Developmental assessment for babies and toddlers · Gold Coast A clear picture of how your baby or toddler is developing.
A play-based developmental assessment for babies and toddlers from birth to three and a half years. For families, child health nurses, GPs and paediatricians who want to know whether development is on track and where support should start. We are now taking referrals.
Paediatrician, GP or child health nurse? Refer a child.
- Who this is for
- Babies and toddlers from birth to three and a half years whose development is a question, and their parents and treating teams.
- What it can clarify
- Whether development is on track in each area, and where and how far it is delayed, measured against age expectations.
- What you receive
- A feedback discussion and a written report describing each area of development, with next steps for home and for any support or referral.
- Format
- A parent interview, one play-based session of about an hour with you in the room, and a feedback appointment.
- Next step
- Request an assessment, or book a 15-minute discovery call to talk it through first.
When a baby or toddler is not meeting milestones as expected, a developmental assessment measures where development is now, so that support can begin early.
We use the standard developmental assessment relied on in Australian paediatric and research settings. It looks at thinking, language, movement, social and emotional development and everyday skills through play, and compares each with what is expected at your child's age.
When it helps
When a developmental assessment helps
- Milestones in sitting, walking, first words, play or interaction are later than expected
- Your child was born prematurely or had a complicated birth or newborn period
- A medical or genetic condition that can affect development has been diagnosed
- A child health nurse, GP or paediatrician has recommended an assessment, or an NDIS early childhood application needs a measured developmental profile
Hearing and vision should be checked first, because both affect development and test results. Where speech and language is the only concern, a speech pathologist can assess this directly. Feeding, sleep or settling difficulties without a developmental question are best raised first with your GP or child health nurse.
What is involved
What the assessment includes
A parent interview covering pregnancy, birth and newborn history, medical history, feeding and sleep, and what you have noticed and when. We also review any reports from your child health nurse, paediatrician or early childhood service. A play session of about an hour, with you in the room. Toys and everyday activities are used to observe how your child explores, solves problems, understands and uses language, moves and relates to others. It runs at your child's pace, with breaks for feeds and settling. Parent questionnaires cover social-emotional development and everyday skills. Each area is scored against age expectations, taking prematurity into account where relevant. A feedback appointment explains the findings, and with your consent the report goes to your GP, paediatrician or early childhood service.
A morning after a good sleep and a feed usually works well. Bring a comfort item, any glasses or hearing aids, and previous reports, and tell us the times of day your child is most settled.
What it clarifies
Five areas of development
- Cognitive development: how your child attends, explores, remembers and solves problems
- Language: what your child understands and how they communicate
- Motor development: sitting, crawling and walking, and reaching, grasping and manipulating objects
- Social-emotional development: how your child engages, regulates and responds to others
- Adaptive behaviour: the everyday skills expected at your child's age
After the assessment
What you receive, and what it is used for
- A written report describing each area of development, where it is on track and where there is delay, with the standardised scores your paediatrician and other professionals need
- Next steps for home, and recommendations for early intervention where it would help, such as speech pathology, occupational therapy or physiotherapy
- Evidence for an NDIS early childhood application, written to describe functional impact and support needs, and a baseline for a later review
- Ongoing involvement where it helps: a review as your child grows, and support for parents through the early childhood pathway
Developmental assessment of infants and toddlers is conducted by Dr Gerlich, who was part of the team that standardised the assessment for Australian and New Zealand children (her profile).
Cost & funding
Fees and funding
The fee depends on the scope of the assessment. We provide a written estimate before booking, and the booking fee is credited to the total. Developmental assessment is not rebated by Medicare. The exception is where a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist has referred your child for assessment of a possible complex neurodevelopmental disorder or an eligible disability; Medicare assessment items may then apply, and our report goes to the referring paediatrician. The NDIS early childhood approach supports children younger than 9 with developmental delay or disability. Children younger than 6 do not need a diagnosis to be considered. Government arrangements for young children's developmental supports are changing over 2026 to 2028, and we confirm the current pathway with you. See our fees and policies.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How early can a baby be assessed?
The assessment is standardised for children from about two weeks to three and a half years. Very early assessment is usually for babies with a known medical risk, such as prematurity or a complication after birth. For most families the question arises later, when a milestone is late.
Will my baby be upset by the assessment?
The session is play, with you in the room, at your child's pace. We plan it for the time of day your child is usually most settled, and pause for feeds, changes and comfort. If a session is not representative, we arrange another.
Does the assessment diagnose autism or a developmental disorder?
No. It measures development across five areas and describes any delay. Where the pattern raises a diagnostic question, we recommend the next step, which may be review by your paediatrician or a neurodevelopmental assessment at a suitable age.
Can the report be used for an NDIS early childhood application?
Yes. The report describes each developmental area with standardised scores and describes functional impact and support needs, which is what the early childhood pathway assesses.
Do I need a paediatrician referral?
Not for a private assessment. A referral from a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist is needed for the Medicare items, and it means your paediatrician is already involved in your child's medical care.
My child isn't meeting milestones. Who should I see?
Start with your GP or child health nurse, who can check hearing, vision and general health and refer to a paediatrician if needed. A developmental assessment then gives your doctor and any early intervention service a clear, measured starting point.
My two-year-old isn't talking yet. Should I be worried?
Late talking is common and often resolves, but it is worth acting on rather than waiting. The first steps are a hearing test and a conversation with your GP or child health nurse; a speech pathologist can assess language directly. A developmental assessment is the right step when there are concerns beyond speech, such as play, understanding, movement or social interaction.
For referrers
For paediatricians, GPs and child health nurses
We are now taking referrals for developmental assessment of infants and toddlers. The assessment is the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, fourth edition (Bayley-4, Australian and New Zealand standardisation, 16 days to 42 months). It covers cognitive, language, motor, social-emotional and adaptive domains, and is administered by a clinical neuropsychologist who contributed to its Australian standardisation.
- Infants and toddlers with delayed milestones, prematurity or a complicated neonatal course, or a medical or genetic condition that affects development
- Children under 6 for whom an NDIS early childhood application needs a measured developmental profile with standardised scores
- The allied health assessment component of your diagnostic work-up where a complex neurodevelopmental disorder is suspected, and repeat assessment against an earlier baseline
Funding. Where a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist refers a child for assessment of a suspected complex neurodevelopmental disorder or an eligible disability, Medicare rebates the psychologist's assessment services. These are item 82000 and its telehealth equivalents, up to eight services across allied health disciplines, with your review after four. Our report returns to you to inform the diagnosis. These items are not available on a GP referral alone. Developmental assessment outside that pathway is privately funded. Refer through our referrer page, by fax or by email; every referral is acknowledged on receipt.
Request an assessment
Tell us your child's age, what you have noticed and who else is involved in their care. Our team and a psychologist review every enquiry. We reply by email within two working days to confirm fit, the likely fee and the next available appointment.
Paediatrician, GP or child health nurse? Refer a child · Phone enquiries are welcome during business hours on 0452 452 262; if we are with a client, please leave a message and we will call you back.
Request an assessment Book a 15-minute discovery callSources: Pearson Clinical Assessment (Australia & New Zealand), Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Fourth Edition, Australian and New Zealand adaptation (Bayley-4 A&NZ); National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Early childhood approach; MBS Online, Complex neurodevelopmental disorder and eligible disability items.