Giftedness Assessments in Brisbane
Many children show abilities that seem advanced for their age. A giftedness assessment can help families understand a child’s strengths, learning needs and how to support their development.
Our team of Educational and Developmental Psychologists, Neuropsychologists and Psychologists work with families to build a clear picture of a child’s abilities. This can be valuable for educational planning, understanding specific strengths and addressing any challenges that may be occurring at school or at home.
We can assess children aged 6 and older.
What is Giftedness?
Giftedness refers to abilities that are significantly above what is typical for a child’s age. This can include areas such as:
- Intellectual reasoning
- Academic learning
- Creativity
- Problem‑solving
- Rapid learning or advanced comprehension
Gifted children are not all the same. Some show obvious signs early, while others may display strengths only in particular areas or may mask their abilities due to anxiety, perfectionism or learning differences.
Signs Your Child May Be Gifted
Giftedness can appear in different ways. Some common signs include:
Learning new skills quickly
Strong verbal abilities or an unusually advanced vocabulary
Strong problem‑solving and reasoning skills
Boredom in class despite easily completing work
Curiosity and a desire to know “why”
Early reading, writing or number skills
Frustration with the slow pace of school
Discussions and strong opinions around complex and mature topics
Why Consider a Giftedness Assessment?
A giftedness assessment may help if you are seeking:
- Clarity about your child’s cognitive strengths
- Support for school planning or enrichment opportunities
- Understanding of whether other factors, such as ADHD or learning differences, may be affecting performance. These individuals are often referred to as 'twice exceptional or 2E.
- Insights about social or emotional needs
- A formal assessment to accompany applications for programs
Giftedness assessments can be especially important if a child appears bright but is also struggling.
What Does a Giftedness Assessment Involve?
Giftedness assessments usually include:
- An IQ Test and or other Cognitive tests, such as the WISC‑V, to measure cognitive strengths
- An academic achievement test, such as the WIAT-III, to examine reading, written expression, and mathematical skills
- A clinical interview with parents or caregivers
- Behavioural or developmental questionnaires, if useful (generally completed online outside the day of testing)
- A detailed written report outlining results and recommendations
The goal is to provide a clear and balanced picture of your child’s learning profile.
What does our Giftedness Assessment process look like?
1. Background Information Gathering
We first send out a questionnaire to gather your history and understand questions you might have. We also request any background information you might have, such as school report cards or other assessment reports.
2. Interview with parents or carers' and child
Before the assessment, your psychologist will meet with you to discuss:
- Your child’s history and development
- Areas of strength
- Any concerns or challenges
- What you hope to understand from the assessment
- We also to explore your child's experiences, challenges and history.
3. Cognitive Ability and Academic Skill Assessment
Based on the background information and discussions, your psychologist will tailor assessments for your child.
The assessments will be a one-on-one session with your child. The tests generally involve puzzles, problem‑solving activities, games and other evidence-based tasks that help us understand how they learn.
There will be breaks throughout as needed.
4. Detailed Report
Approximately four weeks after the assessment is completed, we then compile and provide a comprehensive report. The report will give a clear explanation of results and what they mean, outline strengths and any weaknesses and provide individual recommendations.
5. Feedback Session (Optional)
An optional session can be booked for your psychologist to walk you through the report results and answer any questions. It is highly recommended that you have a feedback appointment, and your psychologist will explain further what this entails.
Fees and Rebates
Fees vary depending on the type of assessment being undertaken and the questions being answered. For specific fees, please contact our team or submit an enquiry through our online form.
The assessment fee covers:
- Clinical interview
- Testing session
- Scoring
- Interpretation
- Report writing
Giftedness assessments are not eligible for Medicare rebates.
Why choose Hardwick Psychological Services
In-depth, neuro-affirming approach.
Large team of clinical, neuropsychological, and educational & developmental trained psychologists in Brisbane.
Ability to assess co-occurring conditions
Highly qualified team, trained to Masters or PhD level, who remain up to date with current research and best practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can my child be assessed for giftedness?
We undertake giftedness assessments from around age six, when IQ tests are most reliable.
How Long Does the Assessment Take?
Will my child receive a diagnosis?
Giftedness itself is not a diagnosis. However, assessments may identify additional learning or attention needs if present. Gifted individuals are a very small subset of the population, so please note that it is possible that your child may be incredibly bright and skilled in some areas while not meeting a ‘gifted’ threshold.
Can giftedness occur with learning difficulties?
Yes. Many gifted children also experience learning differences, anxiety or attention challenges. An assessment can help clarify this.
Will the results help with school applications?
Some schools accept cognitive assessments as part of their consideration for extension or enrichment programs.