Cognitive Assessment Guide: information for adults and adolescents

Initial consultation

The initial consultation lasts 60 minutes and explores current concerns, including any mental health difficulties. The initial consultation is conducted with the client. We will then make a recommendation regarding the next steps.

Background information

Information is collected relating to educational development and literacy skills. Relevant questionnaires may also be sent. If completing the assessment remotely, some paperwork or other materials may be sent in advance.

Cognitive assessment

The cognitive assessment will be conducted by one clinician. The assessment may be done remotely or in person, or a combination of both. The client will need to complete a series of puzzles and tasks and answer some questions.

The most commonly used tests are the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for children and adults. These look at areas such as memory, visual reasoning, verbal reasoning and processing speed. Additional tests may be administered to look at particular areas in more detail.

These tests generate many different scores, including IQ scores.

Next steps

After the assessment, the clinician will look at your results and give you some feedback either immediately or in a follow-up appointment. The results, and recommendations from what we have found out, will be included in your final report.

FAQs

Are your cognitive assessments recognised by the NHS?
The tests that we use in our reports are the same tests as those used by psychologists in the NHS and are also often used by educational psychologists in the education system. We follow best practice guidelines and present our findings in a way which can be easily understood and used by other professionals in the NHS and in education.
Prices for assessments and therapy vary from patient to patient depending on their assessment and diagnosis needs. Prices start at £360 for an initial consultation. For a full diagnostic assessment, prices start at £1,800 for a child, and £1,565 for an adult. For our most up-to-date prices please see our fees page here. We also offer payment installment plans if needed.
The whole process usually takes place over the course of a few weeks. The length of the cognitive assessment will depend on the number of tests administered, but typically lasts around 1-3 hours. In some cases, this will be split over two assessment sessions.
The report includes detailed information about the assessment and diagnostic decision, as well as personalised recommendations. Our team are highly experienced in working within education and the NHS, so we know the types of recommendations are sensible and helpful.