About · functional capacity assessments
Functional assessments.
A functional assessment is step one of how we work at every stage of life, and it is also available on its own. It is the evidence of how a person actually functions, written so the right supports can follow.
What we believe
An honest account, evidenced. Not a flattering one.
Most providers believe an assessment should lead with strengths, and that emphasising challenge is deficit-based. The thinking is that families have already heard plenty about what their child can't do, and that a neuro-affirming report should describe the person at their best. So reports often open with strengths, keep the language about difficulty gentle, and lean on a single standardised scale to summarise the rest. It's a well-intentioned approach, because nobody wants to hand a family a report that reads as a list of failings.
In reality, a report that softens the challenges isn’t establishing functional impact, and without functional impact the funding gets refused. The family is left holding a kind document and no supports, and often no clear explanation of what went wrong. Being accurate about what is hard is not deficit framing. It’s the only thing that produces the support that makes everything else possible.
That’s why we write an honest one and evidence it. We use several standardised tools rather than leaning on a single adaptive behaviour scale such as the Vineland, so the findings are cross-confirmed. Because the assessment is written by a Registered Nurse, the medical and diagnostic history gets read and used properly rather than summarised around. We draw the link between the disability and the functional impact explicitly, because without that link the support is not fundable. And we state risk as risk, with the mechanism named and the evidence beside it, including what happens if the support is not there.
What changes
A report that does its job.
What it covers
Three areas, assessed in depth.
Social functioning
Communication, relationships, and social and community participation.
Work or study
How neurodivergence affects education or employment, and what adjustments and supports would change that.
Risk
What is at stake, how it comes about, and what happens if the support is not there.
How it works
We start with what matters
An initial consultation with the participant, and their family where they want them involved, shapes the focus of the assessment.
We assess
Structured interviews and standardised tools, with direct observation where it is needed. The medical and diagnostic history is part of it.
You get a report you can use
Strengths and support needs stated accurately, the link to the disability drawn, risk evidenced, and recommendations with the reasoning behind them.
Before anything starts, we tell you plainly what the assessment covers, what it costs and how long it takes.
Telehealth or in person
One assessment, delivered where it works best.
Most of a functional capacity assessment is standardised testing and clinical interview, which works well by video. That is why we offer it anywhere in Australia. In person is for the parts that need to be seen directly.
By telehealth, anywhere in Australia
The same standardised tools, interviews and report, over video. You need a stable internet connection and a computer, tablet or phone with a camera and microphone. We confirm anything else when the assessment is booked.
In person, around Ballarat
Where something needs direct observation, such as physical impacts or the home environment, we come to you. Assessing at home lets us observe the things that matter in the place they actually happen.
Not sure which suits? Ask us on the call. We'll tell you honestly which one your situation needs.
Why it is written by a Registered Nurse
Two things change. The diagnostic and medical history can be read and used properly, rather than summarised around. And risk is stated as risk, with the mechanism named and the evidence beside it, rather than softened into a recommendation.
It is not a diagnosis
We assess function, not diagnosis, and we say which is which. If the question is whether someone is autistic, that is a diagnostic assessment, and we will point you to the right people.
Common questions
Before you book.
Anything else, ask us on the call.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can request an assessment directly through our website, or your support coordinator can refer on your behalf.
What is the report used for?
Our reports are written for NDIS plan reviews, education inclusion plans, Disability Support Pension applications and care planning, where evidence of functional capacity and support needs is required.
Is telehealth as thorough as in person?
Yes. The same standardised tools, structured interviews and clinical process apply, and the report is written to the same standard. Where part of an assessment needs direct observation, we will tell you, and do that part in person.
Where does an in-person assessment happen?
Wherever suits your circumstances. Many families choose home, because it lets us observe the environment the person actually lives in.
How long does it take, and when do I get the report?
It depends on the person and what the assessment needs to cover. We give you a clear timeframe once we understand your situation, before anything starts.
Is this an NDIS functional capacity assessment?
Yes. Our reports are written for NDIS plan reviews, education inclusion plans, Disability Support Pension applications and care planning, where evidence of functional capacity and support needs is required. The assessment is written by a Registered Nurse, not an Occupational Therapist.
Which assessment tools do you use?
Several standardised tools, cross-confirmed, including the Vineland-3, ABAS-3, SRS-2, SPM-2 and D-REF, alongside structured interview and direct observation where it is needed. The medical and diagnostic history is part of it.
Is this an autism assessment?
No. We assess function, not diagnosis, and we say which is which. If the question is whether someone is autistic, that is a diagnostic assessment, and we will point you to the right people.
Is this the first step if we join a program?
Yes. Every program starts with a functional assessment, so the supports we choose are based on what is actually happening. See how we work.
Make a referral
Let's talk about the assessment you need.
Request a call back and one of our team will ring you at a time that suits. We'll talk through what the assessment is for, how it would be delivered, and what it involves, before anything is booked.