Functional Capacity Assessments (FCA) in Sydney
Comprehensive NDIS Functional Capacity Assessments with a focus on children and young people.
What Is a Functional Capacity Assessment?
A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) is a comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment that explores how a person manages everyday activities and how their disability or developmental needs affect their participation and independence across daily life.
At Grow & Tell, our Occupational Therapists provide Functional Capacity Assessments in Sydney, with particular experience supporting children and young people. An FCA considers a participant’s strengths, functional challenges, goals and support needs across home, school and community environments.
A Functional Capacity Assessment may explore areas including:
Daily living skills
Self-care and independence
Communication and social participation
Emotional regulation
Sensory processing
School participation
Community access
Support needs and assistive technology
Following the assessment, your Occupational Therapist prepares a detailed FCA report outlining functional abilities, support needs and individualised recommendations. Where appropriate, this evidence may assist with NDIS plan reassessments, change of circumstances requests and future planning.
Want to learn more? Read our guide to what a Functional Capacity Assessment involves, including what families can expect from the assessment and report process.
How Functional Capacity Assessments Can Help
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Understanding Everyday Functioning
Our Occupational Therapists assess how a participant manages everyday activities across home, school and community environments. An FCA identifies strengths, functional challenges and the level of support that may be required to increase participation and independence.
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Evidence for NDIS Plan Reviews & Changes
An OT Functional Capacity Assessment provides detailed evidence about a participant’s functional abilities and support needs. This information may assist with NDIS plan reassessments, change of circumstances requests and future planning, where appropriate.
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Individualised OT Recommendations
Following the assessment, our Occupational Therapists provide individualised recommendations based on the participant’s functional needs and goals. Recommendations may include assistance, supervision, therapy, assistive technology or environmental modifications to support greater independence, safety and participation in everyday life.
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A Comprehensive Occupational Therapy Assessment
Our OTs use interviews, observation and appropriate standardised assessment tools to understand a participant’s functional abilities and support needs. With consent, we may also collaborate with parents, teachers, support coordinators and other professionals to build a comprehensive picture of everyday functioning.
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Supporting Participation & Independence
A Functional Capacity Assessment explores how disability affects participation across learning, self-care, play, social activities and community life. This helps identify supports and strategies that may increase independence and participation in everyday activities.
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Ongoing Occupational Therapy Support
Following an FCA, some participants may benefit from ongoing Occupational Therapy to develop functional skills, work towards their goals and increase independence in everyday activities. Where appropriate, recommendations for ongoing therapy can be included in the FCA report.
Who May Benefit from a Functional Capacity Assessment?
Our Occupational Therapists provide Functional Capacity Assessments for NDIS participants in Sydney, with particular experience supporting children and young people. We can also provide assessments for older participants where our clinicians’ experience is appropriate for their individual needs.
An FCA may be helpful for:
Participants preparing for an NDIS plan reassessment or change of circumstances.
Participants whose functional abilities, circumstances or support needs have changed.
Families seeking clearer evidence about everyday functioning and support needs.
Participants who require individualised recommendations for assistance, supervision, assistive technology or environmental modifications.
Participants who need evidence of how their disability affects participation across home, school and community life.
Self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants.
Each Functional Capacity Assessment considers the participant’s strengths, functional challenges, goals and support needs to build a detailed picture of everyday functioning and the supports that may assist their independence and participation.
Need a Functional Capacity Assessment in Sydney?
Our Occupational Therapists currently have appointments available for Functional Capacity Assessments. Contact our team to discuss your needs and the assessment process.
Our Functional Capacity Assessment Process
At Grow & Tell, every Functional Capacity Assessment is tailored to the participant’s circumstances, goals and everyday support needs. Our FCA process may include:
Initial Consultation: We discuss the reason for the FCA, the participant’s current needs, NDIS goals, relevant background information and any important deadlines or concerns.
Comprehensive OT Assessment: Our Occupational Therapist uses interviews, clinical observation and appropriate standardised assessment tools to understand the participant’s functional abilities across home, school and community life.
Collaboration & Information Gathering: With consent, we may gather information from parents, carers, teachers, support coordinators and other professionals to develop a comprehensive understanding of the participant’s everyday functioning and support needs.
Detailed FCA Report: We prepare a comprehensive Functional Capacity Assessment report outlining the participant’s strengths, functional abilities, support needs and individualised recommendations. Where appropriate, the report may provide evidence to support NDIS planning, plan reassessments or change of circumstances requests.
Learn more about what to expect from a Functional Capacity Assessment.
