How to Prepare for Your I-CAN v6 Assessment

A step-by-step guide for participants and carers

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Preparing a document does not influence the assessor's independent professional judgement, but it does ensure your genuine needs are clearly communicated. This guide does not constitute professional disability support advice.

The I-CAN v6 assessment is one of the most important interactions you will have with the NDIS system. Your outcome — and the supports you receive — depends significantly on how well your genuine needs are communicated during the assessment.

Preparation does not mean coaching yourself to appear more impaired than you are. It means ensuring that the real impacts of your disability on daily life are clearly, accurately, and specifically described — rather than overlooked because of nerves, a good-day effect, or unfamiliarity with what the assessor is looking for.

This guide gives you a practical, step-by-step approach.

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Step 1: Understand What the Assessment Is — and Is Not

Before you prepare, make sure you understand what the I-CAN v6 assessment actually measures.

It is:

• A functional assessment of how your disability affects 12 areas of daily life
• Conducted by an independent, accredited assessor (not your usual therapist)
• Based on evidence — what you tell them, what they observe, and your supporting documentation
• The basis for your NDIS plan funding

It is not:

• A diagnostic assessment
• An interrogation or attempt to catch you out
• A measure of your diagnosis alone — two people with the same diagnosis can have very different functional needs
• Something that happens in just one session in all cases

Understanding this framing helps you approach the assessment with the right mindset: your job is to describe your life accurately, not to perform or prove anything.

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Step 2: Learn the 12 I-CAN Domains

Your assessment will be structured around 12 specific domains. Before your assessment, you should know what they are:

1. Daily Activities
2. Domestic Life
3. Interpersonal Interactions
4. Learning & Education
5. Mobility
6. Self-Care
7. Communication
8. Community Life
9. Employment
10. Health Management
11. Behavioural Support
12. Physical Health

For a detailed explanation of each, read: The 12 I-CAN domains explained — what you need to know before your assessment.

You do not need to memorise technical details, but understanding what each domain covers helps you think about your situation systematically rather than only answering questions as they arise on the day.

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Step 3: Keep a Daily Journal for Two to Four Weeks

This is the single most valuable thing you can do before your assessment.

Start noting down how your disability affects your daily activities — specifically and honestly. For each domain, write brief notes about:

• What you needed help with today
• What you could not do at all
• What you did, but it took significantly longer or caused significant distress or pain
• What would have happened if support had not been available

Example journal entries:

• "Needed reminders three times to take medications. Forgot appointment at 10am."
• "Could not prepare dinner — fatigue too severe after morning activity. Needed partner to cook."
• "Meltdown during shopping trip. Left without completing the task. Required two hours to regulate."

This journal serves two purposes: it gives you specific, recent examples to draw on during the assessment, and it can be provided as supporting documentation.

Tip for carers: If you support a participant who cannot self-report accurately, keep the journal on their behalf. Your observations as someone who provides daily support are highly valuable evidence.

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Step 4: Gather Your Supporting Documentation

Assessors consider documentation alongside their own evaluation. The stronger and more recent your supporting evidence, the better the assessment reflects your genuine needs.

Documents to gather:

Aim for reports dated within the last two years. Older reports may still be useful as background context, but recent assessments carry more weight.

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Step 5: Write a Functional Impact Summary

Before your assessment, write a brief summary — domain by domain — of how your disability affects you. This does not need to be long or perfectly written. Dot points are fine.

This serves multiple purposes:

• It organises your thinking before the appointment
• You can refer to it if you get nervous or forget things on the day
• It can be provided to the assessor as supporting information

Structure for each domain:

1. What can I do independently?
2. What do I need help or prompting with?
3. How often do I need that help?
4. What happens if that help is not available?

Example (Self-Care domain):

Can manage getting dressed most days if clothes are laid out. Needs assistance with showering 5 out of 7 days due to fatigue and balance issues. Without support, showers are skipped for multiple days. Cannot manage hair washing independently. Takes approximately 45 minutes with support worker assistance.

