NDIS Evidence & Functional Assessment

JARDIN provides NDIS evidence and functional assessment for autistic, ADHD and neurodevelopmentally disabled children, adolescents and adults across Australia.

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Our reports are designed to explain how disability affects daily life, what support is required, and why those supports are needed.

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Our services include: 

• Functional Capacity Assessments

• Home and Living evidence

• Supported Independent Living evidence

• Individualised Living Options evidence

• Support needs reports

• Funding recommendation letters

• Evidence for plan reviews, reassessments and support planning

 

Our work is neuroaffirming, person-centred, evidence-informed and grounded in real life. We focus on clear functional evidence, not generic recommendations.

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Why Functional Evidence Matters

NDIS decision-making often requires evidence about how a person’s impairment affects their daily life, participation, independence, safety, communication, self-care, self-management, learning, social interaction and community access.

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A Functional Capacity Assessment helps translate disability impact into clear evidence.

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At JARDIN, we assess the person’s real-world functioning across home, education, work, community, relationships and daily routines. We consider what the person can do independently, what they can do with prompting or support, where support breaks down, and what formal or informal supports are required.

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Our reports are written to help the person, family, support coordinator, providers and decision-makers understand what support is needed and why.

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Functional Capacity Assessments

Our experienced clinicians conduct Functional Capacity Assessments (FCA) to evaluate your overall ability to perform daily activities and determine your support needs under the NDIS. This holistic assessment covers areas such as mobility, communication, self-care, social interaction, and ability to manage tasks at home and in the community. We look at your physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning, identifying any barriers to independence.

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FCAs are essential for NDIS Plan Reviews, Changes of Circumstances, or Declines in Functioning. The assessment includes interviews, observations, and standardised tools to capture a comprehensive picture of your strengths and challenges. Based on this, we develop recommendations to ensure you receive the necessary supports to enhance your participation and well-being. Our approach ensures that the assessment process is respectful and affirming of your individuality.

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Total Cost: FCAs billed at 15 hours at $193.99 per hour, for a total of $2,909.85.

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Home and Living Assessments

Our team provides thorough Home and Living Assessments to evaluate your capacity to live independently and determine the level of support required. This assessment looks at your ability to manage daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, personal care, and household management. We also assess your ability to engage with the community, maintain relationships, and manage your health and safety in an independent living setting.

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During the Home and Living Assessment, we work with you to understand your personal goals, preferences, and living environment, creating recommendations for the most suitable living arrangements that promote your autonomy. This may include identifying suitable housing, staffing needs, and assistive technologies that enhance independence. Our goal is to help you achieve a meaningful and fulfilling life, in the most independent setting possible, while ensuring you have the right supports in place.

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Total Cost: Home and Living Assessment billed at 20 hours at $193.99 per hour, for a total of $3,879.80.​

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Funding Recommendation Letters

Our clinicians prepare Funding Recommendation Letters that are tailored to support your NDIS plan applications and reviews. These letters are developed based on detailed assessments that thoroughly document your needs across areas such as mobility, communication, daily living skills, and any additional supports required to meet your goals.

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Each letter is designed to clearly articulate the types of supports and services you need, providing strong evidence to justify funding. Our team ensures that these letters are aligned with NDIS criteria, reflecting both your immediate needs and long-term goals for independence, participation, and quality of life. This documentation plays a key role in ensuring that you receive the appropriate level of support to improve your overall well-being.

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Total Cost: FRLs billed at 4 hours at $193.99 per hour, for a total of $775.96.

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Functional Capacity Assessments

 

A Functional Capacity Assessment is a detailed assessment of how disability affects a person’s daily life.

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JARDIN’s FCAs consider functional capacity across key life areas, including:

• communication

• social interaction

• learning

• self-care

• self-management

• sensory regulation

• emotional regulation

• executive functioning

• daily living skills

• home routines

• community access

• transport

• safety

• education or employment participation

• informal support sustainability

• support worker needs

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The assessment may include interview, observation, standardised tools, questionnaires, review of existing reports, and information from the person and their support network where consent is provided.

