Functional Needs Assessment

From the first button to the last bedtime story.

A new assessment that looks at your child’s whole day, and what help it takes, across the eight areas the BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit reads.

Start an assessment

See the day

A mother helping her son put on his shirt

What we look at

A day in your child’s life

The good parts, and the hard ones. The Benefit asks about both, so we look at both.

What the day looks likeWhat it can take on a hard day

7:30Getting dressed

7:30

Buttons and textures take help, every morning.
Daily livingMotor
8:00Breakfast

8:00

A few safe foods, or help to eat.
Daily livingMedical
10:00At school

10:00

Overwhelm, or no way to ask for help.
CommunicationLearningBehaviour
4:00Out and about

4:00

Running off near roads or water.
SafetySupervision
8:30Bedtime

8:30

Can’t settle, or up in the night.
Mental healthNight care

And the long view: what support may look like as your child grows. The Ministry calls it the lifelong outlook, and the assessment says it plainly.

Who looks

Five specialists around one child

Each looks at the part of the day they know best.

Child psychiatristMental health, behaviour and the medical picture. Covered by MSP.

PsychologistDaily living, safety and thinking, and the summary across the eight areas.

Nurse liaisonGathers records and forms, and plans next steps with you.

A boy in glasses, smiling and looking to one side

Your child

KinesiologistMovement, posture and coordination.

EducatorHow school or daycare goes: the School Wellbeing Assessment and a visit.

If addedSpeech-language pathologistHow your child communicates, with or without words.

One dossier with every assessment in it, each part signed by the specialist who did it.

First, an honest answer

Do you need a new assessment?

Not always. The Ministry decides from the reports you already have.

Your reports already describe daily life

Send what you have. You may not need us.

They confirm a diagnosis, but not what a day takes

A functional needs assessment fills that gap.

No diagnosis yet

Start with one of our assessments.

Always included

One dossier, with every assessment in it.

Each part is signed by the specialist who did it. Together, it’s the cornerstone document of your child’s assessment.

A review of every report you already have
A daily-living interview with you (the Vineland-3), and your child’s teacher’s view
A safety and supervision interview, day and night
A motor and posture check
A visit with the school or daycare, and the School Wellbeing Assessment
A resource liaison session: records, forms and next steps

Psychiatry, covered by MSP. With a doctor’s referral it costs you nothing, and it is not part of the price.

How it works

Four steps across

A short inquiryTell us what worries you. We’ll help with the doctor’s referral.
We read what you haveYour child’s reports tell us which add-ons, if any, would help.
The visitsEach specialist looks at their part of the day.
- Child psychiatry
- Daily-living interview
- Motor & posture
- School or daycare visit
- Resource liaison
- Speech-languageif added
One dossier, one planWe go through it with you. Then the liaison helps with what comes next.

Questions families ask

Not sure this assessment is right for your child?

Send a short note. We’ll read what you have and tell you honestly.

Start with a question

Prices as of September 2026, in Canadian dollars. The Ministry of Children and Family Development decides the Disability Benefit and its funding level; the Canada Revenue Agency decides the Disability Tax Credit and the Supplement. The assessment describes your child’s needs; it cannot promise eligibility. Sources: Province of BC · who qualifies · families FAQ · Disability Tax Credit.