You need functional evidence
You may be gathering information for an NDIS application or a planning conversation. The report explains daily functioning alongside the other evidence you have.
NDIS · Adults & children · Australia-wide
Functional Capacity Assessments
An FCA looks at how you manage everyday life and the support you need. We bring your experiences and clinical evidence together in a clear written report.
$969.95 for most assessments See fees & timing
No referral needed. We check suitability before you commit.
The whole picture
Your everyday life
What you manageAt home, at school, at work and out in the community.
The support involvedReminders, planning, supervision and practical help.
What changesEffort, fatigue and the difference between days.
Brought together in your FCA report
Watch videoMinimise video1:13What is a functional capacity assessment?
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Most assessments$969.95Fee and inclusions
NDIS arrangementsSelf- or plan-managed
We cannot accept agency-managed bookings.
Your written reportWithin two weeks
Of your interview. See the full timeframe.
Is an FCA right for you?
Start with what you need the report to explain.
An assessment can help when you need a clearer account of how disability affects daily life, and why particular support is needed.
We work with adults and children, including people with neurodivergence, psychosocial disability, chronic illness and physical conditions. For children, we consider age, development and information from parents, carers and schools.
Your needs or circumstances have changed
Activities may have become harder, support may have changed, or your current information may no longer describe everyday life.
The help already involved needs to be understood
Family and carer support can become so familiar that it goes unrecognised. We consider what is being provided and whether it is sustainable.
What makes the activity possible?
Making dinner may depend on someone else planning the meal, shopping or staying nearby. That help is part of the picture. We consider whether you can repeat an activity through the week, the effort involved and the recovery afterwards.
An FCA is not required for every NDIS application.
Other evidence may already explain your situation. Tell us the purpose of the report, or ask your planner or support coordinator what information is needed. Read the NDIA’s guidance
Watch videoMinimise video0:56When might an FCA help?
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How it works
The appointment is one part.
Your intake, existing records, assessment tools and interview each contribute to the picture. Clinical reasoning brings them together.
We look at patterns across the week, including routines, effort, risk and harder days.
Enquire and check the fit
Tell us why you need a report and whether you have a deadline. We reply within two days and confirm whether our service is suitable before you commit.
Share your intake and documents
Complete the fillable intake form at your own pace. NDIS plans, previous reports, letters and school information help us prepare. A support person is welcome to help.
Use tools chosen for your situation
Nisha selects relevant measures, such as WHODAS 2.0 or the COPM. Measures of work and social adjustment, mood, stress or carer load are used where appropriate.
Talk through everyday life
The interview is usually around 60 minutes, through a secure video appointment. We discuss what works, what is difficult, the help involved and what happens when support is unavailable.
Receive a reasoned report
Nisha brings the evidence together, writes the report and signs it off. Your report is delivered within two weeks of the interview.
Watch videoMinimise video0:53What happens during an assessment at Seeds?
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Taking part from home
Telehealth needs to suit you.
All Seeds FCA appointments are by video. You need a screen and a working video connection; we do not offer phone appointments. Tell us about communication, access or technology needs before booking. We can discuss breaks and support to help you take part in the video appointment. If the assessment needs information that cannot be gathered adequately at a distance, we will say so.
Read about telehealth FCAsWatch videoMinimise video0:47Will telehealth suit my situation?
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What you receive
A report that explains the reasoning.
Your everyday activities, the support involved and the reasons for each recommendation, brought together in one written report. Someone who has not met you should be able to follow the picture.
Everyday life
What daily life asks of you.
The report describes what you can do, what is difficult and what makes an activity possible. This includes personal care, meals and household tasks, getting around, communicating, learning and managing routines, as relevant to you.
Being able to do something once does not tell the whole story. We consider whether you can repeat it through the week, how long it takes, the effort involved and any recovery afterwards. Sensory needs, emotional regulation, fatigue and safety are considered where they affect everyday activities.
