“Our therapist has asked us to complete something called the PEDI-CAT… what exactly is it?”

It’s a question we hear regularly at The Therapy Network (TTN).

When families begin a Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) or a comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment, they’re often introduced to a number of different questionnaires and standardised assessments. While it may seem like “just another form,” each assessment plays a unique role in helping us understand your child’s abilities and support needs.

One of the most valuable tools we use is the PEDI-CAT.

Despite its technical name, its purpose is simple:

To understand how your child manages the everyday activities that make up daily life.

Rather than focusing on a diagnosis, the PEDI-CAT helps us understand what your child can do independently, where they may need support, and how we can work together to help them participate more fully in the activities that matter most.

Why Everyday Skills Matter

When parents think about therapy, they often think about improving handwriting, communication or emotional regulation.

While these areas are important, Occupational Therapy is ultimately about something much bigger.

It’s about helping children participate in everyday life.

Can they get dressed independently?

Can they join in with classmates?

Can they move safely around the playground?

Can they follow routines at home?

Can they communicate their needs?

Can they enjoy family outings?

These everyday moments are what make up childhood.

The PEDI-CAT helps us understand how your child is managing these real-life activities so we can provide meaningful recommendations that support independence, confidence and participation.

What Is the PEDI-CAT?

The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory – Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT) is an internationally recognised, evidence-based assessment used by Occupational Therapists and other allied health professionals to evaluate a child’s functional abilities.

Unlike traditional tests that ask every child the same questions, the PEDI-CAT uses computer adaptive technology.

This means each question is selected based on the previous answer, making the assessment:

  • More efficient
  • More accurate
  • Better tailored to your child’s individual abilities
  • Less repetitive than traditional assessments

The assessment can be used with children and young people from birth through to 20 years of age, making it valuable across many stages of development.

What Does the PEDI-CAT Measure?

The PEDI-CAT looks at four important areas of everyday functioning.

Each domain helps us build a comprehensive understanding of how your child participates at home, school and within the community.

Daily Activities

This area looks at everyday self-care and daily living skills.

These include tasks such as:

  • Dressing
  • Undressing
  • Brushing teeth
  • Hair care
  • Washing hands
  • Showering or bathing
  • Toileting
  • Eating independently
  • Using utensils
  • Managing clothing fastenings

These may seem like ordinary tasks, but they’re incredibly important for developing independence.

For many children, these everyday skills become key Occupational Therapy goals because improving them can reduce frustration, increase confidence and support participation both at home and at school.

Mobility

Mobility isn’t simply about walking.

The PEDI-CAT explores how children move safely and independently through a variety of environments.

This may include:

  • Walking
  • Running
  • Climbing stairs
  • Moving around school
  • Navigating playgrounds
  • Getting in and out of vehicles
  • Transferring between different positions
  • Accessing community environments

Some children experience physical mobility challenges, while others may have sensory or planning difficulties that affect how confidently they move through different environments.

Understanding these challenges helps therapists recommend appropriate supports, equipment or intervention strategies.

Social and Cognitive Skills

Participation isn’t just physical.

Children also need cognitive and social skills to engage successfully in everyday life.

This section considers areas such as:

  • Communication
  • Understanding instructions
  • Problem-solving
  • Memory
  • Play skills
  • Social interaction
  • Emotional understanding
  • Decision-making
  • Learning new tasks

These skills influence participation across school, friendships, community activities and family life.

For children with Autism, ADHD or developmental delays, this information can provide valuable insight into how cognitive skills impact everyday functioning.

Responsiveness to Caregiver

One of the unique aspects of the PEDI-CAT is its focus on how children interact with the important adults in their lives.

This area explores how children:

  • Follow directions
  • Respond to guidance
  • Accept assistance
  • Cooperate with routines
  • Engage during daily activities
  • Work with familiar adults

Understanding these interactions helps Occupational Therapists identify practical strategies that can make everyday routines smoother for both children and families.

Why Is the PEDI-CAT Used During a Functional Capacity Assessment?

A Functional Capacity Assessment aims to answer one important question:

“How does this child’s disability affect their ability to participate in everyday life?”

The PEDI-CAT helps answer that question using objective, evidence-based information.

It provides valuable data that complements:

  • Clinical observations
  • Parent interviews
  • Child observations
  • School information
  • Medical reports
  • Standardised assessments
  • Occupational Therapy clinical reasoning

Together, these pieces allow therapists to develop a detailed picture of a child’s functional strengths and support needs.

