Facilitation of functional hand use in children with cerebral palsy is a priority of occupational therapists working in this area. This paper describes an orthotic assessment profile developed at the Spastic Welfare Association of Western Australia to assist therapists in defining objectives for inclusion of a functional orthosis as part of the occupational therapy treatment programme. Several objectives of an orthotic regime for cerebral palsied children and some of the orthoses used to fulfil these objectives are also described.