How to Read an Assessment Report - For Parents
- Allanah
- Aug 18
- 3 min read
Assessment reports can sometimes feel daunting to approach. Sometimes, so daunting that they are only read by doctors and other therapists and left untouched by parents. These reports usually contain some great areas for discussion with your therapist. Here’s how to get the best out of an assessment report.
Quick Note: Before we begin, please note that all therapists will write their reports slightly differently. There’s no uniform way to write a report for speech pathologists. This blog will cover the main areas you’d expect to see in most reports.
What is an Assessment Report?
Speech Pathology Australia - the governing body of speech pathologists in Australia - states that assessment reports should be created after conducting an assessment or screening (SPA, 2024). These are legal documents that have strict guidelines around sharing and viewing.
Speech Pathology Australia (2024) describes the following areas that should be included in a report:
- the client’s background (e.g., medical history)
- the client’s current level of skills
- a comparison of the clients’ skills compared to children in their age group
- recommendations regarding therapy and/or other referrals or assessments needed
Let’s dive into what you should focus on in each section…
Background:
This is where all of that background information about you or your child is included. For example, any past therapy your child may have received, any other therapists they’re seeing, or any pre-existing medical conditions they may have. This can help speech pathologists make more accurate diagnoses or recommend therapies that align best for you and your family.
It’s important that you read through this section to make sure nothing has been lost in translation, as therapists can make mistakes!
Level of Skills:
This will often be described in any section about ‘formal,’ or ‘informal,’ assessments or screeners. This is how speech pathologists monitor the progress of your child and help create goals for therapy. This is also useful information for other professionals such as paediatricians and other allied health clinicians (Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Physiotherapists) your child might see.
It may be beneficial for you as a parent to think about how these skills translate to everyday activities. For example, if your child has been reported to have some challenges with following instructions, highlighting with your therapist that your child may have trouble packing a school bag in the morning, helps us create functional activities and supports that you can implement at home.
Skills Compared to Peers:
On first glance, this can be a daunting section. It can be disheartening to see that your child isn’t meeting the ‘typical,’ guidelines for their age. This data helps to guide a therapist on how to support your child, but it isn’t a reflection of the many strengths and personality traits of your child that cannot be measured in an assessment.
This data is mostly useful for agencies such as the NDIS and schools/other therapists. As a parent, if you ever have concerns about this section, please approach your therapist.
Recommendations:
This section allows speech pathologists to suggest ongoing therapies and make referrals to people we believe could support your child. This section is also useful for providing really clear ideas of what your child may need funding wise, and is a really clear outline of our professional opinion.
As a parent, this is a great area to ask questions about. Speech Pathologists practice a skill called Clinical Reasoning. Every recommendation we make must be backed up by a mix of evidence and professional experience. If you’re unsure about a therapy or referral, we’re always able to explain our thought processes and how this would look in the clinic.
Final Notes:
In summary, speech pathology reports can be packed with foreign terms and overwhelming amounts of information that may make them seem unapproachable, however, there is great value to reading through these documents before sending them off to stakeholders such as your child’s school. Speech Pathologists are always willing to answer any questions you have about your child’s report. No question is too silly!
References
SPA. (2024). Speech pathology assessments and reports. Speech Pathology Australia.
Remember to be kind and share joy!
- Alyssa Loughman (Allied Health Assistant)
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