assessments for autism, explains why we use several measures together. If attention, organisation or planning are a concern, understanding executive functioning is a useful read too.
How can you prepare your child?
Keep the explanation simple and calm. For a younger child, something like "you'll be doing puzzles, games and some talking with someone whose job is to learn how children think and learn" is usually enough. Older children and adolescents often like to know there are no right or wrong answers.
On the day, bring snacks, a drink, glasses or hearing aids if your child uses them, and a comfort item if it helps. A good night's sleep makes a real difference to how your child engages with testing.
For your part, gather any school reports, previous assessments (for example from a speech pathologist or occupational therapist) and relevant medical letters. These give the psychologist a fuller picture and can save time in the parent interview.
What does the report include, and what happens next?
After the assessment, you'll have a feedback session where the psychologist explains the findings and answers your questions. You'll also receive a detailed written report. It covers whether your child meets the criteria for autism, their cognitive and, if relevant, learning profile, their strengths, and practical recommendations for home and school.
If your child is diagnosed, we'll talk through what it means and the options available. These might include referrals to speech pathology or occupational therapy, adjustments at school and, for adolescents, neurodiversity-affirming support at Aperture. Under the Disability Standards for Education 2005, schools must make reasonable adjustments for students with disability, and the report gives teachers clear, specific guidance.
If your child isn't diagnosed with autism, the assessment still explains your child’s thinking strengths and weaknesses and how to support them. Many families find the cognitive profile and recommendations just as useful, and sometimes the findings point to something else, such as a learning difficulty that a psychoeducational assessment can explore further.
Medicare, the NDIS and Thriving Kids
Medicare can help with the cost for children and young people under 25. The usual path is to see your GP, who refers you to a paediatrician or psychiatrist. If they decide an allied health assessment is needed, they can refer your child to an eligible psychologist for up to four Medicare-rebated assessment services per referral, with a lifetime limit of eight, according to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. The rebate covers part of the fee, and we'll give you a clear quote up front.
If your child is diagnosed, our report can be used to support NDIS applications and other formal supports. From October 2026 the Australian Government is starting Thriving Kids, a program for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs. A diagnosis isn't needed to access Thriving Kids, and the government has said there are no changes to how people access the NDIS until 1 January 2028.
Autism assessments in the Eastern Suburbs, Inner West and by telehealth
Your child's direct assessment takes place in person at one of our two practices. Our Randwick practice at 209a Avoca Street is close to Coogee, Maroubra, Clovelly, Bondi, Bondi Junction and Paddington. Our Marrickville practice at Suite 3.03, 18-30 Faversham Street suits families from Newtown, Summer Hill, Leichhardt, Ashfield, Alexandria, Burwood and across the Inner West.
The parent interview, teacher consultation and feedback session can be done by telehealth if preferred, so you make fewer trips to the practice, which helps if you're travelling from further away. At the time of writing, we have no waitlist for autism assessments.
If you have questions about whether an assessment is right for your child, our assessment FAQs may help, or you can contact our team to talk it through.
Disclaimer
This article is general information only. It is not a substitute for advice from a qualified health professional about your child. Medicare, NDIS and Thriving Kids details are current as at October 2026 and can change, so check the linked government pages for the latest information. If you are worried about your child's immediate safety, call 000. For support any time, contact Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or Parentline NSW on 1300 1300 52.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
Autism CRC. (2023). National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in Australia (2nd ed.).
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. (2026). Medicare services for complex neurodevelopmental conditions: frequently asked questions.
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. About Thriving Kids.
Australian Government Department of Education. Disability Standards for Education 2005.
Raising Children Network. Autism assessment and diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
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We assess children from age 6, as well as adolescents and adults.
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A standard assessment includes a parent interview of one to two hours and two to four hours with your child, plus a teacher consultation, questionnaires, a written report and a feedback session. These are usually spread across a few appointments.
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Yes. A combined assessment includes a parent interview of about two hours and three to four hours with your child.
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You don't need a referral to book privately. To claim a Medicare rebate, you'll need a referral from a paediatrician or psychiatrist, so start with your GP.
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Parts of it can. The parent interview, teacher consultation and feedback session can be online, and your child's direct assessment happens in person at Randwick or Marrickville.
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The report is written to support school planning, NDIS applications and other formal supports. Each organisation makes its own decisions about eligibility. Our psychologists can also liaise with your child's teacher and school about the findings and how best to support your child at school.