This level of specificity is exactly what assessors need to make accurate functional ratings.

ICANReady is designed to help you build this document — working through each domain with guided prompts in plain language, and structuring your responses in proper I-CAN language automatically.

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Step 6: Talk to Your Support Network

Your support coordinator, trusted therapist, or family members may have valuable perspectives that you haven't considered.

Ask them:

• "What do you notice me struggling with that I might not realise?"
• "Are there things you do for me regularly that I take for granted?"
• "Can you write a brief statement about the support you provide me?"

Third-party support letters from people who know you well can be provided to the assessor as additional context.

If you have a Support Coordinator, ask them to attend the assessment with you or at least brief you on what to expect based on their experience with other participants.

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Step 7: Know What to Expect on the Day

Knowing what will happen reduces anxiety and helps you present your needs clearly.

Typical assessment process:

1. Arrival / setup — You meet the assessor and the assessment is explained. You may sign a consent form.
2. Conversation — The assessor works through the 12 domains, asking questions about your daily life and challenges.
3. Observations or tasks — Depending on your disability, the assessor may observe you performing tasks, or use standardised assessment instruments.
4. Documentation review — The assessor may review the reports and evidence you have brought.
5. Close — The assessor explains next steps and answers questions.

Practical tips for assessment day:

• Schedule for your typical time of day, not your best — If you have variable capacity, try to schedule during a representative day, not during a period when you are unusually well.
• Bring a support person — A family member, carer, or Support Coordinator can attend. They can add context to your responses, and having them there is permitted and often helpful.
• Bring your documentation — Have it printed or organised digitally so you can refer to it or hand it over.
• Describe your worst realistic day, not your best — Assessors understand that functioning varies. When asked how often or how severely something affects you, describe your typical experience on difficult days.
• Do not minimise your needs — Many participants instinctively understate their challenges. If something is hard, say it is hard. If something requires help, say it requires help.
• Mention if today is unusual — It is common to present better on assessment day due to anxiety-driven performance or simply having a good day. Mention this to the assessor and reference your diary or documentation as evidence of your more typical experience.

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Step 8: After the Assessment

The assessment is not the end of the process.

What happens next:

1. The assessor writes their report and submits it to the NDIA.
2. The NDIA prepares a new or revised plan based on the assessment.
3. You receive your plan for review.

If you disagree with the outcome:

• You can request an internal review by the NDIA. This must be requested within 3 months of receiving the decision.
• If you are still dissatisfied, you can apply for review by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
• Throughout this process, you can seek assistance from a disability advocacy organisation or your Support Coordinator.

Keep your documentation — if you need to request a review, having your original preparation documents, supporting reports, and journal notes is valuable evidence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an I-CAN v6 assessment take?

A typical I-CAN v6 assessment takes between 60 and 90 minutes, though this can vary depending on your support needs and the complexity of your disability presentation. Some assessments may be conducted across more than one session.

Can I request a specific assessor for my I-CAN assessment?

You may be able to express a preference, particularly around gender, cultural background, or language requirements. Contact the NDIA or your Support Coordinator to discuss your preferences. The NDIA will endeavour to accommodate reasonable requests.

What if I have a bad day on the day of the assessment?

Let the assessor know. If you are having a particularly difficult day, mention it clearly. Your journal, supporting reports, and any available support person can all provide context about your more typical functioning.

Does my diagnosis determine my NDIS funding under I-CAN v6?

No. The I-CAN v6 assessment is a functional assessment — it measures how your disability affects your daily life, not just what condition you have. Two people with the same diagnosis may have very different functional needs, and their funding should reflect that difference.

Should I use professional language in the I-CAN assessment?

No. Describe your daily life in your own words. Your assessor will map your descriptions to the I-CAN domains. Clear, specific, honest descriptions of your daily challenges are more useful than clinical terminology.

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Sources: NDIS website — Support needs assessment, NDIA Assessment Framework information, Disability Advocacy Network Australia