The aim is a recognisable account of your life, including your abilities and the support behind them.
How functioning differs from diagnosisSupport & effort
The help that can be easy to overlook.
Support is not always hands-on help. Someone may organise the day, give reminders, check that an activity is safe or stay nearby so you can complete it. The report makes this assistance visible, including help provided by family or carers.
We consider how often help is needed, what happens when it is unavailable and whether the current arrangements can be sustained. Easier days and harder days both matter. The report connects effort, fatigue and relevant risks to the activities they affect.
An activity may be getting done because a great deal of support is already in place.
Read about daily living at homeThe evidence
Several sources, brought together.
Your intake and interview explain daily life in your own words. Existing reports, letters and other relevant records add history and context. Assessment measures can add another perspective, with tools chosen for your age, circumstances and the question the report needs to answer.
For example, WHODAS 2.0 may help describe adult functioning, while the COPM explores activities and goals that matter to you or your family. Not everyone needs the same measures. Results are explained alongside the interview and other evidence, with any gaps or limits made clear.
Nisha selects the tools and brings the findings together through clinical reasoning. A score is one part of the picture.
More about the assessment processRecommendations
The reasons for each recommendation.
Recommendations connect the evidence to the help you need in daily life. The report explains the activity involved, why support is recommended and what it is intended to make possible. Goals and review markers help describe what progress could look like.
Depending on the findings, this may include assistance with daily activities, therapy or a more specific assessment. If equipment or changes to the home need further assessment, that next step is explained. The report gives clinical evidence for planning discussions; the NDIA makes its own access and funding decisions.
The reader should be able to follow the connection between the findings, the proposed support and its purpose.
How an FCA informs NDIS decisionsFor children
Your child, within their everyday world.
For children, the report considers age and development alongside participation in family life, school, kinder and the community. We look at strengths and interests as well as the activities that need more support.
Parents and carers help explain the routines, preparation and assistance that make the day work. Relevant information from school and other clinicians can add a different perspective. A child may manage differently across settings; understanding those differences helps explain what supports participation. Measures are selected for the child rather than simply applying an adult assessment.
The report considers what helps your child take part, and the support your family provides around them.
View the paediatric sample report (PDF)Using your report
Read it, ask questions, use it.
Nisha writes and signs off your final report, delivered within two weeks of the interview. Start by checking the factual details and reading how the findings connect to the recommendations. You are welcome to ask us to explain anything that is unclear.
If something is wrong as a matter of fact, tell us within two days of receiving the report and we will amend it. Including the page or section helps us find the point you mean. You can share the report with the NDIA, your support coordinator or others involved in your care, and use it to discuss next steps.
Keep a copy for yourself. The report can help the people supporting you understand the same picture.
More about checking and using your reportSee how a report is put together.
These fictional samples show the structure and level of detail. Your report is written for your circumstances.
Watch videoMinimise video0:55What will my report explain, and what happens next?
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The clinician behind your report
Nisha Bal
Founder & Principal OT · AHPRA registered · 15+ years’ experience
Your interview may be with Nisha or another experienced Seeds occupational therapist. Nisha selects the tools, completes the clinical reasoning, and personally writes and signs off every FCA report.
Meet NishaFee & timing
Clear information
before you commit.
Most assessments
$969.95
$193.99 per hour · NDIS OT rate
Enquire about an FCASelf-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants are welcome. We cannot accept agency-managed bookings.
What is included
- Intake form and document review
- Assessment tools selected for your situation
- The clinical interview, usually around 60 minutes
- Clinical reasoning and a comprehensive written report
- Support recommendations and measurable goals
- Nisha’s report writing and sign-off
If you cannot complete a written intake and need a longer interview instead, the assessment may be billed hourly. We would discuss this with you before going ahead.
From interview to reportWithin two weeks
Your completed report is sent after the assessment evidence has been brought together.
