Occupational Therapy provides assessment and a range of therapeutic interventions for children and young people aged 0-18 who have complex, severe or enduring physical and/or developmental conditions that significantly affects their ability to achieve their potential in every-day tasks.
Everyday tasks include:
- Self-care: getting dressed, using the toilet, preparing and eating meals
- Productivity: going to or participating at school or college, accessing community facilities and clubs.
- Leisure: playing sports, shopping with friends, or doing hobbies
The Occupational Therapist will aim to see your child in the place where they are having difficulties; an assessment may take place,
- in one of our community clinics,
- at home
- at your child’s school.
They will talk to you and your child to identify and understand the things your child needs to or wants to do in order to discover what difficulties are present.
Assessment
Assessment may include observing your child taking part in a range of activities. Our assessments are often play based and include everyday tasks such as using cutlery, getting dressed, kicking or catching a ball.
The Occupational Therapist will support you and your child and other relevant people to help them to do those activities that are important to you and your child.
The Occupational Therapist may suggest:
- alternative ways of doing things,
- providing advice on learning new approaches and techniques, or
- making changes to the environment, for example, through using equipment or adaptations.
Further Occupational Therapy may be provided or we may signpost your child onto another service. The exact nature and duration of therapy will depend on your child’s needs; some children only need Occupational Therapy for a short time.
We will work together with you and your child to agree the best outcome. We share information with other agencies and work together with other services wherever possible.
Referral
Please see our 'How to refer' section for details.
Feedback
We welcome feedback on our services and the content on our webpages; please fill in our online feedback form and tell us what you think.
