Assessments

Understanding the person, not just the challenges.

At Connected Future, we believe meaningful support begins with understanding the whole person and their environment.

Connected Future services take a holistic, strengths-based, trauma-informed and neuroaffirming approach to understanding an individual's experiences, strengths, differences and support needs.

Whether you are seeking a deeper understanding of yourself, exploring your child's development, or looking for guidance on appropriate supports and interventions, our assessments aim to provide meaningful insights that inform practical, individualised recommendations.

Biopsychosocial Mental Health Assessments

Understanding the bigger picture.

Our biopsychosocial assessments explore the different factors that influence a person’s mental health, wellbeing and everyday functioning.
We recognise that mental health does not exist in isolation. Our experiences are shaped by the interaction between our physical health, emotional wellbeing, relationships, environment and life circumstances.
Through collaborative conversations, we explore areas such as:
  • Psychological wellbeing: Emotions, thoughts, behaviours, coping strategies and mental health experiences.
  • Social and environmental factors: Family relationships, friendships, education, employment, housing and community connections.
  • Biological and developmental factors: Physical health, developmental history, sleep and other factors influencing wellbeing.
  • Strengths and protective factors: Personal capabilities, interests, existing supports and resources.
  • Current challenges and support needs: Identifying barriers to wellbeing and opportunities for additional support.
The assessment provides a holistic understanding of the individual’s circumstances and can help inform therapeutic interventions, support planning, referrals and recommendations.
Important to know: These assessments are non-diagnostic. While they explore mental health experiences and potential areas of concern, they do not provide a formal mental health diagnosis.

Understanding your Neurotype

Understanding your neurotypical and individual strengths and differencing with the MIGDAS-2 assessment framework.

Every person experiences, processes and interacts with the world differently. Understanding these differences can be an important part of developing self-awareness, recognising strengths and identifying environments and supports that work best for you.
The Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition (MIGDAS-2) is a sensory-based, conversational assessment approach that explores an individual’s unique patterns of communication, relationships, sensory experiences and interests.
Rather than focusing solely on challenges, we use this assessment to develop a richer understanding of how an individual experiences and navigates their world.
The assessment explores areas including:
  • Sensory experiences: How an individual experiences and responds to sensory information, including sound, touch, movement and their environment.
  • Communication and interaction: Individual communication preferences, social interactions and ways of connecting with others.
  • Emotional experiences: How emotions are experienced, communicated and regulated.
  • Interests and strengths: Exploring personal interests, abilities and the activities that support engagement and wellbeing.
  • Individual differences: Understanding patterns of thinking, processing and interacting with the world.
How can this assessment help?
The insights gained through the MIGDAS-2 can support individuals, families, educators and other professionals to better understand the person’s needs and preferences.
This understanding can inform:
  • Greater self-awareness and understanding of individual strengths and differences.
  • Personalised therapeutic approaches and interventions.
  • Environmental adjustments at home, school or work.
  • Strategies that support emotional regulation and wellbeing.
  • Improved understanding and communication between individuals and their support networks.
A focus on understanding, not diagnosis.
Although the MIGDAS-2 was developed for use within comprehensive autism diagnostic assessments, Connected Future also offers it as a standalone, non-diagnostic assessment.
In this context, the purpose is not to determine whether someone is autistic or identify a particular neurotype. Instead, we use the assessment to build a meaningful understanding of the individual’s experiences, strengths and differences.
This assessment does not provide an autism diagnosis, confirm or rule out autism, or result in a formal diagnostic outcome.
Formal autism diagnostic assessments can be undertaken by appropriately qualified and experienced psychologists, including general and clinical psychologists, or through a multidisciplinary team involving professionals from different disciplines. Where a multidisciplinary approach is used, an appropriately qualified lead clinician, such as a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, oversees the diagnostic process and is responsible for formalising the diagnostic outcome and ensuring this is communicated to the individual and/or their family.
Our focus is on helping individuals better understand themselves and supporting those around them to respond in ways that recognise and accommodate their individual needs.

Neurodevelopmental Assessments

Autism and ADHD Assessments: In partnership with Tall Tree Psychology.

Connected Future is proud to collaborate with Tall Tree Psychology to provide comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessments for individuals exploring Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Our collaborative approach brings together professional perspectives to develop a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s developmental history, strengths, differences and support needs.
Neurodevelopmental assessments may involve a combination of clinical interviews, developmental history, structured observations, assessment tools and information gathered from the individual and those who know them well.
Formal diagnostic assessment and any diagnostic conclusions are the responsibility of appropriately qualified clinicians within the multidisciplinary assessment process. This is not held by Connected Future clinicians as Social Workers.
Our shared approach is strengths-based and neuroaffirming, recognising that neurodevelopmental differences are part of human diversity.
Learn More About Neurodevelopmental Assessments
For further information about our collaborative neurodevelopmental assessment pathway, including the assessment process and available services, please visit Tall Tree Psychology.


Get in touch

Not Sure?

We'll help you figure that out.

You don’t need to know exactly what type of assessment you need before reaching out.
We can discuss what you are hoping to better understand and help identify which assessment pathway may be most appropriate for your circumstances.
Whether your goal is gaining greater self-understanding, identifying support needs or pursuing a formal neurodevelopmental assessment, we’re here to help you explore the available options.