Functional Capacity Assessments for Children
A Functional Capacity Assessment, often called an FCA, is a comprehensive occupational therapy assessment that explores how a child participates in everyday life.
Lily provides paediatric Functional Capacity Assessments for children and NDIS participants across Oakleigh South and Melbourne’s south-east. Each assessment is tailored to the child’s strengths, needs, routines and environments, with clear reporting and practical recommendations.
What is a Functional Capacity Assessment?
A Functional Capacity Assessment looks at how a child manages everyday activities across home, school, kindergarten and community settings.
Rather than focusing only on a diagnosis or isolated skill, an FCA considers the child’s overall participation, the support they currently require and the factors that may make daily activities easier or more difficult.
The assessment may help families, support coordinators and other professionals develop a clearer understanding of the child’s:
Functional strengths
Everyday support needs
Current level of independence
Environmental barriers and supports
Informal and formal assistance
Recommended strategies and services
The information gathered is brought together in a detailed occupational therapy report.
What can an FCA explore?
The areas assessed will depend on the child’s age, goals, circumstances and reason for referral.
A paediatric Functional Capacity Assessment may explore:
Self-care and daily routines
Dressing, toileting, personal hygiene, eating, sleep routines and other everyday tasks.
Emotional regulation
How the child recognises, communicates and manages emotions, including their capacity to cope with transitions, demands and unexpected changes.
Sensory processing
How sensory experiences such as noise, touch, movement, lighting and busy environments may affect comfort, regulation and participation.
Fine motor and functional skills
Skills used for writing, drawing, cutting, using utensils, managing fasteners and completing everyday tasks.
Play and social participation
Participation in play, shared activities, friendships, family routines and community experiences.
School or kindergarten participation
The child’s ability to engage in classroom routines, learning activities, transitions, organisation and interactions within the education environment.
Planning and completing tasks
Attention, organisation, sequencing, working through multi-step activities and adapting when a task changes.
Safety and supervision
The type and level of prompting, assistance or supervision required across daily environments.
Community participation
The child’s participation in appointments, outings, recreation, transport and community activities.
