What is a Functional Capacity Assessment?
A Functional Capacity Assessment, also called an FCA, is an Occupational Therapy assessment.
It helps us learn:
- What a person can do on their own
- What is hard for them
- What supports may help them in daily life
- What is important to the person in their daily life
At Innerlink Therapy, we take time to get to know the person, their goals, and their support needs.
An FCA can help when a person:
- Needs changes in support
- Has had recent changes in their daily life
- Needs therapy recommendations
- Needs reports for NDIS plan reviews
What Happens During an FCA?
Meeting With the Occupational Therapist
The person will meet with an Occupational Therapist.
We may also talk with:
- Parents or family members
- Carers
- Support workers
- Other services and professionals involved
This may include:
- Talking about daily life and goals
- Looking at how the person manages everyday tasks
- Visiting the home or community
- Completing standardised assessments and activities
What Does the FCA look at?
The assessment may look at:
- Daily living skills
- Personal care
- Moving around safely
- Communication
- Emotions and behaviour
- Thinking and problem solving
- Community participation
- Support needs
- Equipment or home modification that may help
What happens after the assessment?
After the sessions, the Occupational Therapist will:
- Review all the information
- Look at the assessment results
- Write the FCA report
- Give recommendations to support the person’s goals and daily life
The report may help with:
- NDIS plan reviews
- Requests for changes in support
- Therapy recommendations
- Recommendations for equipment that may help at home and in daily life
- Recommendations for the home that may help with safety and independence
How long does an FCA take?
An FCA has many parts to complete. Altogether, it can take about 15 hours.
This may include:
- Interviews
- Standardised Assessments
- Home visits
- Report writing
The time needed may change depending on the person’s needs.
Travel fees may apply for home or community visits.
Our approach
At Innerlink Therapy we focus on:
- Understanding the person
- Supporting independence
- Helping people join in everyday activities
- Working together with families and support teams
- Giving individualised recommendations
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Functional Capacity Assessment? A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) is a comprehensive assessment completed by an Occupational Therapist to understand how a person’s disability or health condition affects their ability to manage everyday activities. The assessment looks at areas such as self-care, mobility, communication, learning, community participation and independence. The findings are used to provide practical recommendations and detailed reports that may support NDIS planning and funding decisions.
Who may benefit from a Functional Capacity Assessment? A Functional Capacity Assessment may benefit children, teenagers and adults who require a detailed understanding of their functional abilities and support needs. It is commonly requested for NDIS participants who are preparing for a plan review, applying for additional supports, requesting assistive technology or seeking recommendations to improve independence and participation in everyday life.
What happens during a Functional Capacity Assessment? A Functional Capacity Assessment usually involves interviews, observation, discussion with the participant and their support network, and assessment of how everyday tasks are completed at home, school, work or in the community. Following the assessment, the Occupational Therapist prepares a comprehensive report outlining the participant’s strengths, functional challenges, goals and evidence-based recommendations to support future planning and service delivery.