Looking Beyond the Diagnosis

One of the biggest misconceptions about NDIS funding is that a diagnosis automatically determines the supports a child receives.

In reality, this isn’t how the NDIS works.

The NDIS funds supports based on functional impact.

For example, two children with ADHD may have very different everyday experiences.

One child may:

  • Independently manage morning routines
  • Organise school belongings
  • Participate confidently in class
  • Complete homework with minimal support

Another child may struggle to:

  • Follow daily routines
  • Manage transitions
  • Stay organised
  • Complete self-care tasks
  • Participate socially

Although both children have the same diagnosis, their support needs may be very different.

The PEDI-CAT helps demonstrate these individual differences by measuring how disability affects everyday functioning rather than simply recording a diagnosis.

How Is the PEDI-CAT Completed?

Unlike many assessments, the PEDI-CAT doesn’t require your child to sit down and complete a formal test.

Instead, it is usually completed by:

  • Parents or caregivers
  • Young people (where appropriate)
  • Occupational Therapists during discussion with families

The assessment asks about what your child is currently able to do during everyday life.

There are no right or wrong answers.

Families often ask whether they should answer based on their child’s “best day.”

Our advice is simple:

Think about what your child’s typical day looks like.

Being honest about everyday experiences helps ensure recommendations accurately reflect your child’s support needs.

How Does the PEDI-CAT Help Families?

Many parents tell us that completing the PEDI-CAT helps them notice just how much their child has achieved.

It also highlights areas where additional support could make everyday life easier.

The assessment can help families:

  • Celebrate strengths
  • Identify realistic therapy goals
  • Understand everyday challenges
  • Support discussions with schools
  • Prepare for NDIS planning meetings
  • Monitor progress over time

Rather than focusing only on difficulties, the PEDI-CAT provides a balanced picture of your child’s abilities.

How Does It Help the NDIS?

The PEDI-CAT provides evidence that helps Occupational Therapists explain:

  • How your child functions in everyday life
  • Areas where support is required
  • Barriers to independence
  • Participation restrictions
  • Recommendations for therapy
  • Assistive technology needs (where appropriate)
  • Capacity-building supports
  • Evidence supporting reasonable and necessary supports

When combined with professional observations and other assessments, it strengthens the recommendations included in a Functional Capacity Assessment.

No Assessment Tells the Whole Story

While the PEDI-CAT is an incredibly valuable assessment, it is never used in isolation.

At The Therapy Network, we combine it with a range of other evidence to build a complete picture of your child.

Depending on your child’s needs, this may include:

  • Parent interviews
  • Functional observations
  • School and kindergarten information
  • Goal-setting discussions
  • Clinical assessments
  • Standardised assessments such as the WHODAS 2.0, ABAS, or other appropriate tools
  • Occupational Therapy clinical reasoning

Each assessment contributes another piece of the puzzle.

Together, they help us understand not only what your child finds challenging—but also what they’re capable of achieving with the right supports.

What Happens After the Assessment?

At TTN, we believe assessment results should never be confusing.

Once the PEDI-CAT has been completed, your Occupational Therapist will explain:

  • What the results mean
  • How they relate to everyday life
  • Your child’s strengths
  • Areas where support may improve independence
  • Therapy recommendations
  • Practical strategies for home and school

We translate assessment data into meaningful, real-world recommendations that families can understand and use.

Because numbers alone don’t change lives.

Understanding does.

A Final Thought

Every child is unique.

Every child has strengths.

Every child experiences challenges differently.

The PEDI-CAT helps us move beyond labels and diagnoses to understand how children participate in the everyday activities that shape their lives.

It gives families, therapists and the NDIS a clearer understanding of where support can make the greatest difference.

Most importantly, it helps ensure that therapy goals and funding recommendations are based on your child’s individual strengths, needs and aspirations.

Because at The Therapy Network, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to develop the skills, confidence and independence to participate fully in the activities that matter most.

Thinking About a Functional Capacity Assessment?

If your child is preparing for an NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) or you would like to better understand their functional strengths and support needs, our experienced Occupational Therapists are here to help.

At The Therapy Network, we combine evidence-based assessments like the PEDI-CAT with clinical expertise, family-centred practice and a deep understanding of child development to produce comprehensive reports that support meaningful therapy planning and informed NDIS decision-making.

Whether you’re applying for the NDIS, preparing for a plan reassessment or simply looking for greater clarity about your child’s everyday functioning, we’re here to support your family every step of the way.