Does Young Sprouts Therapy have child psychologists on staff?

No. Our team is made up of Registered Psychotherapists, Registered Social Workers, and occupational therapists. We do not provide psychological testing or formal diagnosis. What we do provide is evidence-based child, teen, and family therapy, and if your child needs an assessment, we will help you find a qualified psychologist and collaborate with them during treatment.

Can a child therapist diagnose my child?

No. In Ontario, communicating a diagnosis is a controlled act that Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers do not perform. If a diagnosis or formal testing is what your child needs, that calls for a psychologist, psychological associate, physician, or psychiatrist. A therapist can, however, treat the anxiety, behaviour, and emotional challenges your child is experiencing, with or without a diagnosis.

Is a child psychologist covered by OHIP in Ontario?

Psychologists in private practice are not covered by OHIP. Publicly funded psychological services exist through some hospitals, school boards, and children's mental health agencies, but waitlists often run many months to years. That gap is why many families use extended health benefits for private assessment, therapy, or both.

Is therapy with an RP or RSW covered by insurance?

Most extended workplace health benefit plans in Ontario cover Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers, usually under separate categories from psychologist coverage. Sessions at Young Sprouts Therapy are $185, and we provide detailed receipts you can submit for reimbursement. We recommend confirming your plan's specific coverage amounts before starting.

My child's school suggested an assessment. What should I do?

Start by asking the school exactly what they are recommending: a psychoeducational assessment through the school board (free but often slow) or a private assessment (faster but a significant cost). If your child is struggling emotionally in the meantime, therapy can begin right away; you do not need to wait for testing to get your child support.

Parent and child talking with a children's mental health professional in Vaughan

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Child Psychologist in Vaughan: When You Need One, and When a Child Therapist Is the Right Fit

Many Vaughan parents search for a child psychologist when what they really need is the right mental health professional for their child, and that is not always a psychologist. Young Sprouts Therapy is a team of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers, not psychologists. This guide explains what each professional does, what they cost in Ontario, and how to decide, so you can make the right call for your child.

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Psychologists and Child Therapists Do Different Jobs

In Ontario, “psychologist” is a protected title regulated by the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario. Registered Psychotherapists (RPs) and Registered Social Workers (RSWs) are regulated by their own colleges (CRPO and OCSWSSW). All three are legitimate, regulated mental health professionals; the difference is what they are licensed to do.

What a child psychologist does
Psychologists can diagnose mental health conditions and conduct formal psychological testing, including psychoeducational assessments for learning disabilities, ADHD, giftedness, and autism. Many focus primarily on assessment and diagnosis rather than ongoing weekly therapy.
What a child therapist (RP or RSW) does
Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers provide psychotherapy and counselling: ongoing, skills-based treatment for anxiety, behaviour, emotional regulation, grief, trauma, self-esteem, and family challenges. This is the week-to-week work that helps a child actually feel and function better.
Where they overlap
Both can provide therapy, and research consistently shows therapy outcomes depend far more on the fit between your child and their therapist, and the use of evidence-based methods like CBT and play therapy, than on which regulated title the provider holds.

The two often work together: a psychologist assesses and diagnoses, then a child therapist provides the ongoing treatment.

Child therapist working one-on-one with a young child in Vaughan

When to Choose Which

A quick guide to matching the professional to the problem you are trying to solve:

Choose a psychologist when you need answers on paper

A formal diagnosis, a psychoeducational assessment for an IEP or school accommodations, gifted testing, or an autism or ADHD diagnostic evaluation. If you need documentation that schools and institutions recognize, that is psychologist territory.

Choose a child therapist when you need change at home

Meltdowns, worry, school refusal, big emotions, friendship struggles, low confidence, or family conflict. If the goal is your child coping and behaving differently week to week, therapy with an RP or RSW is usually the right starting point.

Start with therapy when you are not sure

Therapy typically starts within a week, costs less per session, and is covered by most workplace benefit plans. If your child's therapist sees signs that formal testing would help, they will tell you and point you to a trusted assessment provider.

Do both when the situation calls for it

Many families see a psychologist once for an assessment while their child does ongoing therapy with us. We collaborate with assessing psychologists, pediatricians, and schools so the pieces fit together.

Cost and Insurance Coverage in Ontario

Fees and coverage are often the deciding factor for families, so here is the honest picture. Psychologists in private practice in Ontario commonly charge in the range of $220 to $300+ per hour, and a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment is typically a multi-thousand-dollar investment. Psychologist services are not covered by OHIP in private practice, though publicly funded assessment routes exist through some schools and hospitals, usually with long waitlists.

Therapy with a Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker at Young Sprouts Therapy is $185 per session, and most extended workplace health benefit plans in Ontario include coverage for RP and RSW services under their own categories, separate from psychologist coverage. Check your plan for "psychotherapist" or "social worker" coverage. We provide detailed receipts you can submit for reimbursement, and you can see our full fees and coverage details or use our cost of therapy calculator.

How to Decide in Three Steps

If you are stuck on “psychologist or therapist,” work through these three questions:

1. Name the outcome you want
A document (diagnosis, assessment report, school accommodations) points to a psychologist. A change (fewer meltdowns, less anxiety, better coping) points to a child therapist.
2. Check your insurance categories
Look up what your plan covers for “psychologist,” “psychotherapist,” and “social worker.” Many Ontario plans cover all three at different amounts, and choosing the professional your plan actually covers can save thousands.
3. Talk to someone before you commit
Our free 15-minute consultation exists exactly for this question. Tell us what is going on; if therapy is the right fit we will match your child with a therapist, and if your child needs an assessment first, we will say so and help you find one.

FAQs

No. In Ontario, communicating a diagnosis is a controlled act that Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers do not perform. If a diagnosis or formal testing is what your child needs, that calls for a psychologist, psychological associate, physician, or psychiatrist. A therapist can, however, treat the anxiety, behaviour, and emotional challenges your child is experiencing, with or without a diagnosis.

Straight answers to the questions Vaughan parents ask us most about psychologists, therapists, and getting started:

Ready to talk it through? Learn more about child therapy, teen therapy, and therapy and counselling in Vaughan, or book a free 15-minute consultation to ask us anything.