What is Occupational Therapy for children and young people?
Occupational Therapy can help babies, infants, children and young people grow, learn, have fun, socialise and play so they can develop, thrive and reach their full potential (Royal College of Occupational Therapy). Occupations for children include all the things they need and want to do on a daily basis like:
- getting dressed
- cleaning their teeth
- toileting and washing
- feeding and eating
- participate at nursery/school
- play and leisure (sports, games, hobbies and social life)
Our service supports children and young people who may find it difficult to do their best in these activities. View further information on Children and Young People’s Occupational Therapy services.
How does our service work?
All new requests for assistance are screened by the Occupational Therapy locality team. If a child is accepted, you as the parent or carer will be contacted by the Occupational Therapy Team.
We work within local communities with children/young people and their families in a range of settings including home, nurseries, schools and clinics.
We also offer appointments via Attend Anywhere/Near Me which is a video calling service as a way of completing virtual face to face appointments. The link below has information on how to use this technology. Please note that appointments will need to be arranged and agreed with the Occupational Therapist prior to using this service.
Information on using Paediatric Occupational Therapy Attend Anywhere
You may be offered the following levels of assistance: universal, targeted or specialist. Click on the Scottish Government, Ready To Act link for more details.
Universal activities of daily living strategies to try at home:
- Self Care Activities
- Dressing Skills
- Shoe Lace Tying
- Using Cutlery
- Sleep Better Feel Better
- Safety in the Community
Universal strategies to further develop co-ordination skills:
Universal sensory processing strategies:
- Sense-able Ideas: Everyday Sensory Strategies
- Sense-able Ideas: Auditory Processing Differences
- Oral Motor Activities
Universal strategies to try within nurseries/schools:
- Chair Aerobics
- Classroom Chores
- Sensory Toolbox for the Classroom
- Developmental Co-ordination Disorder Classroom Strategies
- Developmental Co-ordination Disorder: Things I May Find Challenging
- School Kit List
Our service also offers an upper limb clinic for children and young people who require support to use their hands and/or arms in meaningful activities.
Useful Links:
- Kids Independently Developing Skills (KIDS) website – a resource with lots of useful information, developed by occupational therapists in Glasgow
- Play Scotland also offer a range of resources and activities. These can be used by families and carers to help promote and develop children and young people’s play skills to reach their full potential. The activities within these resources will help to develop gross and fine motor skills. They also give families and carers ideas for messy play activities.
To access our service you can:
- contact us directly;
- speak to other healthcare professionals currently involved with your child or young person’s care (for example a health visitor, GP, paediatrician, physiotherapist, or speech and language therapist); or
- speak to school staff.
Request for assistance paperwork can be completed by a parent/carer and returned to:
aa-uhb.clinical-rainbowhouse@aapct.scot.nhs.uk
Contact details
North Locality Team
Rainbow House
Ayrshire Central Hospital
Kilwinning Road
Irvine
KA12 8SS
Telephone: 01294 323070
East Locality Team
The Johnnie Walker Bond Building
15-17 Strand Street
Kilmarnock
KA1 1JB
Telephone: 01294 323070
South Locality Team
Nightingale House
Arrol Park Resource Centre
Doonfoot Road
Ayr
KA7 4DW
Telephone: 01292 614988