How Parents Can Prepare for a Child’s Assessment

PUBLISHED Mar 11th, 2025 & UPDATED ON Mar 11th, 2025

The journey of a psychological assessment for your child can bring up feelings of uncertainty, concern, maybe even guilt or fear. It might feel a little nerve-wracking for you too! As a parent, it’s completely natural to feel overwhelmed or unsure about what to expect.

You might find yourself questioning whether you’re doing enough to support your child, or wondering what the assessment results will mean for you and your family. As uncomfortable as these feelings may be, they’re a reflection of the deep care and love you have for your child. Take a deep breath, because we already know you’re doing great (you’re reading this blog after all!).

Let’s dive into the ways you can help prepare, not only for the logistics of the assessment but also for the emotional experience you may go through — because your feelings matter too!
We want you to know: you’re not alone, and we’re here to support you with these helpful tips to help you feel confident and prepared.

1. Reflect on the “why” behind the assessment

Before the assessment, take some time to reflect on the purpose for the assessment What question are you hoping the assessment will answer about your child? With this question in mind, the psychologist will gather insights about your child’s strengths, challenges, and needs, form an interpretation, and recommend the best way to support them.

Remind yourself: this process is not about judging your parenting or your child. It’s about gaining tools and clarity to help your child thrive. And that’s pretty awesome, if you ask us!

2. Consider your child’s strengths and challenges

As their parent, you bring invaluable insights to the assessment process. After all, you know your child best! Take a few moments to think about your child’s unique qualities, which may come up in an intake or clinical interview:

• Patterns or behaviours you’ve noticed at home, school, or during activities
• Important developmental, educational and health history
• Any helpful feedback from others in their life (teachers, care provider, etc.) that may provide insight to their behaviours
• Specific questions or concerns you’d like to discuss with the psychologist

While it’s helpful to have a heads up, know that it’s the psychologist’s job to ask relevant questions so don’t worry too much about having all the answers ready to go!

3. Approach the assessment with an open mind

Feeling a little nervous about your child’s assessment? Worried that your results won’t turn out as you expected? That’s totally okay! This assessment isn’t about confirming a specific diagnosis or outcome—it’s about gaining deeper insights into your child’s challenges and needs to support them going forward. It may be a certain diagnosis or what you expected, and it may be something else. The psychologist will interpret the results objectively, using their expertise to provide a clear, accurate picture of what’s going on and tailored recommendations to help your child move forward.

So, instead of focusing on a specific outcome, see this as an opportunity for self-discovery, clarity, and empowerment for your child. Let your child know that the assessment is intended to help them with their needs and encourage them to do best on any activities.

If you find yourself worrying, take a deep breath and remind yourself: “This is a step toward understanding and supporting my child.”

4. Pack for the day

Testing session length varies, but sometimes it can be a long appointment! A little preparation can go a long way. Consider what you might need to make the day go smoothly and help you and your child feel comfortable. Here’s a checklist to help:

• Snacks and water 
• Comfort items for your child, like their favourite toy or blanket if they tend to be anxious
• Any paperwork or previous reports your psychologist has asked you to bring.
• Comfortable clothing (e.g.: a sweater if they get cold).
• Essential personal items  (e.g. medication, glasses, hearing aids).

And don’t forget about yourself! If you have comfort items—like a book, a calming playlist, or a cozy sweater—feel free to bring those along too.

5. Plan for post-assessment

After learning your child’s results and leaving an assessment, you and/or your child can feel overwhelmed – and that’s okay! You and your child may want to discuss how the process was and how you are feeling. Consider what you both might need to do for yourself at that moment.

If you’re someone who wants to take action right away, this might mean debriefing with a loved one your results, sharing your reports with another professional involved in their care plan (e.g. therapist, teacher), or following up on one of the recommendations the psychologist provided.

Or, you both may need some space to relax and recharge. Whether it’s enjoying your favourite comfort food, catching up on a cozy TV show, or taking a quiet walk, give yourself permission to unwind and process the experience. Whatever it is, do your best to plan for post-assessment and give you and your child grace to do what you need (even if it’s different from your plan) after your assessment.

Preparing for your child’s psychological assessment doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With these tips in mind, you can approach the process with confidence and clarity. You’ve got this!

And, of course, our team is here to answer any questions at all throughout the way!

Want to read more? Check out our blog on How To Help Prepare Your Child for Psychological Assessments or explore our resources about managing stress.

If you’d like to learn more about DiveThru’s psychological assessments, read more here!

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