Comprehensive Solutions to Complex Challenges Across New Zealand

Assessments

Koru’s Multi-Disciplinary Team does not assess to criteria but assesses the function across brain domains including neuroanatomy, memory, academic achievement, language, motor skills, affect regulation, adaptive functioning, sensory profile and executive function.

A Neurodiversity assessment is generally completed during three sessions and through a variety of activities in a fun and interactive environment. The assessment battery is carefully designed to engage the client’s interest while providing valuable insight into their capacity, strengths and weaknesses.

Koru’s Rosedale office has specially designed assessment and sensory rooms that children love.

Given environmental factors play a role in a child’s functioning, we also gain a school perspective and take into account the home perspective.

Appropriate Support

Koru no longer completes traditional Parenting Capacity Assessment assessments:

Koru believes that a Neuro-diversity assessment, assessing function across brain domains – cognition, memory, adaptive behaviour, executive function, attention, affect regulation, communication, performance abilities, supported by the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2) and Nurturing Skills Competency Scale (NSCS-3.0) provides better information regarding the client’s capacity, strengths and weaknesses.

The data helps to identify appropriate supports to meet the individual needs of the client.

The Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2) is developed from known parenting and child-rearing practices of abusive and neglecting parents. AAPI-2 – clinical interpretation of the five parenting constructs as reported by the parent (self-report)

Expectations of Children
Parenting Empathy toward children’s needs
Use of punishment Parent-Child family roles
Children’s Power and Independence

The data generated from the administration of the AAPI-2 indicates degrees of maladaptive behaviour (Bavolek & Keene, 2010). There is an interview included in the AAPI but we believe that the interview sits within the role of the OT – Oranga Tamariki social worker and is no longer included.

Nurturing Skills Competency Scale (NSCS-3.0*) is a criterion-referenced, self-report inventory designed to provide comprehensive information about the “quality of life” issues that families face as they attempt to put into practice the parenting beliefs, knowledge and skills.

Mental health assessments are added to the Neurodiversity battery at no extra cost.

The additional mental health assessment will be based on referral questions/reasons for referral.