Occupational Therapy and Speech & Language Therapy

An assessment is one of THE most important steps in the therapy process.  We want to make sure we have comprehensive information to provide you with strategies and recommendations and to determine the best therapy programme moving forward. 

All children new to therapy must have an assessment to begin. 

We use standardised assessments which are formal assessments that have been designed to measure a child's abilities compared to other children his or her age. Your child's score can then be matched to the average score for other children of the same age. We also use non-standardised assessments and observations of functional skills.  Our therapists will talk to you the parent and your child’s teachers. We will also have parents and teachers complete questionnaires about your child’s skills and behaviour and if possible conduct a school visit to observe your child in a familiar environment.  

How long will an assessment take?

About 2 hours.  If your child is aged between 2-5 years old we prefer to conduct the assessment over two sessions to ensure your child is not too tired and we are getting the most accurate information.

What should my child wear or bring?

We love to get messy with paints, water or shaving cream so best to leave the party clothes at home. Trainers/sneakers are the best option too in case we decide to have a dodge ball match or practice our skipping or jumping.  

What should I tell my child about the assessment?

We believe that honesty is key during the therapeutic process especially with the children we work with. 

Here is an example of how you can explain an Occupational Therapy assessment 

“You know how you have trouble with your handwriting and throwing and catching and sometimes it’s tricky for you to pay attention in class? ‘Leith’ (tell them the name of the therapist they are going to see) is really good at finding out why you are having trouble  and she works with lots of children to help them improve their skills. You are going to be playing games and doing some work and she’s going to watch and help you.”

Here is an example of how you can explain a Speech and Language assessment

“You know how sometimes it’s hard for you to understand what people are talking about or it’s tricky for you to listen and remember lots of instructions? Rachel (or another therapist) is really good at finding out why listening and talking is difficult for you and she’s going to help you improve.  You will play some games and answer some questions when you go to see her.”

These are just some examples of ways you can start the conversation about therapy with your child.  Please make sure you prepare them so they understand why they are coming to Young Folk Therapy, but we will also make them feel happy and confident during the assessment, it’s what we are great at. 

Clinic based assessments

We encourage parents to bring their child to the assessment as it can be a little scary and intimidating for the child at first.  Parents are most welcome to watch the assessment but we do usually find the children perform better when Mum or Dad are not watching.  We ask the parents to stay in reception while the assessment is taking place just in case your child needs some reassurance during the process.  Our reception is a screen free zone so please remember to bring a book or download your favourite music or podcast prior to coming. We also have a range of magazines or books for your to read. 

School based assessments

We work within a range of schools in Hong Kong so if your child has a referral through our  school partners we will conduct the assessment during school time. We will liaise with the teacher to organise the best time to minimise disruption to the school day. 

What happens directly after the assessment

We will not be able to provide you with the results of the assessment immediately after we finish for a few reasons.  Firstly, we prefer not to talk in front of your child and secondly we want to take our time to analyse all the results before we make our recommendations.  Your child has just spent a great deal of time concentrating so we want them to go home and relax and not feel anxious about the results. 

We will email you the full report within 2-4 weeks from the completion of the entire assessment , inclusive of receiving completed referral forms and questionnaires. We will organise a time for a 45 minute feedback meeting with the aim of scheduling this meeting within two weeks of you receiving the report. Times may vary depending on therapist availability.

The feedback meeting is your opportunity to ask any questions about the results and recommendations.  We want to ensure you have a full understanding of all the results and further therapy options.

How much does an assessment cost?

To view all our fees including the cost for our assessments, please click here.

If you would like more information or want to book an assessment, get in touch with us today!