Parents and Carers
What is OT? Who can be helped? The OT Process Recording sessions Confidentiality and consent Costs

• What is OT?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is an approach to dealing with everyday difficulties caused by underlying developmental, neurological, physical, emotional, mental, psychological or learning difficulties or impairments, whether temporary or permanent.

OTs refer to occupations as all the activities we participate in to create a meaningful and fulfilling life.



Our occupations can vary according to our stage in life, the roles we take on and the challenges and demands made by our environment and community in which we live and the personal interests we are motivated to follow.

OT will sometimes focus on adapting environments, modifying tasks or adjusting routines to promote independence and development. Sometimes providing specialist equipment and training can help a person manage tasks and daily activities in a more effective and independent way. Developing confidence and using a problem solving approach can help at home, at school (or college and work etc.), or in social or recreational activities and play.

OT will also include looking at the underpinning components of skill and ability that help people become more able to function – Physical abilities; Sensory abilities; Cognitive abilities; Emotional and mental abilities; and Social and Relational abilities.

OT uses activities to promote development and provide opportunities to practice skills and functions needed.

Using activity is a motivating, creative and hopefully fun way of promoting development and change and is at the heart of occupational therapy.

By building on a child’s or young person’s skills, abilities and positive attributes the therapist is able to develop a treatment programme that can help a child or young person to engage in the activities, tasks and roles that they have been finding difficult or challenging.

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• Who can be helped?

Many children, young people or adults can benefit from having their resilience, confidence and self - esteem promoted and developed by using an activity based approach.

Occupational Therapy focuses on those who find ordinary activities of daily life at home, at school (college or work) or elsewhere, difficult or challenging for whatever reason.

Occupational Therapy is not a medical process, so suitability is not determined by a diagnostic label, but by how much, and in what way any disorder or difficulty there may be, impacts on everyday life and the goals the child or young person may want to achieve.





Some examples of disorders and conditions that children and young people may experience and can be helped through OT......



• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
• ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorders)
• Behavioural difficulties (sleeping, eating, tantrums etc)
• Developmental Co-ordination Disorders (Dyspraxia)
• Eating difficulties and disorders
• Irritability and anger difficulties
• Low self-esteem and poor confidence
• Low mood (mild to moderate depression)
• Long term / life-long physical or developmental disabilities
• Mild to moderate anxiety disorders, worries and fears
• Sensory integration difficulties / Sensory Processing disorders
• Self-destructive behaviours (including self- harm, risky behaviours)
• Learning difficulties

(Please note this is not intended to be an exhaustive list)





Examples of Problems that people seeking OT for children / young people /or young adults may want help with



• Improving handwriting, speed and legibility
• Increasing participation in sports and PE classes
• Learning skilled tasks such as riding a bike, swimming
• Using cutlery effectively
• Being able to manage dressing and washing independently
• Improving ability to manage the school or college day
• Managing stress
• Making the transition from living at home to moving away to university or college
• Being more organised and in control
• Managing mood and increasing motivation

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• The OT process

Referral – Referrals are accepted from many places including parents, carers and young people themselves. Often a Doctor or a paediatrician may have made a recommendation that OT intervention may be of help and pass on additional information.






Assessment – Finding out what the situation is for the child or young person - both the difficulties and strengths over the range of areas. Assessment may be more informal and based around observing activities taking place, or may use more formal standardised tests.






Report – A summary of the findings of the initial assessment which will include recommendations and a provisional treatment plan.






Recommendations – What may be of use for the child or young person to promote their abilities and development. This may include a description of activities, changes to the environment, routine or lifestyle that may be helpful to promote wellbeing and independence.






Treatment plan – What the OT plans to do as part of regular treatment sessions and how they will do it. This will include the aims of the therapy and any goals or targets to be achieved and how people will be working together.






Review – A chance to stop and check that the OT intervention is being effective, helpful and is still what is wanted or needed. It may provide an opportunity to renew the treatment plan or to draw the sessions to a close.






Ending – Ending the intervention will include a summary report and updates on any assessment findings and recommendations






Re-referral – The OT can be contacted again at any point to request either a follow up visit or for a complete reassessment. If the OT is not able to help then alternative suggestions would be made.


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• Recording sessions



As part of the learning process and recording development and changes it can sometimes be really helpful to video sessions. This will never be done without permission from the parent/carer, and the child or young person themselves.

Consent for use of videoing sessions can be withdrawn and your therapist will check out with you that you are happy for the sessions to be recorded in this way.

A more detailed hand out is available to explain in more detail the advantages and issues associated with videoing the session along with a consent form.

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• Confidentiality and consent

Children and young people should be involved as much as possible in decisions about their care, even when they are not able to make decisions on their own.

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Consent-to-Treatment-in-Children.htm

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• Costs

No-one likes to talk too much about money but information about specific costs of any intervention can be sought by contacting Lynda Niles directly.

Different fees are charged according to funding arrangements.

Charges made cover costs of equipment and materials used in the assessment or intervention.

Assessment sessions are more expensive as this requires additional time to process and analyse especially when administering a standardised assessment.

An additional charge is made for mileage.

Payment is preferred to be made by BACs transfer but cheques are still accepted.

Discounts available for advance bookings and payment of regular sessions.