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NDIS - Functional Capacity Assessment

A clear picture of how your child's disability affects everyday life, and the supports that would help.

 

A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) looks at what your child can do day to day, where they need support, and why. The written report is prepared in line with the NDIS funding guidelines, so it can be used as evidence when you apply for NDIS funding, request a plan review, or are asked for updated information about your child's functional capacity.

 

Assessments are carried out at our West Pennant Hills clinic by psychologists experienced in child testing, and our testing clinic is overseen by our Clinical Director.

What a Functional Capacity Assessment measures.

An FCA evaluates how your child's disability affects their everyday functioning across the six NDIS domains:

  • Communication

  • Social interaction

  • Learning

  • Mobility

  • Self-care

  • Self-management

 

Across those domains, the assessment aims to:

  • identify your child's strengths as well as their challenges

  • measure the extent of functional difficulties, using standardised measures

  • set out evidence-based recommendations for supports

  • provide information that can be used in an NDIS application or plan review

 

Note: An FCA is not a diagnostic assessment. It describes functioning, not diagnosis. If a diagnosis would be useful, further assessment may be recommended, and an FCA can be combined with a diagnostic assessment. You're welcome to talk this through with our testing coordinator before you book.

The FCA and NDIS Funding Report.

At the end of the process you receive a detailed written report, structured around the NDIS funding guidelines. It covers:

  • your child's functional strengths and limitations

  • how their disability affects them across the six NDIS domains

  • recommendations for reasonable and necessary supports

  • the funding that would be needed to provide those supports

  • goals

 

The report can be submitted as evidence when applying for NDIS funding, at a plan review, or for an NDIS eligibility reassessment. Decisions about eligibility and funding are made by the NDIA, not by our clinic — the report's job is to give the NDIA clear, objective information about your child.

Who an FCA is usually for.

Families most often come to us for an FCA when they are:

  • applying to the NDIS for the first time and need evidence of functional impact

  • preparing for a plan review, or seeking a change to an existing plan

  • asked by the NDIA for more information about functional capacity

  • going through an eligibility reassessment

  • wanting a clearer picture of their child's daily functioning before deciding what support to seek

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If you're not sure whether an FCA is the right assessment, or whether a diagnostic assessment would serve you better, call us and we'll talk it through.

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What does testing for Functional Capacity Assessment look like at Breakthrough Psychology Practice?

The process has four stages. Questionnaires are completed online, and everything else happens at our West Pennant Hills clinic.

  1. Report review

    Your psychologist reviews the information you already have, so nothing is repeated unnecessarily. Helpful documents include:

    • previous allied health reports (occupational therapy, speech pathology, paediatrician)

    • school reports

    • NAPLAN results

    • any other reports you feel are relevant

  2. Parent interview

    A 90-minute interview in which the psychologist takes a full history of your child — developmental, medical, behavioural, emotional, and how they manage day to day. You'll also talk through your current concerns and set the NDIS-related goals the assessment will address.

  3. Child observation and standardised assessment

    Standardised measures are chosen to suit your child. Information is gathered from parents and, where appropriate, from a teacher who knows your child well. Measures may include the Vineland-3, other adaptive functioning scales, and behavioural or emotional measures. The psychologist also completes a play-based assessment with your child.

  4. Feedback appointment

    Your psychologist talks you through what the assessment found, the recommended supports, and the funding recommendations attached to your child's NDIS-aligned goals. You then receive the written FCA and NDIS Funding Report

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How long does the FCA take?

From the parent interview, the assessment usually takes four to five weeks to complete.

 

Appointments are booked in advance, so it's worth getting in touch early if you're working to an NDIS deadline.

How to get started?

The first step is to set up a patient profile and book the parent interview and feedback appointment. To do that, call us on (02) 8978 0600 or email admin@btpsychology.com.au.

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If you have questions before booking, our testing coordinator is happy to talk you through the process. It's a lot of information to take in, and we'd rather you felt clear about it first.

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