Children's Occupational Therapy Service

Occupational Therapy  helps people live more productive lives. It enables people to participate in daily life to improve their health and wellbeing, with the aim of developing, maintaining or improving independence.

 Occupation means any way in which people spend their time. For children and young people, this may include self care (getting ready to go out, eating a meal, using the toilet) being productive  (learning through play and education) and leisure (spending time with family and friends, doing sport or hobbies)

An Occupational Therapist within Central Bedfordshire Council will support children and young people between the ages of 0-18 years to maximise independence and achieve their potential. This includes those who have functional difficulties in the home environment and their disability impacts on their ability to participate in daily activities.

Daily activities include

  • Access into and within the home
  • Sitting to enable eating, play, homework, communication, leisure etc.
  • Ability to mobilise around  the home and garden (including steps and stairs)
  • Accessing to bathing and toileting/changing facilities (with or without support)   
  • Being moved around safely by family or carers (moving and handling)
  • Participate in activities safely within the home environment

Children’s Occupational Therapy will consider the need for equipment (seating, bathing, toileting) minor works and adaptations within the home environment. This may include a housing assessment or consideration for re-housing. Any adaptation work undertaken needs to be necessary, appropriate, reasonable and practicable.

The Occupational Therapist will work closely with other professional involved in supporting children and young people, these may include Social Workers, children’s nurses and Health Visitors, GP, Psychologist, NHS therapists, equipment companies and Millbrook Equipment Services, other universal support services and housing services. Evidence of multi-disciplinary involvement and interventions or strategies already tried may be required to support any decisions on provision of equipment and adaptations.

The Occupational Therapy service receives a wide range of requests from families and other professionals. This can range from asking for information and advice to full assessment of the child and their home environment.

Not all children with a disability will require intervention from an Occupational Therapist and their needs may be best supported through information and advice.  

There are some areas of practice that the Children’s Occupational Therapy services within Central Bedfordshire Council are unable to support with.

  • wheelchairs- these need to be redirected to wheelchair services
  • Transport needs
  • School based needs or provision of equipment and adaptations within the school environment
  • Therapy treatment in relation to development, sensory or behaviour strategies.
  • Housing adaptations for short term conditions

Who to contact

Contact Name
Assessment and Referral Hub
Telephone
0300 300 8585 0300 300 8585

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Last Updated

Last updated: 07/02/2022