What to gather before your child’s ADHD assessment, how to organise it and what remains for the clinician to assess, including school information and records.
The best way to prepare for your child's ADHD assessment is to gather a small set of useful information, organise concrete examples and write down your main questions. You do not need to prove ADHD, collect every document or decide what the information means. The clinician assesses, interprets and decides.1
Start with the reason you are seeking help
Write a short description of what prompted the assessment. Focus on the difficulties affecting daily life, when you first noticed them, where they occur and what support has already been tried.
- What feels hardest for your child at home, at school or with friends?
- When did you first notice the pattern, and has it changed over time?
- What situations make things easier or harder?
- What strategies already help, even a little?
- What strengths, interests or ways of learning should the clinician understand?
Concrete examples are more useful than broad labels. Instead of writing that your child is disorganised, note what happens, such as missing instructions, losing items needed for school or needing repeated support to begin a routine.
Gather history and records that may be relevant
Depending on the child and the service, useful material may include:2
- developmental, medical and family history
- school reports or learning-support information
- previous assessments, reports or relevant care plans
- a current list of medicines and health conditions
- examples from home, school and other activities
- your child's own questions, concerns and strengths.
Do not delay an appointment because something is missing. Bring what you have and tell the clinician what is unavailable. They can decide whether more information is needed.
Ask about school information
School information is commonly valuable because it describes another important setting. The clinician or service may request a questionnaire, observations, school reports or another form of input. No single teacher form is universally required.1
Before contacting the school, check what the service is asking for and what consent or privacy steps apply. The companion resource Getting Your Child's Teacher Input for an ADHD Assessment can help you plan that conversation.
Asking a teacher for input
You do not need to ask a teacher whether they think your child has ADHD. Ask for observations instead: what they notice during independent work, transitions, group activities, playtime and less structured parts of the day. It can also help to ask what support has been tried and what happened next.
Include your child's perspective
Ask your child what feels easy, difficult or misunderstood, what helps and what they want the clinician to know. The way this is done should suit their age, communication and comfort. Their account is part of the picture, not a score that determines the outcome.
It is also okay if your child does not want to talk about everything with you. You can ask the clinician how they make space for a child or young person to speak privately and how information will be shared.
Make a one-page appointment note
Appointments move quickly. A short note can help you stay oriented if you feel nervous, rushed or emotional. Keep the detail behind it, but make the first page easy to scan.
- Write one or two sentences about what prompted the appointment.
- List three concrete examples from daily life.
- Note the settings and people represented in the information you have gathered.
- Record current supports, relevant history and anything that is still missing.
- Note any concerns about sleep, mood, learning, physical health or medicines that may be relevant.
- Finish with the questions you most want answered.
This note is a conversation aid, not a clinical summary. Keep sources visible: “parent observation”, “teacher email” or “school report, Term 2” is more useful than blending everything into one voice.
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Prepare questions for the clinician
Consider asking what the assessment will include, whether more information is needed, how other explanations will be considered and when you can expect to discuss the outcome. The companion resource Questions to Ask Your Clinician provides a practical checklist.
Questions you might take with you
- What information would be most useful before the next appointment?
- Who will be involved in the assessment, and what is each person’s role?
- Should my child attend every appointment?
- Are there other health, learning or developmental areas you want to explore?
- How will we receive and discuss the outcome?
- Who should we contact if circumstances change while we are waiting?
A good-enough preparation checklist
| Prepare | Good enough for now |
|---|---|
| Your main concern | A few sentences in your own words |
| Everyday examples | Two or three recent, specific moments |
| School input | A report, email or requested questionnaire |
| History | What you remember, with gaps clearly marked |
| Existing records | The most relevant documents you can find |
| Your questions | The three things you most want to discuss |
How Threadline helps
Threadline guides families to gather and organise reported history, examples, questionnaires and source documents into an Assessment Package for clinical review.
The Assessment Package is an organised information package. It does not conduct the clinical interview, medical or mental-state assessment, determine whether diagnostic requirements are met or guarantee that every clinician will consider the information complete. The clinician may request additional information and remains responsible for interpretation and diagnosis.
You do not need perfect preparation
A clear summary, a few useful examples and the records you already have are a strong starting point. It is acceptable to arrive with gaps, differences between reports or questions you cannot answer. These are matters for the clinician to explore, not problems you must resolve before the appointment.
For a detailed overview of the information that may be considered, read ADHD Assessment in Australia: A Guide for Parents. For the Australian pathway, see How to Get an ADHD Diagnosis in Australia.
Frequently asked questions
These answers summarise the preparation steps explained above.
What should I bring to my child's ADHD assessment?
Bring a short account of what prompted the assessment, a few concrete examples and any records you already have, such as school reports, previous assessments and a current list of medicines and health conditions. Bring your questions too. If something is missing, tell the clinician what is unavailable rather than delaying the appointment.
Do I need a teacher questionnaire before the assessment?
Not necessarily. No single teacher form is universally required. The clinician or service may ask for a questionnaire, observations, school reports or another form of input, so check what they are asking for before you contact the school.
Should I wait until I have every document?
No. Bring what you have and tell the clinician what is unavailable. They can decide whether more information is needed, and gaps or differences between reports are for them to explore.
How can my child be involved in preparing?
Ask what feels easy, difficult or misunderstood, what helps and what they want the clinician to know, in a way that suits their age and comfort. Record their words as closely as you can and keep them separate from adult interpretations. You can also ask the clinician how they make space for a child to speak privately.
Sources and further reading
- 1. Australasian ADHD Professionals Association. Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), First Edition. 2022.
- 2. Australasian ADHD Professionals Association. Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for ADHD: Consumer Companion Guide. Undated.
A note for families
This resource offers general preparation and support ideas. It does not replace advice from a qualified health or education professional who knows your child.
More resources
Teacher Input for an ADHD Assessment
Learn how teacher input can support an ADHD assessment, how to make a clear request, what teachers may provide and what to do if teacher input is unavailable.
Questions to Ask During Your Child's ADHD Assessment
A practical checklist of questions to ask during your child’s ADHD assessment, after a diagnosis or when the outcome is uncertain, to understand the next steps.