From first enquiry to reportUsually four to six weeks
This includes the enquiry, booking, interview and report writing.
If you have a deadlineTell us early
Include the date in your enquiry so we can work back from it. A reminder as it gets closer is welcome.
Before your appointment
Bring the detail
of an ordinary week.
You do not need to rehearse answers. A few examples of easier days, usual days and harder days help us understand what life is like for you. Note how often difficulties happen and what you need afterwards.
- Complete your intake and gather existing documents.
After signing the service agreement, we email your client ID and fillable form. Save your progress as you go; you can return to it later.
- Send them at least five days before your appointment.
Use the upload instructions provided by Seeds so we have time to read and prepare. If the appointment is sooner, send what you have and let us know.
- Think about the help that makes activities possible.
Include reminders, planning, supervision and the effort involved. Notes and a support person can help you take part.
Watch videoMinimise video0:55How do I prepare for my appointment?
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Scope of the service
A clinical report,
with a clear scope.
Seeds provides independent occupational therapy Functional Capacity Assessments. We are not a medico-legal service: we do not prepare expert witness reports, court reports or expert evidence for legal proceedings, or appear at hearings to give testimony.
Your completed report is yours to share. You may give it to the NDIA, a support coordinator, a lawyer, an advocate or a tribunal.
Clinical findings, factual corrections and legal requests
The report reflects the assessment, the evidence reviewed and the therapist’s clinical reasoning. We cannot remove clinically relevant findings, write towards a conclusion decided in advance, or attribute difficulties to a diagnosis where our assessment does not support that.
Tell us within two days of receiving the report if something is wrong as a matter of fact, and we will amend it. There is no charge for asking for a correction. An assessment of circumstances that changed later is new work.
If a court or tribunal requires records under a summons or subpoena, we comply and tell you when we are able to. If you need a report prepared specifically to meet expert-witness or court requirements, a practitioner working in that field will be better placed to help.
A few more questions
Before you
get in touch.
If your question is not here, include it in your enquiry. We read each message and reply within two days.
Ask about your situationDo I need a referral?
No referral is needed. You can enquire directly. We prefer a written enquiry because it lets us read your situation properly and give a thoughtful reply before you commit.
Why does the NDIS need more than a diagnosis?
Two people with the same diagnosis can have very different support needs. Functional evidence explains how disability affects daily activities, participation and safety, including what help is needed and how often.
Read about functional capacity and diagnosisCan I claim the assessment through my NDIS plan?
Self-managed and plan-managed participants can claim the assessment cost through their plan. We bill at the standard NDIS OT rate of $193.99 per hour. We cannot take agency-managed bookings because Seeds is not registered to invoice the NDIA that way.
If you are unsure how your plan is managed, check the front page of your plan or ask your planner or support coordinator.
What if I cannot complete the intake form?
A family member, carer or support coordinator can help. If the form is difficult to use, tell us before booking so we can discuss help with the intake. If you cannot complete a written form at all, we can gather the information through a longer video interview; that may mean hourly billing, which we would discuss before proceeding.
If the intake cannot reach us at least five days before the appointment, send what you have and email the FCA team. We would rather move the time than meet you unprepared.
Can a support person join the interview?
Yes. A family member, carer or support coordinator can help you take part. Let us know about communication needs, breaks or other support before the appointment so we can discuss what is appropriate.
What happens after I receive my report?
Check that the factual details are correct and ask us to explain anything unclear. Tell us within two days if something is wrong as a matter of fact. You can share the report with people involved in your care or use it in discussions with the NDIA. Recommendations provide evidence; they do not guarantee a funding decision.
Read about checking and using your reportIf you would like more detail
Read at your own pace.
The next step
Tell us what you need
the report to explain.
Share a little about your situation and any deadline. We will discuss whether Seeds is the right fit before you commit to an assessment.
Enquire about an FCA
No referral needed.
We reply within two days.