Three sample FCA reports are available below: an adult NDIS example, a child NDIS example and an adult DSP example. All three use fictional people and invented assessment information. They show how a report is structured, not what any client's report said or what was funded, and they are a useful way to see what a good report should make clear.
A sample can help you understand the sort of information an FCA contains. Its recommendations and scores should not be copied into another person's report.
The sample reports
Adult NDIS example (PDF). An illustration of how information about an adult's activities and support needs can be organised for an NDIS-related assessment.
Child NDIS example (PDF). An illustration of a report that considers a child's participation and information from the adults involved in their care.
Adult DSP example (PDF). An illustration of functional information prepared for a Disability Support Pension purpose. DSP requirements differ from NDIS requirements, and functional information is only part of the evidence Services Australia may need.
Start with the purpose and methods
A report should state why the assessment was requested, who took part and how information was gathered. It should identify the documents and measures used, together with relevant dates.
Look for a distinction between what the OT observed, what the person or another contributor reported and what was recorded in an earlier document. This matters particularly in telehealth, where some activities may not have been directly assessed.
Read the explanation behind a recommendation
A recommendation should be connected to a particular need. For example, a recommendation for assistance with meal preparation would need to explain the steps that are difficult, the help already available and why the proposed arrangement is appropriate.
Where frequency, duration or a staffing ratio is recommended, the reasoning should be apparent. The number alone is not an explanation.
The report should also identify questions it cannot resolve. It may need to recommend a specialist assessment or explain that an equipment choice requires a trial.
Check how scores are used
A measure should be identified by its name and version, with the respondent and relevant administration details. The interpretation needs to explain how the result relates to the other assessment information.
A fictional sample score is there to demonstrate presentation. It does not establish the score a person with a particular diagnosis should receive, and it does not predict a funding decision.
Length is not the main test
A report needs enough detail to explain its conclusions. Repeated background material and long lists do not necessarily make it more useful. Conversely, a complicated question may need a longer explanation.
When comparing reports, ask whether a reader can understand the person's activities, the evidence for the findings and the reasons for each recommendation. Those are more useful questions than whether the report reaches a particular page count.