Executive Functioning Assessment for Children & Adolescents Adelaide

What is an Executive Functioning Assessment for children and adolescents?

An Executive Functioning Assessment is an occupational therapy assessment that explores how executive functioning skills affect your child’s everyday activities and participation. This may include attention, working memory, task initiation, planning, organisation, time management, prioritisation, shifting between tasks, managing multi-step activities and task completion.

Is an Executive Functioning Assessment an ADHD diagnostic assessment?

No. This assessment is focused on understanding your child’s executive functioning in everyday life rather than determining a diagnosis. Our occupational therapists explore your child’s individual strengths, differences, experiences and support needs to identify practical strategies that may support them at home, school and in the community.

Does my child need an ADHD or autism diagnosis?

No. A formal diagnosis is not required. Executive functioning is different for everyone, and this assessment can be helpful for any child or adolescent where there is a desire to better understand how they plan, organise, remember information, start and complete tasks or manage everyday demands.

What assessment tools do you use?

Your occupational therapist may use a standardised executive functioning assessment, such as the Brown Executive Function/Attention Scales, alongside an occupational therapy assessment of your child’s everyday functioning.

A standardised score is only one part of the assessment. Results are considered alongside your child’s experiences, strengths, routines, environments and functional needs.

Who completes the questionnaire?

Depending on your child’s age and circumstances, a standardised executive functioning questionnaire may be completed by the young person and/or a parent or caregiver.

The occupational therapist will determine the appropriate assessment approach for your child.

How long does an Executive Functioning Assessment take?

The complete assessment process is approximately five hours. This includes pre-assessment information and questionnaires, the occupational therapy assessment appointment, interpretation of findings, report preparation and development of individualised recommendations.

The assessment appointment is generally around 1 to 1.5 hours.

Will we receive a written report?

Yes. You will receive an individualised occupational therapy report explaining your child’s executive functioning profile, how the findings relate to everyday activities and practical recommendations based on their needs.

What kinds of recommendations might we receive?

Recommendations depend on your child’s individual profile and may include planning and organisation systems, visual schedules, routines, checklists, task breakdowns, external memory supports, time-management strategies, task initiation supports, environmental modifications and strategies for reducing cognitive load or managing competing demands.

Can the assessment help with school?

Yes. Where relevant, the occupational therapist can explore how executive functioning influences your child’s participation at school and identify practical strategies or environmental supports that may assist with planning, organisation, transitions, attention and managing school-related demands.

Is this just a questionnaire?

No. A standardised questionnaire may form part of the assessment but it is not the end result. Your occupational therapist considers the findings alongside your child’s everyday experiences, strengths, routines, environments and functional needs. The focus is on understanding what executive functioning looks like for your child and translating the findings into practical, individualised recommendations.

Can the assessment be completed using NDIS funding?

Executive Functioning Assessments may be completed using NDIS funding where occupational therapy assessment is consistent with the participant’s plan and available funding.

All Things Therapy supports self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants and also accepts private clients.