The Children’s Occupational Therapy service offers a child and family-centred approach to support children and young people with their independence in all aspects of daily living, such as:
- self-care activities – getting dressed, eating and sleeping
- productive occupations – going to school, learning, writing, doing PE.
- play and leisure – playing with friends and doing sports or hobbies.
The service is available to children and families across the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
We work in partnership with parents/carers and other colleagues to promote positive outcomes for children by using a range of approaches that are individually tailored to each child and family. This may include signposting to universal targeted resources, the provision of an activity plan, specialist equipment, treatment sessions or training to parents, carers and school staff. This is achieved through signposting, websites, individual assessments, treatment, advice and multi-agency working.
Children’s Occupational Therapists have a diverse role and cover a wide range of services. In the SHSCT we have Occupational Therapists in the following teams:
- CORE Occupational Therapy Services
- Child Development Centre (Pre school)
- Autism services
- OT with CAMHS
- Special Schools
- Children with a disability
- OT within Scaffold services (Looked After Children)
- Regional Integrated Support in Education (RISE) NI
- Rapid response
- Sure Start
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Types of services provided by and Occupational Therapist
We offer a 3-tiered model of service delivery which includes universal, targeted and specialist support. Many children’s needs can be met through universal and targeted support. This model ensures Occupational Therapy advice and resources are available to all and easily accessible. Children and young people may need different types of Occupational Therapy at different times as their needs change and their skills and participation improve. Offering a ‘menu of support’ across all levels means Occupational Therapists can provide relevant assistance to meet children and young people’s needs, when they need it.
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Getting Help
This is the first stage of getting early support. Families and professionals are able to access our advice packs on our webpages without the need for a referral.
Mainstream School Resources – (Nursery & Primary age)
Special Educational Needs Schools Resources
Wheelchair provision, Equipment and adaptations for home
- Belfast – In Car Safety Centre (appointment based service)
Autism
Emotional Health & wellbeing
Motor coordination
Self-help skills (Eating, dressing, toileting)
Sensory processing
Pre School / early years
Physical disability
Educational Authority
Sleep
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Guiding principles to help parents
We hope you find the attached information and suggested activities useful. Below are a few tips to help get the most out of the activities and your child.
- We find the best way to get children engaged in trying and practising different activities is to make it fun.
- Always start with activities you know your child will succeed with so they are then more confident to try more challenging tasks.
- Backward chaining is a great way to learn! Start by breaking the task down into small steps. You teach your childthe last step first, working backwards from the goal
- 10 minutes spent doing activities every day is more effective than doing 2 hours, 1 day a week.
- If your child is becoming frustrated or upset it is usually not worth persisting at that point, but trying again the next day, with a slightly easier activity. Unless children can see some improvement or success in what they are doing, it is very hard to keep them motivated.
- ‘Sticker’ or ‘Star’ charts leading to small rewards can also be a useful tool in engaging children in activities.
- In order for children to master certain skills, thousands of repetitions are necessary, so don’t give up if you don’t succeed initially.
- Children gain different skills at different ages and each child develops slightly differently. Focus on the outcome of the activity – rather than how they get there.
- Good Luck and Have Fun!
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Specialist Support - Services requiring a referral
This level of support is for children and young people who require a little more help or more targeted and specialist assessment and intervention. This may involve a time limited period of assessment, treatment or targeted advice, and may be provided within the home, clinic or education setting. A referral is required to access this level of support. In most cases we will require evidence that universal and targeted resources have been explored and strategies have been tried prior to making a referral.
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How to refer for support from Children’s Occupational Therapy: Via GP, health professional.
A referral through GP or a health professional is required and adequate information in regards to the child’s functional difficulties at home and school should be provided. Inadequate referral information may result in the referral not being accepted.
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How to contact Children’s Occupational Therapy for advice
Craigavon & Banbridge Children’s Centre Lurgan 028 375 62800 Armagh & Dungannon Villa 2 028 375 64900 Newry & Mourne Daisy Hill Hospital and Oakdale Children & Young People Centre 028 37565917 Or email OTResources@southerntrust.hscni.net