 

What the FCA report includes

The FCA report provides detailed clinical analysis of the person’s functional strengths, barriers, support needs and recommendations.

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The report may include:

• background and current circumstances

• disability and diagnostic context

• current living situation and informal supports

• daily living and self-care needs

• communication and social participation

• sensory and emotional regulation

• executive functioning and self-management

• community access and transport needs

• education, work or participation impacts

• adaptive functioning results

• functional impact analysis

• recommendations for reasonable and necessary supports

• therapy, support worker or capacity-building recommendations where clinically appropriate

• equipment, assistive technology or environmental recommendations where relevant

• support coordination or implementation considerations

 

The goal is to provide practical evidence that can support NDIS planning, plan reassessment, change of circumstances, access requests, service planning and support coordination.

 

FCA Timeline and Cost

Most Functional Capacity Assessments are completed within approximately 4 weeks, depending on the person’s circumstances, availability, complexity and information required.

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If your assessment is urgent due to an upcoming NDIS review, plan reassessment or change of circumstances, please let our team know.

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Cost Breakdown

Our FCA service is billed at $193.99 per hour, with a total of 15 hours dedicated to a comprehensive evaluation and report preparation.

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• Intake and functional interview

• Assessment and evidence gathering

• Scoring and interpretation of assessment tools

• Review of relevant documentation

• Report writing

• Multidisciplinary review 

• Summary discussion or feedback, where requested

 

Total cost for a Comprehensive Functional Capacity Assessment: $2,909.85​​​​

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Comprehensive Assessment Across Key Functional Domains

Our FCA evaluates functional capacity across multiple life areas, ensuring a holistic understanding of the person’s daily needs and capabilities. This includes:

✔ Communication & Social Interaction – Assessing how the person expresses themselves, understands others, and engages in social environments.
✔ Mobility & Physical Abilities – Evaluating movement, coordination, stamina, and the ability to navigate physical environments.
✔ Cognitive & Executive Functioning – Exploring problem-solving skills, memory, information processing, and task initiation.
✔ Sensory Processing & Regulation – Understanding sensory sensitivities, sensory-seeking behaviors, and their impact on daily life.
✔ Daily Living & Self-Care Skills – Reviewing personal care routines, hygiene, meal preparation, household tasks, and independent living skills.
✔ Emotional Wellbeing & Self-Regulation – Identifying emotional regulation strategies, coping mechanisms, and supports needed to enhance mental health and stability.

 

Tailored Recommendations for NDIS Funding

Your FCA will include individualised recommendations that align with the NDIS framework. We ensure that the assessment clearly outlines support needs in relation to NDIS eligibility criteria, helping to secure funding for necessary services such as:

✔ Developmental Education, Occupational Therapy, and Psychology Support
✔ Disability Support Workers & Social Support Services
✔ Assistive Technology & Home Modifications
✔ Transport & Community Access Support

 

A Clear, Evidence-Based Report

You will receive a detailed FCA report, designed to provide a thorough and structured overview of the person’s functional abilities and support needs. This includes:

✔ A 70+ page comprehensive document outlining key findings, including developmental, cognitive, and functional domains.

✔ A Summary Letter offering a clear and concise overview of key findings and recommendations for ease of reading and accessibility.
✔ Standardised assessment results from evidence-based tools such as WHODAS 2.0, Vineland-3, ABAS-3, Sensory Profile, and more.
✔ NDIS-ready documentation ensuring that the report meets NDIS funding requirements for reviews, plan reassessments, and access requests.
✔ Personalised recommendations tailored to individual strengths, goals, and support needs, ensuring the best possible outcomes for independence and participation.

 

Our goal is to ensure every FCA is meaningful and actionable, supporting clients and their families in accessing the right services and funding to enhance their quality of life.

