The role of the paediatric occupational therapists is to provide children and young people and their families with support and advice where their performance and participation in everyday activities of life (occupations) is impacted upon by a disability or additional needs.
We collaborate with the child, their family and the wider team around them to identify their strengths and explore how they can overcome their challenges to achieve their full potential. We do this by thinking about the child, the occupation and the environment and make changes in one or more of these areas to improve their participation and enjoyment in everyday life. Our aim is to enable children/young people to achieve their potential regardless of their level of additional need.
The ISCAN Occupational Therapy Service may offer support in a range of different ways including providing consultation, advice, training and/or signposting to other services. For some children we may offer a specialist Occupational Therapy assessment.
If your child requires an assessment:
- This will be based around the identified areas of need and the concerns highlighted in the referral.
- This will include identifying the child and family’s goals
- The assessment may be completed in one or over several appointments
- The assessment may take place at home, nursery, school or clinic depending on the needs identified in the referral.
Subject to the outcome of the assessment(s), the children’s occupational therapist may identify that further support is required and provide one or more of the following:
- Verbal and/or written advice to enable the child to develop their skills further at home, nursery or school
- Advice about specialist equipment/minor adaptations to promote functional independence and postural management e.g. bathing and toilet aids, seating, beds, hoists and slings
- Advice on adapting the nursery, school or college environment to enable the young person to access the school buildings and participate the curriculum
- Advice on moving and handling in the home or other environments accessed by the young person to enable them to engage in daily activities and to minimise the manual handling risks to parents and/or carers
- A therapy programme to help to develop the young person’s skills and abilities that can be carried out at home, nursery and school by carers
- A time limited episode of therapy intervention delivered by one of our occupational therapists or ISCAN therapy assistants in order to train and support a family member and/or carer to be able to continue the therapy with the child in the most appropriate setting.
The team is made up of:
- Occupational therapists
- Therapy team assistants
- College of Occupational Therapists leaflet - Occupational Therapy for children and young people
- College of Occupational Therapy leaflet – Occupational Therapy in school
- Occupational Therapy hints and tips
- KIDS- Kids independently developing skills
- NHS Tayside Children’s Occupational Therapy Service
- Life Skills for Little Ones - Falkirk Council Booklet
- Cambridgeshire Children's Occupational Therapy
The Children’s Occupational Therapy Service has an open referral system which means that we will consider referrals made by anyone who knows the child, including parents, teachers, GP, other professionals.
Children and young people who are eligible for referral for Occupational Therapy assessment must be:
- Aged 0-19 years and have a significant difficulty which impacts on their participation in one or more everyday activities (occupations)
- Registered with a Tameside and Glossop GP
We wouldn’t be able to accept a referral if;
- The child’s functional ability appears to be broadly in line with the level expected for their age, developmental level and or diagnosis/disability.
- The difficulty could be addressed or improved with intervention from other service providers (e.g. Tameside and Glossop CAMHS (formerly HYM), pupil support service, educational psychologist) and the identified needs do not fall within our area of specialism and associated core offer.
- There is insufficient evidence that any underlying condition is impacting upon the child’s access to the curriculum, functional abilities, development and/or wellbeing.
- The concern relates to the need for equipment which is widely available (e.g. by searching online) and could be expected to resolve the difficulty. For example: mainstream high chair, mainstream toilet step.
- The referral relates to a request for support with home adaptations that could be addressed by a community occupational therapist within the local authority
To refer click on the form in the column on the right.
Will I be informed if my child’s referral has been accepted by the service?
We currently don’t inform when a referral has been accepted. However, the referrer will be notified if the referral has been rejected and the reason for this. Sometimes we will reject the referral and request a new referral with additional information to help us reach a decision.
What should my child/young person wear for the appointment?
If there are concerns about your child’s motor coordination skills, please ensure your child is wearing comfortable clothes and shoes in which they can easily move around in.
What do I need to have available for the initial appointment?
Please have copies of any reports or other information that you feel may be helpful to share with the occupational therapist. For example copies of educational psychology report; other professional assessments; consultant clinic letters etc. For preschool children it may be helpful to have their ‘Red Book’ available to be able to share information about your child’s early development.
How long is the initial appointment?
This varies depending on the reason for the appointment. You can find out more specific details about the appointment by contacting the service once an appointment has been booked.
Will my child need more than one appointment to assess their needs?
Some children may require more than one initial assessment appointment. This is variable depending on the needs of the child. Some children with more complex needs may require assessments to be completed over several appointments whereas others may only require a single appointment.
Will the therapist speak to other professionals involved in my child’s care?
It is often helpful for therapist’s to liaise with other professionals involved in your child’s care to gain more detailed information about their needs i.e. school staff, other therapists and/or consultants. The occupational therapist will ask your permission before seeking further information.
Will the therapist share information with other professionals following my child’s assessment?
With parental/carer consent, we share information about the outcomes of assessments and the strategies recommended with other professionals and agencies. If you do not wish for this information to be shared then you can withdraw this at any time by speaking to your therapist.
Is there a cost?
- There is no cost to access the Occupational Therapy Service.
- The therapist may however recommend small items of equipment which will support the child’s ability to participate in daily activities. The service is however unable to provide funding for these items.
- You may be eligible for the loan of equipment from the services provided by Tameside Council and Tameside and Glossop CCG. A range of professionals in the local health and social care system are able to assess your needs and arrange for equipment to be delivered to your home. This may be for a long term ongoing need or for a short term need, for example following an operation. This equipment is funded through the Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) which is jointly funded by health and social care
Will my child/young person be discharged?
Your child/young person will be discharged for one or more of the following reasons:
- Therapy intervention is complete
- The child/young person has achieved the goals agreed
- The child/young person has reached their potential
- Where additional information has been requested and this is not returned within the agreed timescale
- The Child/young person has moved out of area
Will my child receive a diagnosis?
Children with motor coordination difficulties: Children’s occupational therapists may play an essential role in the assessment, diagnosis and support of children whose difficulties managing everyday activities are (or may be) due to developmental coordination disorder. This is, however, done in conjunction with a paediatrician and sometimes other professionals.
Children with sensory processing challenges: As there is ongoing controversy regarding existence, identification and measurement of sensory processing disorder as a distinct diagnosis. The College of Occupational Therapists recommend that occupational therapists at this time, should not be diagnosing sensory processing disorder.
What if English is not my first language?
- We are always happy to arrange interpreters as needed, this could be face to face or by telephone interpreting.
- Please state on the referral form if an interpreter is required and what language is needed?