Frequently Asked Questions

As we are a mobile service we have the capacity to cover many areas. 

Some main locations and their surrounds include Busselton, Bunbury, Margaret River, Manjimup, Oakford, Armadale and Byford. 

Cant see your town mentioned? Thats not a problem, please get in contact with us and we will see if we are able to support in any way.

A functional capacity assessment is a tool utilised to help look at how a person can complete their daily activities and tasks within the home, at work or school and within the community. It helps identify any challenges faced in their daily functioning and comes up with recommendations to help an individual live their life to their fullest. 

There are a few reasons in which someone may need a functional capacity assessment, one being it has been requested by the NDIS to help identify areas in which funding may be better directed or utilised in an individuals plan to help guide the right level of therapies and/or supports. 

Additionally many people use a FCA as a form of evidence in their application towards applying for NDIS in conjunction with proof of their diagnosis. 

There is a misconception that Occupational Therapists are the only ones who can complete a FCA, however many Allied Health professionals, including Social Workers, are able to conduct thorough and extensive assessments. Social Workers are well trained in understanding an individual from a holistic and strengths-based perspective with their scope of practice taking into account the individual, family, carer and community strengths and needs both on an individual and a systemic level. 

A thorough assessment occurs over a number of sessions incorporating observation, structured and semi structured interviews, the use of standardised NDIS preferred assessments such as Vineland-3, ABAS, WHODAS 2.0, PEDI-CAT and/or LSP-16 and communication where applicable with other stakeholders involved in the individuals day-to-day life. They take into consideration historical and current information utilising a thorough intake analysis to guide what standardised assessment will be best suited to the individual's needs. 

After the completion of observations, interviews and assessments, a comprehensive report is compiled identifying limitations with various strategies which may be used to help improve independence and capacity for an individual across various domains of their life such as:

1) Communication

2) Social Interaction

3) Learning

4) Mobility

5) Self Care

6) Self Management

This report can include a recommendation of break down of external services, suggested hours of therapy/support and at what rate this may be in accordance with the NDIS whilst addressing the NDIS Reasonable and Necessary Criteria. 

**A DRAFT version of the report will be provided to the participant for review and approval. No finalised or signed report will be provided until all accounts have been paid for in full**

The cost will depend if a standard or comprehensive assessment is completed. 

A Standard Functional Capacity Assessment costs $1939.90 excluding travel.

A Comprehensive Functional Capacity Assessment costs $2,909.85  excluding travel.

Anyone is able to refer directly to Ambergate Abilities and can be done so by contacting us directly at info@ambergateabilities.com.au , 0423 341 690  or completing the form on our contacts page. We will then forward you a copy of our referral form to complete. 

Here at Ambergate Abilities we recognise the changing needs throughout the lifespan from family support, early childhood intervention, adolescents, adults through to seniors and therefore can tailor our services to your individual needs.

We are able to offer services in person, via  telephone or via telehealth methods (such as zoom) and will work alongside you to help reduce costs such as travel by offering you alternatives where we are able to. Please note some of our observations will be required to be completed in person and can not be conducted via alternative methods. 

Ambergate Abilities can work with individuals who are NDIS self or plan managed and also privately paying individuals. 

Medicare rebates are not available. 

The skillset of a Social Worker is vast with a strong focus on maintaining and enhancing an individuals quality of life. Their scope of practice contributes to knowledge and skill development not only to an individual but their family and wider community throughout the life stages. Looking through a holistic lens allows a Social Worker to explore all areas of an individuals life, throughout their life stages. 

As identified through the Australian Association of Social Workers, " Through casework, assessments, counselling, family work, advocacy, research, policy and community work, social workers operate from a person-in-environment perspective providing interventions that address issues at both the personal and social level. Accordingly, social workers maintain a dual focus on both improving human wellbeing and addressing any external issues that impact on wellbeing or create inequality, injustice and discrimination". 

Various supports can be offered such as:

• Capacity, functioning and development assessments;
• Building Capacity of individuals and their families to navigate daily living;
• Case management;
• Counselling and therapeutic support;
• Mediation and conflict resolution;
• Daily skill development;
• Supporting complex relationship and family dynamics;
• Multidisciplinary meetings;
• Accessing the community.