ORG05 ASSESS – Understand Functional Impact
Assessment should help staff understand how a sensory difficulty affects the person’s real life, not simply confirm that a condition exists.
Five things to consider
Focus on function
Explore what the person can do, what is difficult and what has changed.
Consider the environment
Lighting, noise, contrast, layout and familiarity can change performance.
Identify strengths
Assessment should recognise abilities and strategies as well as barriers.
Consider risk proportionately
Understand genuine risks without automatically removing choice or independence.
Assess with the person
The person’s experience, priorities and preferred outcomes should remain central.
Turning this into practical action
✓ Observe relevant everyday activities where appropriate.
✓ Compare performance across different environments or times of day.
✓ Record strengths, barriers and what helps.
✓ Use the information to inform a clear next step rather than collecting information without action.
What this can look like in practice
Two people may have the same eye condition but experience very different difficulties. One may read well with good lighting while another needs information in a different format. The diagnosis alone cannot determine the support.
Question for your organisation
If two people had the same diagnosis, would your assessment still identify the different support each person needs?
Important boundary
This is a functional practice resource, not a clinical assessment tool. Medical diagnosis and specialist assessment remain separate where required.
Want to take this further?
Understanding functional impact helps organisations move from labels to person-centred action. If this resource has highlighted gaps in your organisation’s sensory practice, Sensory Visionaries can help, from reviewing what you currently have in place to providing a structured approach through the Sensory Compliance System.