Allied Kids Therapy
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Functional Capacity Assessment

Supporting Your Child with a Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)

Every child approaches everyday activities in their own way. A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) helps you understand how your child manages everyday activities at home, at school or kinder, and in the community.

 

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No referral needed. Just a friendly first step.

Therapist and child playing catch during a functional movement assessment

A clearer picture of everyday life

A Functional Capacity Assessment for kids looks at how your child manages everyday activities and where additional support may help.

Rather than focusing on a diagnosis alone, the assessment looks at your child’s everyday life across home, school or kinder, and the community. The assessment is tailored to your child’s needs and the purpose of the assessment. Your child’s FCA may include clinical observations, conversations with parents or carers, and appropriate standardised assessment tools.

The paediatric FCA report brings this information together to explain your child’s strengths, where they may need assistance, and practical recommendations to support their participation, independence and quality of life.

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Functional Capacity Assessment may look at:
  • Communication and interacting with others
  • Learning and developing new skills
  • Moving safely through everyday environments
  • Everyday activities such as dressing, eating and personal care
  • Managing and participating in daily routines
  • Social participation, relationships and play
  • Participation at home, school or kinder, and in the community
  • Your child’s strengths, challenges and the assistance they may need
  • How different environments may support or limit participation
Therapist and child building with blocks during a paediatric assessment at Allied Kids Therapy
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Therapist and child building with blocks during a paediatric assessment at Allied Kids Therapy
Allied Kids Therapy clinicians celebrating progress with a child during a paediatric session
Therapist and parent supporting a child during a self-care and eating assessment
Therapist and parent supporting a child during a self-care and eating assessment

Understanding your child’s everyday strengths and needs

At Allied Kids Therapy, our paediatric Functional Capacity Assessments focus on your child’s strengths, where they may need some extra help, and the supports that could make everyday activities easier. We look at what matters in your child’s day and how they can participate with greater confidence and independence.

For families accessing the NDIS, a children’s FCA report can also provide clear information about your child’s everyday function and support needs for NDIS planning and review discussions. An FCA does not guarantee NDIS funding or changes to a plan.

Book a Functional Capacity Assessment today to better understand your child’s everyday strengths and support needs.

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FAQs

What would you like to know about Allied Kids Therapy?

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A Functional Capacity Assessment, or FCA, looks at how your child manages and participates in everyday activities at home, school or kinder, and in the community.

It can look at areas such as communication, learning, movement, self-care, managing daily routines and social participation. The aim is to build a clearer picture of your child’s strengths and where they may need support.

No. An FCA is not a diagnostic assessment.

Instead, it focuses on your child’s everyday strengths, challenges and support needs, with recommendations based on what we learn through the assessment.

The assessment will depend on your child and why they need an FCA.

It may include conversations with parents or carers, observations of your child and assessment tools where appropriate. We may also consider information about your child’s everyday routines and participation to understand how they manage across different parts of their day. Where clinically appropriate and relevant to the purpose of the FCA, this may include observations at school or kinder, such as participation in learning activities, following routines, transitions and interactions with peers and educators. Community-based observations may also be included to understand how your child manages everyday activities, social interactions, mobility and participation in different environments.

A paediatric FCA report may provide practical information about how disability or developmental needs affect your child’s everyday activities and participation.

This information can help with NDIS planning or plan review discussions. Decisions about NDIS funding and supports are made by the NDIA, so completing an FCA does not guarantee funding or an increase in supports.

Recommendations will depend on your child and the findings from their assessment.

They may include therapy, assistive technology, changes to your child’s environment, strategies for everyday activities or other supports that could help them participate more confidently and independently.

We bring the information gathered during your child’s assessment together into a clear report.

The report outlines your child’s everyday strengths, areas where support may be helpful and relevant recommendations. Families and other members of your child’s support team can use this information when considering the next steps.

Understand the next step

A Functional Capacity Assessment can help turn everyday observations into a clearer understanding of a child’s strengths, functional needs and the supports that may be helpful.

 

At Allied Kids Therapy, we work alongside families to understand how children manage everyday life and provide practical, personalised recommendations to support greater participation and independence.

 

Talk to our team about whether a Functional Capacity Assessment is the right next step for your child.

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