Psychological Assessments
Giftedness Assessment in Ottawa
Understand your child’s cognitive strengths and explore questions about gifted programming. Our WISC-V cognitive assessment includes a written report and feedback with your psychologist. The standalone giftedness assessment is $1,875 for children aged 7 and up, offered at our Nepean and Stittsville clinics. The WISC-V testing takes place in person; the intake interview and feedback appointment can be held virtually. Any additional assessment needs are discussed before proceeding.
Understanding Your Child’s Cognitive Profile
A giftedness assessment looks at cognitive abilities to help families understand a child’s strengths and discuss learning needs with their school. At Stradwick Clinic, this process uses the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V), alongside a parent or caregiver interview and review of the current report card.
Results include the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) and/or General Ability Index (GAI), interpreted as part of the child’s cognitive profile. The clinic describes gifted-range results as at or above the 98th percentile. This is not a universal Ontario placement rule: an assessment can inform school discussions, but it does not guarantee identification or admission to gifted programming.
Is This the Right Assessment for Your Family?
You may be considering an assessment to better understand cognitive strengths, respond to a school question about giftedness, or explore suitable enrichment. Bring the questions you hope the assessment will answer, rather than feeling you need to know the outcome in advance.
This assessment is for children aged 7 and up. If you are also concerned about attention, learning or mental health, mention this when enquiring so the clinician can discuss whether additional assessment is appropriate. You can also review our psychological assessment services before contacting us.
What the Assessment Involves
The outlined process includes family input, direct testing, interpretation, a report and feedback. The 7 hours and 30 minutes below include work completed outside appointments, not 7 hours and 30 minutes of testing with your child.
Parent or Caregiver Intake
A one-hour interview covers developmental history, school performance, strengths, challenges and referral questions. A current report card is helpful.
WISC-V Cognitive Assessment
One and a half hours of direct cognitive testing explores your child's cognitive strengths.
Scoring and Interpretation
Thirty minutes is allocated to scoring subtests and indexes and interpreting cognitive patterns and percentiles.
Written Report
Three hours is allocated to WISC-V scores and interpretation, an eligibility discussion, strengths-based analysis, current report card review, and school programming and enrichment recommendations.
Feedback With Your Psychologist
A one-and-a-half-hour appointment reviews results, questions about eligibility and next steps with the school.
Giftedness Assessment Fees
The standalone giftedness assessment totals $1,875 for 7 hours and 30 minutes at $250 per hour. It is separate from a psychoeducational assessment and covers the five stages listed here. Additional assessment needs can change the total cost.
| Stage | Allocated time | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Parent or caregiver intake | 1 hour | $250 |
| WISC-V cognitive assessment | 1 hour 30 minutes | $375 |
| Scoring and interpretation | 30 minutes | $125 |
| Written report | 3 hours | $750 |
| Feedback with your psychologist | 1 hour 30 minutes | $375 |
| Total | 7 hours 30 minutes | $1,875 |
When Additional Assessment May Be Needed
Attention, learning or mental health concerns may call for behavioural or attentional questionnaires, executive function measures, or additional cognitive, memory or academic subtests. Extra administration, scoring and report-writing time increases the cost. The clinic discusses these needs and the additional cost with your family before proceeding.
Your Report and Feedback Appointment
The written report brings together WISC-V results, interpretation and a strengths-based analysis, with a review of the current report card. It includes discussion of gifted-programming eligibility and recommendations for school programming or enrichment.
Your 90-minute feedback appointment with your psychologist provides time to discuss what the results mean, ask questions and consider next school steps. The report and feedback are intended to support an informed conversation, not to promise a particular school decision.
Assessment Results and School Placement Are Different
In Ontario, school-board Identification, Placement and Review Committees (IPRCs) make formal identification and placement decisions. A private assessment can provide information for that process; the clinic does not make the school placement decision.
School-board requirements may vary. Before arranging testing for a specific program, ask your school or board about accepted assessments, documentation, current criteria and the application process. For example, the OCDSB secondary gifted program lists cognitive criteria alongside an application and supporting documents. Its requirements should not be treated as rules for every board or grade.
Read Ontario’s explanation of the IPRC process for the distinction between assessment information and formal school decisions.
Discussing Results With Your Psychologist
The feedback appointment included in this package is with the psychologist who completed your child’s assessment: Dr. Laura S. Stradwick, Dr. Cosmin G. Colţea or Dr. Andre Labao. This is an opportunity to connect the scores and written recommendations to the questions your family brought to the assessment.
Your Giftedness Assessment Clinicians
Meet the Team
These psychologists provide giftedness assessments at the clinic. Open a profile to learn more, or contact the clinic to ask about availability.
Dr. Laura S. Stradwick
Clinical Psychologist, Clinic Director and Director of Neurofeedback Services (Psy.D., C.Psych, BCN). Assessments for clients aged 7 and up.
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Dr. Cosmin G. Colţea
Clinical Psychologist (Psy.D., C.Psych, BCBA). Assessments for children and teens up to age 18.
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Dr. Andre Labao
Clinical Psychologist (Psy.D., C.Psych, ABSNP). Assessments for children and teens up to age 18.
Learn MoreInsurance and Planning Before You Begin
Psychological services may be covered by extended health benefits. Check with your insurer before starting to confirm whether assessment services are eligible, what documentation is required and what limits apply to your plan. Coverage and reimbursement are not guaranteed.
The clinic does not direct bill. You pay the invoice and receive a receipt to submit to your insurer. Contact the office to confirm assessment arrangements and current availability before making plans. Do not assume the package hours describe the elapsed time from intake to feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions
The clinic offers giftedness assessments for children aged 7 and up. Contact the clinic to discuss your child’s assessment needs.
The clinic uses the WISC-V cognitive assessment. Interpretation includes the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) and/or General Ability Index (GAI), with attention to cognitive strengths, patterns and percentiles.
No. The clinic describes gifted-range results as at or above the 98th percentile, but school-board criteria and processes may vary. Confirm requirements with your board; assessment results do not guarantee a placement.
It includes parent or caregiver intake, WISC-V testing, scoring and interpretation, a written report and a 90-minute feedback appointment with your psychologist. The total allocation is 7 hours and 30 minutes at $250 per hour.
Yes, if attention, learning or mental health concerns require additional measures or subtests. Extra administration, scoring and report time increases the cost. The clinic discusses additional needs and cost with your family before proceeding.
No. The $1,875 giftedness assessment is a standalone assessment, separate from a psychoeducational assessment. Tell the clinic whether your questions concern giftedness, academic learning, attention or other needs so the right assessment can be confirmed before booking.
A current report card is helpful. Be ready to discuss developmental history, school performance, strengths, challenges and the questions you want answered. If you have program requirements from your school board, share those with the clinic.
Giftedness assessments are offered at our Nepean and Stittsville clinics. The WISC-V testing takes place in person; the intake interview and feedback appointment can be held virtually.
Questions About Giftedness Assessment?
Tell us about your child’s age, learning questions and any school-program requirements. We can help you confirm the assessment scope and arrangements before you begin.
Contact the clinic to discuss suitability, fees and next steps.