Children's Occupational Therapy Service

Occupational Therapists believe that joining in (participating in) everyday activities (occupations) improves wellbeing.  Taking part in occupations helps you to live a safe, healthy and happy life. 

We understand that there is a connection between 'the person', 'the occupation' and 'the environment' and that by making changes to any of these areas you can improve participation and wellbeing.  That is how we as a profession think and talk about occupational therapy.

Based on diagram from Law et al 1996

The role of Community Occupational Therapy is to provide intervention, support and/or advice to children and young people and their families, where there is disability or impairment which impacts on their performance and participation in everyday activities of life.

Treatment and intervention approaches are developed with the aim of enabling children and their carers to maximise independence and support effective self-management. This is done in a variety of ways;

• One-to-one sessions are offered in clinics, at home, in schools and nurseries.
• Group sessions are held in the Child Centres or in other community venues; these give children the opportunity to mix with others who have similar difficulties.
• Advice and strategies are offered to children/young people, families, education staff and other professionals working closely with the child/young person; this provides them with the information they need to improve the child/young person's wellbeing.

Occupational Therapy is offered to children/young people who are having difficulty joining in with the activities they need and want to do every day e.g. dressing, using cutlery, completing jigsaws, or writing.  These difficulties may be due to poor gross and fine motor co-ordination, poor core stability, poor motor planning skills, visual perceptual difficulties or sensory difficulties.