A growing but often overlooked crisis is affecting children and adolescents nationwide: the shortage of assessment centres. These centres provide critical diagnostic services for a range of issues including learning disabilities, developmental delays, and mental health conditions. The scarcity of these facilities has a profound impact on the academic performance and mental health of children and adolescents.

What is assessment?

Assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that clinical psychologists, educational psychologists among other qualified professionals in the field use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students. According to literature, assessments help identify any delays or difficulties in a child’s development, such as language delays, motor skill deficits, or cognitive impairments. Additionally, assessments provide valuable information that helps professionals develop individualised intervention plans to support a child’s needs. These plans may involve therapies, educational programmes, or other interventions. Assessments can measure a child’s academic skills and progress in various subjects, helping educators determine appropriate educational goals.

The role of assessment centres

Assessment centres offer specialised evaluations by psychologists, speech therapists, educational diagnosticians and other experts who can pinpoint the nature and extent of a child’s challenges. These assessment services are often the first step in securing needed support, whether it’s special education services, therapy, or mental health treatment.

For children and adolescents, timely diagnosis is crucial. Early interventions such as individualised education programs (IEPs) for students with learning disabilities or cognitive-behavioural therapy for those with mental health conditions can dramatically improve outcomes. Yet, with assessment centres in short supply, many children and adolescents face long waiting periods or even a lack of access altogether.

Academic performance and the consequences of delay

The academic implications of delayed assessment are significant. Research shows that early identification of learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder is key to ensuring that students receive early intervention and diagnosis. Without a formal diagnosis, these children may struggle in school and are often labelled as inattentive or disruptive when they could be facing neurological challenges. As a result, they often fall behind their peers, which can eventually lead to frustration, low self-esteem, and disengagement from school. An article published in the
Journal of Professional & Applied Psychology (Bano &Yusuf 2023) suggested that “the presence of learning disabilities can be described as a risk factor from the perspective of physical and biological, cognitive, emotional, and social development. The academic performance of students can completely deteriorate because of learning disabilities, and they exhibit a variety of problems including social and adjustment issues”. The article further stated that “the academic functioning of the children will be much improved by early identification and it will enable educators to deal with such students efficiently and to help them in their studies”.

A report by the National Centre for Learning Disabilities (2023) found that students who receive early intervention and support are more likely to succeed academically and socially. Conversely, students who do not receive timely intervention are at a higher risk of academic failure, dropping out of school, and experiencing difficulties in adulthood. The longer a learning disability goes undiagnosed, the more challenging it becomes, and the more imperative it is to close the achievement gap between these individuals and their peers.

The shortage of assessment centres can also affect the mental health of children and adolescents. The most prevalent mental health disorders in children and adolescents include anxiety, depression and behavioural disorders and early diagnosis is essential for effective treatment. However, due to the limited availability of assessment services, many children and adolescents may go undiagnosed for years, during which time the conditions can worsen.

Barriers to assessment centres

There are several barriers to accessing assessment services in Jamaica. First, a lack of access to assessment centres. As mentioned, there is a limited amount of assessment centres. Therefore, because of the limited availability of these centres, getting the services is challenging. Secondly, the distribution of assessment centres across the island. Jamaica is known to have many rural communities. Therefore, families who live in these rural communities, have limited access and will have to travel long distances to get the help that they need. Consequently, the cost of travelling is another area to consider, which can add to the frustration that the families are already facing.

Thirdly, cost. Let us not kid ourselves the cost of assessments is extremely expensive. Cost can range from $60,000 to $100, 000 per visit. With that high cost, not many families will be able to access the services that they need. Only one assessment centre in Kingston offers the services at a minimal cost; however, the waiting list is very long leaving families waiting for months to get an appointment. This waiting eventually adds to the parent’s level of frustration, and the child not receiving the necessary attention that is required.

Solutions

Addressing the shortage of assessment centres requires a multifaceted approach. Policymakers must prioritise funding for mental health and assessment services. The Government of Jamaica, and by extension, the Ministry of Education and Youth can ensure that there are additional assessment centres and that the existing ones receive the required funding that will provide the services that families need, and this will help to reduce the long waiting list that families face. Also, public awareness campaigns that encourage early intervention for learning disabilities and mental health services can help reduce stigma and ensure that more families get the help that they need.

It is imperative to address the silent crisis of the shortage of assessment centres, which is undermining the future of countless Jamaican children and adolescents. Without timely intervention, individuals with learning disabilities and mental health issues are at risk of falling behind academically and suffering from preventable mental health challenges. Policymakers must prioritise addressing this shortage to alleviate the crisis and ensure that children can succeed as they deserve.

Sophia Francis has a master’s in counselling psychology. She is in the field of administrative support at the College of Health Science, UTech, Jamaica.