As a parent, you may be concerned about your child’s progress in the classroom. Occupational therapy (OT) can be invaluable in supporting your child at school. But what exactly is OT, and how can it help?

We’ll look at the basics of occupational therapy in schools, helping you understand how it can further your child’s education. We also look at how InFocus can help.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy (OT) supports children with physical, mental or learning disabilities in daily life.

It provides practical support, enabling people to overcome barriers that stop them from doing activities that are important to them, with the aim of increasing their independence and quality of life. OT can also combat physical, cognitive, sensory, and social-emotional challenges.

Determining if Your Child Needs Occupational Therapy

Every child is unique. But, you may notice at an early stage that your child requires more help than other children their age.

Or, perhaps your GP has already diagnosed them with a physical or learning disability?

In either case, here are some signs to look out for:

• Difficulty with fine motor skills, such as writing, using cutlery, or tying shoelaces
• Low self-esteem or difficulty managing emotions
• Sensory processing issues, such as sensitivity to sound, light, or touch
• Issues with gross motor skills, such as running, jumping, or climbing
• Poor coordination and balance
• Difficulty with self-care tasks such as dressing, eating, and toileting
• Poor concentration and focus in the classroom
• Trouble following directions or completing tasks
• Poor social skills or difficulty interacting with peers
• Difficulty with transitions from one activity to another

If you spot any of these signs, it may be time to consider occupational therapy. Your child’s GP can refer you to an occupational therapist for an evaluation.

How Can Occupational Therapy Help My Child?

Occupational therapy can help your child in a variety of ways. It can develop skills needed in school, such as fine motor skills, communication and organisational skills.

Occupational therapy can:

• Help build developmental skills in children.
• Provide individual therapy strategies for improved communication, coordination and movement.
• Support with daily activities, such as eating, showering and dressing.
• Improve cognitive and physical functioning to promote independence in work, school and home life.
• Increase empathy, understanding, and communication between family members through education and social interactions.
• Introduce adaptive technology and assistive devices to help with daily tasks.
• Access to other therapies, such as speech and language therapy & physical therapy.

The Benefits of OT in Education Settings

Everyone has different needs, especially when it comes to learning.

Some individuals often struggle at school due to learning disabilities or physical impairment. For example, they may have difficulty completing tasks or understanding instructions.

In other cases, they may require supportive equipment or strategies to help them participate in activities.

Our specialist further education College (for ages 16-25) provides a range of services to help students with disabilities and special needs. This includes occupational therapy, which helps create accessible learning environments for students. This includes:

• Providing instructions and strategies to help students understand and complete tasks.
• Help students develop organisational skills to stay on task and complete assignments.
• Assisting with physical tasks, such as handwriting, drawing and typing
• Developing social skills and communication strategies to interact with peers.
• Introducing specialist equipment to help with learning, such as using a laptop, braille, screen reader, or tablet for note-taking.

We have a variety of options for placements at the InFocus College. This allows students the option to attend college on a daily or residential basis. We also provide split placements in which your child attends a partner college, while spending time at our college.

Accommodation can be arranged on a weekly/termly basis – this includes options for respite care and supported living.

Occupational Therapy at InFocus

At InFocus occupational therapy is based around the needs of each young person and their aims and goals. Our therapists support students across a wide range of activities for both daily life and learning.

By tailoring therapy to meet the unique needs of each student, we ensure that they receive the best possible support to thrive in both their education and personal lives.

Creating an Effective Plan for Your Child and School

We understand that independence is key to success. Our occupational therapists work with students to develop the skills they need to become more independent in their daily lives.

This includes teaching them how to dress, use utensils for eating, or use a computer. We also help them learn how to manage their time and money, and how to interact with others in social situations.

Education is just one of the 8 core areas of occupation we focus on. The others include:

Personal activities of daily living (PADLs)

Personal care routines are created with the young person and their key worker to focus on developing their independence skills. Tasks of personal care involve bathing, showering, toileting, dressing, eating/swallowing, functional mobility, sexuality, and personal hygiene & grooming.

These activities are particularly important at InFocus as many of our young people have complex learning and physical needs in addition to their visual impairment and these activities are crucial in enabling them to live as independent lives as possible.

Domestic activities of daily living (DADLs)

We help individuals become independent at home by teaching them housework, laundry and cooking tasks, while taking their disability into account.

We work on independence skills in the home, such as housework, laundry, and preparing and cooking simple meals and snacks.

We may use adaptive techniques and equipment such as a vegetable chopper instead of a sharp knife, a hot water dispenser to reduce the risk of hot water scalds when pouring from a kettle, or a talking microwave instead of an electric hob or oven. We work with the individual to find what works best for them, taking particular consideration of their visual impairment.

Work

InFocus students are supported in their efforts to take part in paid or voluntary work. This includes finding and accessing new opportunities. Work experience is also key to building skills and confidence in new environments.

Rest and Sleep

Young people need to get good rest to support healthy activities. The same applies to residential students, so they can benefit from the day.

For example, children with cerebral palsy may need a sleep system, as well as advice on a bedtime routine. This allows them to maintain a good position throughout the day.

Play

As well practical skills, our occupational therapists also encourage our young people in more fun and social activities, which, by their very nature they may have had limited opportunities to engage in previously.

Games challenge students at a developmentally appropriate level. For example, games can be used to begin ‘crossing the midline’, impacting coordination, and allowing the use of functional skills.

Simple games such as rolling a ball from side to side can positively impact their coordination and functional skills which may enable them to develop daily life skills such as the use of cutlery.

Leisure

Leisure activities are essential for developing social skills, physical fitness, and emotional well-being. Occupational therapists can help develop leisure activities tailored to your child’s interests, abilities and needs. For instance, sports, hobbies, art or music.

Social participation

Our Occupational Therapists work to improve social participation, helping your child build relationships with their community and family members. They promote activities that facilitate this form of connection.

Our occupational therapy team at InFocus help to massively improve the quality of life for our young people. Thanks to them many of our young people have been able to gain the confidence to achieve new skills such as cooking their own meals, budgeting, and even joining a community dance class!

Learn more about therapy at InFocus

A team effort

At InFocus, we work in a truly multi-disciplinary way. Our occupational therapists run sessions alongside other departments, such as Speech and Language Therapy, to encourage social participation and ensure that the young people are receiving cohesive and well-rounded care.

For example, introducing hoisting in a fun and enjoyable way as part of a hydro-therapy session can allow a young person to get used to hoisting which they may need to use in other aspects of their daily lives.

Giving your child the best opportunities for schooling

InFocus is more than just a charity. We’re an organisation dedicated to empowering children and young people with special needs to live fulfilling lives.

We believe all children, regardless of their needs, should have the same opportunities to access education and reach their full potential. We are committed to providing the best possible educational experiences for our young people, helping them prepare during and after education.

You can relax knowing your child is in safe hands with our team of experienced professionals. For more information

If you are interested in learning more about our support programmes, please get in touch with our admissions team. For a full overview of our college, please feel free to read our college prospectus.