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Children and young people

Looking for OT resources?

We have a seperate page devoted to children and young people's occupational therapy including guides and results to our surveys. If you'd like to access these resources please visit our 'occupational therapy for children and young people' page.

Occupation is important for children’s development, health and well-being. The aim of occupational therapy is to help children and young people take part in the daily activities (occupations) they need or want to do.  

Some children and young people have difficulty doing the activities that are important to them at home, at school or work or in their free time because they have physical, learning or mental health needs. Others struggle because of an illness, family circumstances or because of changes that happen as they grow and develop. 

There are three groups of childhood occupations:

  • self-care activities – things people do to look after themselves, like getting dressed, eating and using the toilet
     
  • productive occupations – the activities children and young people do at nursery, school or work
  • play and leisure activities including playing with friends and doing sports or hobbies.

As occupational therapists our role is to help children and young people develop, achieve and enjoy everyday life by:

  • identifying the occupations they do well and those they find difficult
  • identifying the personal, environmental and task-specific factors that help or limit children’s participation and enjoyment 
  • finding ways to make it easier for children and young people to carry out the occupations that matter to them. We do this by recommending different ways of doing things, teaching new skills, using alternative equipment, or changing the environment.   

Types and levels of occupational therapy support
Children and young people may need different types of support from an occupational therapist at different times.

Universal support: This is available for anyone who needs it - you don’t have to be referred to occupational therapy to benefit. Universal support is available on occupational therapy websites or social media and covers common areas of interest such as tying shoelaces, getting organised and riding a bike. Universal support also includes training by occupational therapists for parents, carers, teachers and others on areas such as supporting children’s well-being and encouraging physical activity. 

Targeted support: Targeted interventions are for children and young people who are struggling with their health, well-being or development. Targeted support includes occupational therapy groups and workshops for young people, families or professionals, often run in partnership with others. Targeted support also includes advice for children and young people with particular needs on adapting activities, equipment and environments. Targeted interventions may prevent difficulties from increasing, reducing the need for more intense, specialist support in the future.

Specialist support: Specialist support is for children and young people with the most complex needs and circumstances. Some children and young people need a period of individual intervention at a particular time. Others benefit from specialist input to monitor and adjust interventions as their complex needs change. By adopting a strengths-based approach, occupational therapists help individuals and families develop skills and confidence to manage their own occupational needs.

RCOT resources

Occupational therapy: Unlocking the potential of children and young people 

This RCOT report explains how using a framework of universal, targeted and specialist support ensures children and young people can access occupational therapy skills and expertise when they need it. It includes case studies demonstrating how occupational therapists improve the lives of children and young people with physical, learning and mental health needs.

Quick guide for occupational therapists: Diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder in children and adults

This RCOT guide describes the role of occupational therapy in the assessment and diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in children and adults. It will be of interest to occupational therapists, other members of the multidisciplinary team and service commissioners. Members of the public seeking an assessment or diagnosis of DCD for themselves or a family member may also be interested. 

Sensory interventions and sensory-based approaches

Webinar: Towards a better understanding of sensory approaches

This presentation was given as part of a Council for Disabled Children webinar exploring different approaches to sensory support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in November 2021. The presentation examines terminology, a tiered approach to sensory interventions, training and qualifications, the evidence base and addressing sensory needs as part of an occupation-centred approach.

Link to video recording

Education, Health and Care Plans
These resources were produced to help occupational therapists contributing to the EHCP process. 
 

@CPD Short Courses

These self-directed short courses support the professional development of occupational therapists working with diverse populations, including children and young people. Resources include presentation slides, a facilitator guide and workbook. Courses focusing specifically on children and young people are:

  • Occupational therapy for children: Introduction to universal, targeted and specialist services
  • Occupational therapy for children: Right intervention, right time, right place
  • Link to @CPD Short Courses

Neonatal care and early intervention

This e-learning programme is for occupational therapists new to a role in neonatal care. Developed in partnership with Health Education England it includes a general introductory session and two sessions each for occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and dieticians. The programme is free to access for people with an NHS email address and/or an Open Athens account who register with eLearning for Healthcare. 

Wales children's occupational therapy benchmarking audit report 2022

This RCOT report, produced at the request of the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services in May 2022, describes the development of a quality audit tool for children's community-based occupational therapy services. The report includes six quality statements and 14 principles illustrating how the quality statements are delivered in practice. These were developed by RCOT with a group of clinical experts. Children's occupational therapy service leaders in Wales benchmarked their service against the quality standards - the findings of this audit are included in the report.