Other Therapy Services at Grow & Tell
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Speech Pathology
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Occupational Therapy
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Social Skills Groups
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School Readiness Groups
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Online Speech & OT
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Telehealth
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Mobile Speech Therapy
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Mobile Occupational Therapy
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NDIS Speech Therapy
Meet Our FCA Occupational Therapists
Functional Capacity Assessments are available through our experienced Occupational Therapists at our Rhodes and Crows Nest clinics in Sydney.
Mina Hsia provides FCAs from our ST Leonards clinic, while James Delasan provides FCAs from our Rhodes clinic. Both clinicians take an individualised approach to understanding each participant’s everyday functioning, support needs and goals.
Mina Hsia
Occupational Therapist
Mina provides Functional Capacity Assessments for NDIS participants, assessing everyday functioning across home, school and community settings to develop individualised recommendations.
James Dalasan
Occupational Therapist
James has more than 9 years of paediatric Occupational Therapy experience and provides Functional Capacity Assessments for NDIS participants, with a focus on functional needs, participation and independence.
Why Choose Grow & Tell for a Functional Capacity Assessment?
Our Occupational Therapists take a child- and family-centred approach to Functional Capacity Assessments, focusing on how a participant functions in everyday life and the supports that may help them work towards greater independence and participation.
When you choose Grow & Tell for an FCA, you can expect:
Experienced paediatric Occupational Therapists: Our team has extensive experience supporting children and young people with a range of developmental and functional needs.
Comprehensive, individualised assessments: We consider the participant’s strengths, challenges, goals and support needs across home, school and community life.
Detailed FCA reports: Reports clearly describe functional abilities, support needs and recommendations, providing useful evidence for families and other professionals involved in the participant’s care.
Collaborative assessment: With consent, we can liaise with parents, carers, teachers, support coordinators and other professionals to develop a broader understanding of everyday functioning.
Sydney clinic locations: Functional Capacity Assessments are available through our Occupational Therapy team in at our Rhodes and St Leonards clinics, with appointments currently available for participants seeking an FCA.
Meet Our OT Team
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Allen
Occupational Therapist
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Japeth
Occupational Therapist
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James
Occupational Therapist
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![A young woman with shoulder-length dark hair smiling in front of a plain light-colored wall.]()
Mina
Occupational Therapist
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![A young woman with long, light brown wavy hair taking a selfie against a plain white wall, wearing a white t-shirt and smiling.]()
Jessie
Occupational Therapist
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![Occupational Therapy Sydney]()
Marine
Occupational Therapist
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![Occupational Therapist Sydney]()
Helen
Occupational Therapist
Where Are We Located?
Address: Ground floor, 1A Homebush Bay Drive, Rhodes NSW 2138
Phone: 1300 848 795
General Enquiries: info@Growandtelltherapy.com.au
Appointments available on:
Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Directions: Click Here
Address: Level 3, 38 Oxley Street, St Leonards NSW 2065
Phone: 1300 848 795
General Enquiries: info@Growandtelltherapy.com.au
Appointments available on:
Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Directions: Click Here
Partners
Explore Our Blogs
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How to Fix a Lateral Lisp Slushy S Speech Therapy
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Understanding Selective Mutism
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Embracing Friendly Feeding Therapy
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Recognising Language Delays in Young Children
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Top 5 Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Your Child
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Speech Delay in Children: Signs, Causes, and What to Do
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Understanding School Readiness Groups: A Parent’s Guide
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The Importance of Early Intervention for Children with Delays or Additional Needs
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What is PECS? (Picture Exchange Communication System)
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Is Your Child A Gestalt Learner?
NDIS OT FAQs
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A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) is a comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment that explores how a participant’s disability affects their ability to complete everyday activities and participate at home, at school and in the community.
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Your FCA will be completed by an Occupational Therapist with experience assessing everyday functioning, participation and disability-related support needs.
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An FCA may include interviews, clinical observation, standardised assessment tools and a review of relevant reports. With consent, the Occupational Therapist may also consult with family members, teachers, support coordinators and other professionals.
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The report describes the participant’s strengths, functional challenges and required levels of assistance or supervision. It may also include recommendations relating to therapy, capacity building, assistive technology and environmental supports.
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An FCA can provide detailed evidence about a participant’s current functioning and disability-related support needs. This information may be relevant for an NDIS plan reassessment or change-of-circumstances request; however, funding decisions are made by the NDIA.
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The timeframe depends on the participant’s needs, the assessments required and the complexity of the report. We will explain the expected assessment and report timeframe before you proceed.
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Depending on the participant’s circumstances, assessment may occur at one of our clinics in Rhodes or St Leonards.
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We specialise in working with children and young people. We may also provide FCAs for older participants when their needs align with our clinicians’ experience. Please contact our team to discuss suitability.