Dyslexia Screening for Children and Young People
An initial step towards understanding your child's literacy profile
If you are concerned about your child's reading, spelling or writing, a Dyslexia Screening Assessment can provide an initial step towards understanding their literacy profile and whether a more comprehensive assessment may be helpful.
As an HCPC Registered Educational Psychologist, I offer dyslexia screening for children and young people in Cupar, St Andrews and Dundee, and online across Scotland and the UK, to explore your child’s literacy strengths, learning differences and the cognitive processes that support learning.
Unlike a comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment, a screening assessment does not determine whether your child meets the criteria for dyslexia. Instead, it provides an indication of whether further assessment may be helpful and offers practical recommendations to support your child's learning at home and in school.
A Dyslexia Screening Assessment is often appropriate when families are seeking an initial understanding of their child's literacy development before deciding whether a comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment is needed.
When might a Dyslexia Screening Assessment be helpful?
A Dyslexia Screening Assessment may be appropriate if:
- you have concerns about your child's reading, spelling or writing
- your child's literacy skills are developing differently from what might be expected
- your child appears to find reading, spelling or writing more effortful than might be expected given their other strengths
- there are questions about phonological awareness, working memory or processing speed
- you would like guidance about whether a comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment would be beneficial
- your family or your child's school would value practical recommendations while considering the next steps
For some families, a screening assessment provides reassurance and practical strategies that can be implemented straight away. For others, it helps clarify that a comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment would provide a deeper understanding of their child's learning profile.
What does a Dyslexia Screening Assessment involve?
Every assessment begins with listening to your concerns and understanding the questions you hope the assessment will answer. This helps ensure that the assessment is tailored to your child's individual profile and your family's priorities.
Depending on your child's needs, the assessment may include:
- discussion with parents or carers about your child's developmental and educational history
- focused standardised screening measures exploring literacy skills
- assessment of cognitive processes associated with literacy development
- consideration of school information and previous reports, where available
- professional interpretation of the findings within the context of your child's development, educational experiences and individual learning profile
Following the assessment, you will receive
- an overview of your child's literacy profile
- identification of strengths and areas where additional support may be helpful
- practical recommendations for home and school
- guidance about whether a comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment or another specialist assessment is recommended.
My aim is for every family to leave with greater clarity about their child's learning and confidence in the next steps.
Dyslexia Screening or a Comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment?
A Dyslexia Screening Assessment provides an initial indication of whether your child's pattern of strengths and learning differences suggests that a more detailed assessment may be helpful. It is often a valuable first step when families are unsure whether a comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment is needed.
A Comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment (also known as a Specific Learning Difficulty Assessment) provides a detailed evaluation of literacy skills and the cognitive processes that underpin learning. Where appropriate, it can determine whether your child meets the criteria for dyslexia and offers personalised recommendations to support learning at home and in school.
If you are unsure which assessment is most appropriate, I am happy to discuss your concerns and help you decide which option is likely to provide the most meaningful information for your child.
Learn more about my Comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment (Specific Learning Difficulty Assessment).
Delivery
Dyslexia Screening Assessments are available in person in Cupar, St Andrews and Dundee, or online across Scotland and the UK.
Before arranging an assessment, I will discuss your concerns with you to ensure that dyslexia screening is the most appropriate option. If I feel that a Comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment or another Educational Psychology Assessment would provide more meaningful information, I will explain my reasoning and help you decide which assessment is most likely to answer your questions.
If you’d like to talk through whether dyslexia screening is right for your child, please get in touch to arrange an initial conversation. Details of my fees are on the Fees page.
