CHERI's clinics provide educational and psychosocial assessments of children, as well as family counselling. Our current services are available to children with neurofibromatosis type 1 or velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS).

The clinic provides a specialised and valuable service for these children, which is unique to CHERI and The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Many children who attend the clinic return on a regular basis for follow-up assessments. The follow-up assessments allow us to assess the child's academic progress, check on their development, and also ensure that these children are receiving appropriate educational support. Larissa, who has been diagnosed with VCFS, first attended the CHERI clinic in November 1998, when she was 10 years old and in grade 4. Larissa has attended the clinic for follow-up assessments for guidance relating to her high school education and psychosocial issues during adolescence. Please click here for Larissa’s story.

As a result of the unique level of knowledge, skill, and experience of our clinic team, CHERI is highly regarded for its clinical services, and is also well positioned within health, education, and psychological communities.   We receive positive feedback from the children, their families and teachers about the significant impact that CHERI clinics have had on their learning and life experiences. In addition, our clinical services also provide us with a great opportunity to conduct research and increase our knowledge about the educational and psychosocial aspects of children.

We rely on sponsorship and donations to fund our clinics.

Frequently asked questions (click on the question below)

Who can attend the clinics?

What is involved in the assessment process?

How to make an appointment

Follow up assessments

Where is the clinic held?

Who can attend the clinics?

Children with a confirmed diagnosis of neurofibromatosis type 1 or velocardiofacial syndrome can attend the clinic.

Children must be aged between 8 and 17 years old, however we do sometimes assess children outside this age range. Also, your child will need to be fluent in English because the assessments being used have been developed on English speaking populations.

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What is involved in the assessment process?

Prior to your child attending the clinic for an assessment, we may ask you to complete some questionnaires to obtain information about your child, in particular, about his/her academic performance and any learning problems he/she may be experiencing. Sometimes, with your permission, we may contact your child’s teacher. The clinic assessments may also be part of a research project that has been approved by the Ethics Committee of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, in which you and your child may be asked to participate. Participation in a research project is voluntary.

At the clinic, your child will be assessed by a psychologist, an educator and/or a health professional. The assessment is normally conducted in the morning, as most children find it easier to work and concentrate at this time. The assessment of your child will take approximately two to three hours, including a short break. During the assessment, your child will be asked to answer some questions, solve some problems and complete some puzzles. Some of these assessment tasks will relate to the reading, spelling, and mathematics tasks they complete at school.

On completion of your child's assessment, we will send you a written report detailing the types of tasks your child undertook, and a summary of his/her results. This report may also outline various educational and support recommendations and provide strategies you may be able to use to help your child to learn more effectively at school and at home.

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How to make an appointment

Referrals to the CHERI clinic are generally made by staff of the Clinical Genetics Department or Neurogenetics Clinic of The Children's Hospital at Westmead. If your child has not attended any of these clinics, but would like to make an appointment for an assessment at CHERI, please contact us. These appointments will be assessed on an individual basis.

Follow-up assessments

Children and adolescents who have previously attended the clinic can return for a follow-up assessment. Contact CHERI to make an appointment.

Where is the clinic held?

The clinic is held at the CHERI office, located at Suite 11, Level 2, The Children’s Hospital Medical Centre, Hainsworth Street, 2145.

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