Yes, we can diagnostically assess those aged 8 and older for dyslexia.

Your diagnostic assessment report will be authored by a fully qualified Specialist Assessor with a valid Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) and full registration with SASC and the British Psychological Society.

Dyslexia can be classified as a disability under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Order (Northern Ireland) 2005. Therefore, you may decide to inform your child's school that they have been diagnosed with dyslexia.

Schools do their best, with the resources that they have, to ensure that a child with dyslexia is not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to a child that does not have dyslexia.

Ultimately, it is down to the Principal and/or SENCo of your child's school (if you decide to inform them of your child's dyslexia, of course) to decide what steps they need to take to support your child. The Principal and/or SENCo may decide that the school can meet your child’s dyslexic needs without any external support or they may wish to ask the Education Authority for some support.

Many children with dyslexia receive access arrangements in tests and examinations (e.g. extra time) such as the SEAG Entrance Assessment, GCSEs and A Levels.

Looking further down the line, a diagnosis of dyslexia enables a person to apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowance at university; it even entitles a person to apply for access arrangements (e.g. extra time) in their driving theory test or support from the Access to Work (NI) scheme.

Yes, but only adults (minimum age 18).

For an adult who feels that they have ADHD, a full diagnostic assessment has to be undertaken (this is in line with SASC regulations). The reason for this is that ADHD will commonly co-exist with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) and so it may well turn out to be the case that in addition to the identification of characteristic features of of ADHD, an SpLD such as dyslexia turns out to also be present.

Please note that the type of ADHD assessment that Ulster Assessments carries out does not enable access to ADHD medication. Access to ADHD medication can only be gained via a medical diagnosis which you can explore via your own GP - we supply a referral letter which you can give to your GP.

However, rest assured that the type of ADHD assessment that Ulster Assessments carries out should enable access to government-funded support such as the Disabled Students' Allowance or the Access to Work (NI) scheme as well as reasonable adjustments from your employer or college/university. Specific information on the type of ADHD assessment that Ulster Assessments carries out can be found here.

Your diagnostic assessment report will be authored by a fully qualified Specialist Assessor who has completed the required appropriate training on ADHD and who holds a valid Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) and full registration with SASC and the British Psychological Society.

Dyslexia: £550

ADHD: £650

These prices include the gathering of background information, the diagnostic assessment session itself and the writing of the diagnostic assessment report that you will be provided with. 

Approximately two hours but rest assured, breaks can be taken.

You will receive your diagnostic assessment report within two weeks. 

A diagnostic assessment report is a 20+ page document produced following a diagnostic assessment. It details an individual's strengths and weaknesses, and may confirm the presence of a specific learning difficulty (SpLD), such as dyslexia. It also features a series of recommendations.

Yes – because your diagnostic assessment report will meet SASC guidelines and will be authored by a fully qualified Specialist Assessor in receipt of a valid Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) and registered with SASC and the British Psychological Society. 

You can get an application form for the Disabled Students’ Allowance here: NIR DSA1 Form 2024/25. Simply complete the application form and send it off along with a copy of your diagnostic assessment report.

Did you know that through the DSA, a student on a Level 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 course could receive up to £25,000 a year worth of support?

This support includes specialist equipment (e.g. an 8GB laptop with specialist software installed and various accessories, digital voice recorder, printer/scanner/copier with annual cartridge/ink and paper allowance), weekly one-to-one sessions with a Dyslexia Tutor, Study Skills Coach or Academic Mental Health Mentor and even the services of a Proof Reader to check assignments.

Please be cautious of Specialist Assessors advertising online who do not hold an Assessment Practising Certificate. If you or your son/daughter receive a diagnosis of dyslexia from a Specialist Assessor who does NOT hold an Assessment Practising Certificate then your report cannot be used as evidence to apply for the Disabled Students' Allowance. You can check whether a Specialist Assessor holds an Assessment Practising Certificate by searching for their surname here. 

Yes - dyslexia can be classified as a disability under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and an employer should thus make "reasonable adjustments" in light of an employee’s dyslexic difficulties.

Within the diagnostic assessment report itself, there is actually a specific ‘Recommendations’ section that you can provide to your employer for perusal. You may also wish to seek assistance through the Access to Work (NI) scheme; more information on the Access to Work (NI) scheme can be found here.

Yes - if you are diagnosed with dyslexia you can ask for up to double time (i.e. 100% extra time) for the multiple choice part of the Driving Theory Test. You can also ask for a 'voiceover'.

A 'voiceover' lets you hear the Driving Theory Test instructions and questions through headphones. The questions will be read out to you automatically. You can hear the possible answers by clicking on the text on the screen. You can hear the questions as many times as you like – just click on the text of the question again.

To arrange any of the above you must provide a copy of a diagnostic assessment report to the Driving Theory Test customer services section at the point of application. Ulster Assessments will provide you with your diagnostic assessment report within two weeks of your assessment.

Further information on applying for extra time and/or a 'voiceover' in your Driving Theory Test can be found here.

No, not at this time.

Just send us a message using the contact form on this website, stating what you would like an assessment for and your age (or the age of the person that you're looking to book an assessment for).

We then reply with a range of available dates and times so that you can then let us know which one suits you.

We are located in comfortable and professional private premises in rural Limavady, County Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

Yes - we can assess children (8+) from the Republic of Ireland for dyslexia. We are conveniently located in Limavady, Northern Ireland, 25 minutes from the Derry-Londonderry/Donegal border.

In Northern Ireland (as throughout the UK) either a psychologist or APC holder can diagnose a child with dyslexia. The diagnosis provided by Ulster Assessments is from an APC holder.

If your child goes to school in the Republic of Ireland, then you will need to independently check and verify that a diagnostic assessment report from an APC holder would be accepted by the relevant educational/government bodies in the area of the Republic of Ireland that you live in.

For example:

You may be able to seek an exemption from Irish for your child with a diagnosis from Ulster Assessments but please peruse the relevant document available here and please check with your child's school first that a diagnostic assessment report from an APC holder would be acceptable to them as evidence of dyslexia.

You may be able to apply to apply for extra time, etc. in exams via RACE for your child with a diagnosis from Ulster Assessments but please check with RACE and your child's school first to confirm that a diagnostic assessment report from an APC holder would be acceptable to them as evidence of dyslexia.

You may be able to apply for Assistive Technology equipment and/or software for your child, via their school, through the Republic of Ireland's National Council for Special Education (NCSE) but please check with your local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) from the NCSE first to confirm that a diagnostic assessment report from an APC holder in Northern Ireland would be acceptable as evidence of dyslexia.

**Please note that access to one of the four specialist reading schools in the Republic of Ireland still currently requires a diagnostic assessment report from a psychologist rather than an APC holder**