South Downs Dyslexia Terms and Conditions
Applicability
These terms and conditions apply to full diagnostic assessments booked by a private individual, their parents/ guardians or their educational setting.
Information on the process of full diagnostic assessment
I offer full diagnostic assessments from the age of 8 years upwards. The assessment process involves a range of activities focusing primarily on learning ability, cognitive processing and literacy attainment. Background information is taken into account, which I collect from parents/guardians, school staff and the individual themselves – via either conversations or questionnaires. This information, together with observations and the results from these assessments, is used to determine whether an individual is dyslexic.
The assessment report that follows is a detailed document, which will outline strengths and areas of vulnerability. It will provide a diagnosis if appropriate and may signpost to other areas of investigation if dyslexia is not found to be present, or if the presence of specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) other than dyslexia are also indicated. It will provide personalised recommendations for adjustments and support in the context of home, educational/workplace setting and daily life.
Who will carry out your assessment
I will carry out your assessment. I am a qualified specialist assessor listed on the Specific Learning Difficulties Assessment Standards Committee (SASC) www.sasc.org.uk. I hold a current Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) that certifies that the assessment will be conducted, and the report written, in accordance with the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee (SASC) current guidelines for diagnostic assessment and report writing. Because I have an active APC, a diagnostic assessment report from me that confirms dyslexia can be used to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) at university.
I am a member of The Dyslexia Guild and abide by their codes of ethics. I have a current Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate relating to children and adults.
Before the assessment
Booking: diagnostic assessments can be requested by phone or email. I will email you a booking form which must be completed and a deposit paid in order to confirm the booking (see below under Payment Terms). Both your email and phone contact details must be provided.
Background Information: prior to the assessment, I will request background information from you, your young person where appropriate and from their school/college, in the form of questionnaires that can be completed electronically or on paper. If contact details of the assessee’s school or college are provided, I can send them the Pre- Assessment Questionnaire, or you may prefer to send it on to them yourself.
The forms must be returned 2 weeks before the date of the assessment. Follow-up calls may be made if needed. Please note that a diagnostic decision cannot be made, or a report completed, unless this background information is provided.
Vision Checks: it is essential that the person having the assessment has had an eyesight check within the two years prior to assessment. Glasses must be brought to the assessment if prescribed. Once an assessment has been booked, I will send you a Visual History Questionnaire and Visual Difficulties Questionnaire which must be completed. It will help you to identify any visual difficulties that should be discussed at an Optometry (Optician’s) appointment prior to assessment.
During the assessment
Length of an assessment: assessments vary in length according to the needs of the individual and the purpose of the assessment, but you should allow approximately three hours. This will allow for refreshment and comfort breaks. If parents/carers feel that their child/young person would find this length of time difficult, the assessment can be carried out over two sessions. However, this must be discussed prior to the assessment. Occasionally, where the need arises, I may request a follow-up session in order to carry out further testing, with no additional charge.
Conduct: I will act with professionalism during the assessment, with due care to the comfort and needs of the person being assessed. Similarly, the assessee needs to behave in a manner that enables me to reach an accurate diagnosis. Where co-occurring needs mean that extra accommodations may be needed, this should be discussed with me prior to assessment. I reserve the right to pause or postpone an assessment where an individual is becoming unduly upset or unsettled by the process.
Location: The assessment can take place at my family home, or at the assessee’s place of education (where this has been agreed with the setting concerned). If it is taking place at my house, an individual under the age of 18 may be left with me during the assessment process if the parent/carer provides a contact phone number and will be freely available during this time. If taking place at a school, it will need to be in a space that is fully compliant with the school’s safeguarding policy. A named adult/adults known to the individual being assessed should be available and on site during the assessment process.
After the assessment
The report will be completed up to 15 working days following the assessment (and receipt of payment) and will be supplied by email as a password protected PDF. This time may need to be extended to accommodate annual leave. The parent/carer will be notified at the time of booking.
The report will be sent to the client who has commissioned the assessment, who is then advised to share it with the school or parent. A follow-up meeting with me to discuss the report is recommended and can be arranged by phone or email. No extra fee will be charged for this discussion. This may be in person, on the telephone or via a video call. It may also take place at the school/college if requested.
Payment terms
Deposit: For full diagnostic assessment, payment of a £75 non-refundable deposit is due at the time of booking an assessment, to secure the booking. I reserve the right to cancel a booking if payment of the deposit has not been made.
Remaining Balance: The remaining balance of £450 is due on the day of assessment, or at the latest within 48 hours following the assessment. Please note that I will be unable to complete a report where full payment has not been received.
Payment Method: My preferred payment method is by bank transfer (BACS). My BACS details will appear on the invoice.
Cancellation
I appreciate that circumstances can change, and you may need to cancel the assessment. If you need to cancel, please notify me by email as soon as possible at philippajhawkins@me.com and we will rearrange a mutually convenient date or arrange for refunds, as outlined below. Please be aware that you may need to wait for a rescheduled appointment to become available. If I have to cancel due to illness or other specific reasons, I will notify you by email or phone, and rearrange the assessment at a mutually convenient time.
Refunds for cancellations with no re-scheduled appointment:
Please be aware that a cancelled assessment does not result in a return of the initial £75 deposit. Cancellations that are received 5 days or fewer before the event will also incur a 50% charge of the £450 balance, reflecting the considerable preparatory workload an assessment involves. The full fee is payable if no cancellation is made and the client fails to attend the booking.
Complaints
While every effort is made to provide a high quality, evidence-based diagnostic assessment, no guarantees can be made regarding outcomes, diagnoses, or acceptance of the report by external bodies, e.g., local authorities, SFE, or schools in the UK and beyond. It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to confirm in advance whether the report format will meet specific institutional requirements.
For concerns relating to any service provided by me, please contact me initially for an informal discussion. If unresolved, The Dyslexia Guild complaints procedure are available to follow.
Further information
Minor amendments to the background information may be requested by the client up to 30 days after a report has been received. Once a report has been finalised and any follow-up discussion of the results has taken place, the assessment process will be concluded.
I am committed to protecting the privacy of individuals. For information on how the report and other associated data will be stored and handled please see my Privacy Policy.