Paediatric Occupational Therapy (OT) aims to facilitate a child’s engagement, participation and performance in every day activities.
The role of an Occupational Therapist working in a school is to facilitate the student’s performance and participation in tasks and occupations required for successful school functioning.
No, as OT’s we cannot diagnose as this is outside of our remit. However, our observations and reports can be used as part of the multidisciplinary information gathering process to help a professional, such as a paediatrician, to form a diagnosis.
No, an EHCP/Statement is not required. The threshold is simply related to the child’s functional difficulties in relation to their development.
Whether private recommendations are written into the education section of an EHCP varies case-by- case and is ultimately at the discretion of the individual Local Education Authority (LEA). The OT, regardless of their professional setting, is required to provide recommendations based on the child’s needs and not on the resources available. If requested to contribute to the EHCP, I will provide my recommendations in a report format in line with the LEA’s template to be submitted. Having worked in Education within the NHS for the past 5 years I am very familiar with the approaches of different LEA’s and I am therefore able to provide a report that is compatible with the EHCP process.
No. As an OT I work with functional difficulties not diagnoses. Whilst a diagnosis may be useful for context or in some cases to provide a projection of what a child’s difficulties may include, it is the child’s current presentation that is the focus of therapeutic intervention.
As an Education-based OT I primarily see children in their educational setting (nursery through to Sixth Form for students in further learning), and work alongside education staff. However, there are times when I may need to see a child at home, for example children who are home-schooled or have an education programme at home, including ABA, or for other reasons identified on an individual case-by- case basis.
Yes, I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This regulatory body is responsible for establishing and maintaining standards of professional skills, conduct and training, as well as to protect the public. Members of the public can check whether a professional is currently registered via ‘Check the Register’ on the HCPC website: www.hcpc-uk.co.uk
Yes, I have completed two training courses with the Sensory Integration Network – the accredited Module 1: Foundations and Neuroscience and SI and NDT: A Hands on Approach.
Please contact me to discuss this as my fees are based on the personalized service your child will require.
I primarily cover London and the surrounding Home Counties. However, on arrangement I am willing to travel further if it is feasible for me to do so. There are no additional fees for travel time unless travelling further afield, which will be discussed and agreed in advance on an individual basis.
Yes. I believe effective multi-professional working and good communication between the professionals involved is key to providing a holistic approach to the child’s needs. This is a core aspect of the service provided.
Yes, this is not an uncommon situation and I am more than happy to work in conjunction with an NHS therapist in order to achieve the best outcome for the child and family. Often families will use a private service whilst they are waiting for NHS provision or to provide enhanced input when required. In this situation I have liaised with NHS therapists on goal setting to support their input rather than overwhelm the child with two separate and disjointed OT approaches.
Please contact me directly to discuss any additional or individual questions. I am very happy to talk these through with you to help you decide whether the service will be of benefit to your child.