 

Our Approach: A Multidisciplinary, Evidence-Based Functional Capacity Assessment

We believe every NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) should be person-centred, strengths-based, and guided by best-practice principles. Our Specialist Multidisciplinary Team works collaboratively to explore all factors impacting a person’s functional abilities, independence, and support needs, providing clear, evidence-based recommendations for NDIS planning, funding, and services.

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All our FCAs are completed by an Occupational Therapist, Developmental Educator, and Clinical Nurse. Each professional contributes specialist insights to ensure a holistic, well-rounded assessment that recognises and honours each person’s strengths, challenges, and support needs.

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Developmental Educator 

Scope of Practice & Expertise

• Functional Skill Development & Capacity Building – Assesses and supports the development of adaptive daily living skills, executive functioning, and problem-solving to enhance independence in personal, social, and community contexts.

• Social Inclusion & Community Engagement – Evaluates a person’s ability to participate in relationships, social settings, education, employment, and broader community activities.

• Emotional Regulation & Executive Functioning – Identifies barriers related to emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and decision-making that may impact self-advocacy, independence, and engagement.

• Self-Determination & Individualised Support Planning – Works alongside the person to develop goal-directed strategies that build capacity for daily life, increase autonomy, and promote self-advocacy.

• Adaptive Learning & Strengths-Based Approaches – Utilises evidence-based learning methodologies tailored to individual needs, communication styles, and neurodivergent profiles.

 

Contribution to the FCA

✔ Comprehensive Evaluation of Functional Skills – Assesses how adaptive behaviour, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and social participation influence a person’s ability to manage daily routines, access services, and engage with their environment.
✔ Capacity-Building & Skill Development – Provides individualised recommendations for structured learning supports, self-determination strategies, skill-building interventions, and environmental adjustments that enhance autonomy and participation.
✔ Lifespan Approach & Transition Planning – Identifies key life transitions (e.g., school to employment, increased independence, or supported living) and ensures supports are in place to build long-term capacity.

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Occupational Therapist 

Scope of Practice & Expertise

• Functional Independence in Daily Activities – Assesses a person’s ability to manage self-care, household tasks, and participation in meaningful activities.

• Sensory Processing & Environmental Adaptation – Identifies sensory processing differences that may impact comfort, regulation, and participation in various settings.

• Motor Skills & Coordination – Evaluates fine and gross motor skills, movement patterns, and coordination that affect independent living and mobility.

• Assistive Technology & Home Modifications – Recommends adaptive tools, assistive devices, and environmental modifications to enhance accessibility, participation, and independence.

 

Contribution to the FCA

✔ Detailed Functional Assessment – Evaluates how motor skills, sensory processing, and physical environment impact a person’s ability to complete daily tasks safely and efficiently.
✔ Customised Intervention Planning – Provides evidence-based recommendations, including assistive technology, sensory regulation strategies, and therapy interventions tailored to individual needs.
✔ Safety & Accessibility Considerations – Identifies barriers to participation and suggests modifications that support autonomy in home, school, work, and community settings.

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Clinical Nurse Specialist 

Scope of Practice & Expertise

• Health-Related Functional Impact – Evaluates medical conditions, medication management, and physical health factors that impact functional capacity and daily living.

• Continence & Complex Care Management – Assesses continence needs, chronic conditions, and risk factors related to falls, skin integrity, and mobility.

• Health Promotion & Preventative Care – Provides education and strategies for self-management of health conditions, medication adherence, and access to healthcare supports.

• Care Coordination & Referrals – Liaises with other healthcare providers and allied health professionals to ensure integrated, person-centred care.

 

Contribution to the FCA

✔ Health-Related Functional Needs Assessment – Examines how chronic conditions, medication management, and physical health challenges affect daily independence and support needs.
✔ Integrating Medical Considerations – Ensures that health-related support needs are considered in the FCA recommendations, aligning with the person’s overall care and NDIS supports.
✔ Referrals & Coordination – Provides guidance on additional health-related supports, referring to relevant professionals where needed.

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