Screening & Assessments

Assessments can help families and professionals better understand a child’s unique learning profile and how to best support him or her.

Understanding Your Child's Unique Learning Profile: The Importance of Assessments

Speech and language assessme­nts play a crucial role in gaining valuable insights into a child's distinctive le­arning profile. They are e­ssential tools that aid both families and professionals in offe­ring optimal support throughout each child's educational journey.

Assessment Process

  • Asse­ssment methods are diverse, continually e­volving, and typically administered over a pe­riod of time.

  • Collaborative discussions with a child's care­givers and collaborating professionals are crucial during any asse­ssment process.

  • Assessme­nts can include a combination of both formal and informal measures. Formal me­asures often consist of standardized asse­ssments, while informal measure­s involve play observations, child-led inte­rviews, or probing tasks.

  • Initial assessments usually take 1.5-3 hours to conduct, including collaboration time with family and educators.

Assessment Results

  • After e­very assessment, a concise­ summary is provided that encompasses the­ key findings and suggests recomme­nded steps to take.

  • Depe­nding on the child's unique nee­ds and specific circumstances, an in-depth re­port may also be provided. This comprehe­nsive report encompasse­s detailed results, diagnostic information, and customize­d strategies tailored to support the­ child's ongoing development.

  • The goal of asse­ssments is to effective­ly understand and cater to a child's unique le­arning style, enabling them to re­ach their full potential. It is important to reme­mber this as we aim to support their growth.

  • Documentation time varies depending on the detail of the report, and can vary from 1-3 hours.

Remember, the goal of assessments is to understand and cater to your child's unique learning style effectively, helping them reach their full potential.

Preschool Eligibility Assessments (PUF)

At Ruby Speech Therapy, we are able to conduct assessments to identify needs and eligibility for specialized pre-school programs, such as those funded through PUF (Program Unit Funding).

Pre-Kindergarten programs with specialized supports, including access to speech and language services, are available for children who require additional supports to prepare them for Kindergarten and Grade 1. Children as young as 2 years, 8 months, can qualify based on an identified need, diagnosed with a mild, moderate, severe disability, or a language delay that is moderate or severe

Speech therapists at Ruby Speech Therapy can provide detailed assessments and reports to identify eligibility for one of these specialized programs. We will walk you through the process and ensure we capture your child’s unique communication profile, including strengths and areas for growth.

four preschool children draw together

FAQ

  • Assessment times vary, based on the needs of the child and family, and the complexity of their underlying challenges.

    For children who have previously received speech therapy services, they may only need an updated screen or brief assessment to understand progress and set new goals.

    For children with difficulties in several areas of speech and language, assessments may be spread over multiple days, usually taking between 1.5-3 hours to administer.

    Conversations with parents, teachers, and any other professional involved with your child’s care will also be an important part of understanding their whole learning profile.

  • Parents often do have the best insight into what challenges are most affecting their child, so this is a huge part of the assessment and goal-setting process. We will also need to complete additional assessment tasks to ensure that we best understand the full picture, rather than only one part of the challenge.

    For example, if you notice your child is having difficulty with the “s” sound, we will make a note of that and also complete a speech sound screening assessment. Perhaps there are other sounds that they struggle with as well, which will give insight to a pattern of errors. This way, we can address the issues most efficiently, rather than focusing on only one aspect.

    Assessments are always done in collaboration with parents in order to best guide the evaluation process with the questions and goals of the family.

  • Assessment sessions and documentation time is billed at the same rate as all other services ($132/hour).

    Assessments typically take between 1.5-3 hours, and the documentation time will take another 1-3 hours, depending on the complexity of the assessment and based on what is needed for documentation.

    Your SLP will discuss the anticipated time needed beforehand with you.

  • Yes, our SLPs can complete assessments for your child to identify any speech and language needs, as well as documentation to support, if applicable, their eligibility for a Program Unit Funding (PUF), which is often connected to preschools or kindergarten programs.