Occupational Therapy
We support children and young people to perform everyday activities, become as independent as possible, and interact with others and the world around them.
The children who use our service find things like dressing, feeding, handwriting, socialising and play difficult. This could be due to a problem with their fine motor skills, coordination skills, perception skills and/or sensory processing (the ability to make sense of the world around them). We also provide advice, and recommendations for equipment such as splints, sensory strategies, adapted cutlery, writing aids, specialist seating and switches.
How was your care?
Please tell us about the care you received from us. All your comments are really important to us and will help us to improve the service you receive. Please visit the iWantGreatCare website and choose 'Children's Therapy Services'. Thank you.
We may be able to help by:
- Providing you and anyone else involved in supporting your child (eg education staff) with training and advice
- Providing recommendations, approaches and activities to support your child in a range of different environments
- Providing advice and recommendations for specialist equipment (such as splints, sensory strategies, adapted cutlery, writing aids, specialist seating, and switches)
- Contributing to Educational Healthcare plans and transition planning
- Providing direct therapy with your child individually or in a group when needed.
We work closely in partnership with you, your family, education staff and a range of professionals to help your child achieve the goals that we have agreed with you.
Please check that all the strategies relating to the difficulties your child or young peson is currently experiencing in the relevant sections in our Health and Development area. If you have tried these and you still have concerns please contact us as below.
East - Slough, Windsor, Ascot, Maidenhead or Bracknell
We accept referrals for all children and young people from 0-19 years using our online referral form.
West - Reading, Wokingham or Newbury
We will only accept referrals for children who are school aged and have an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP).
For children in the west who do not have an EHCP please refer to Dingley Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Please see the Royal Berkshire Hospital website (opens in new window) for details of their referral criteria and how to contact them.
- Does your child avoid important activities because of how it makes them feel?
- Does the child you work with find it difficulty to manage the demands of the classroom?
- Does your child become easily overwhelmed in busy or noisy places?
- Does the child you work with find it more difficult than others to focus or sit?
- Does your child move, push or 'crash' more than others?
Our Occupational Therapy team are pleased to introduce our online workshops to help you.
These sessions are designed for parents, carers and those working with children and young people. Our aim is to help you understand the sensory needs that a child or young person may be experiencing. It offers strategies, practical advice and tips on how you can enable a child or young person to manage their sensory needs on a daily basis.
Please see this page for more information on the sessions and to register.
Below are a series of videos around sensory processing. These videos are designed for young people, parents and carers, and those working with children and young people.
The aim of the videos is to help you to understand the different sensory systems and give practical strategies tht you can try at home or school to help you manage yours or your child's sensory needs and differences on a daily basis.
What is sensory processing?
Good sensory processing forms the baseline of all learning experiences. This video is an introduction to sensory processing and the different senses.
The Tactile (touch) system
This video talks about our sense of touch in more detail, including how to support the development of this sensory system.
Body awareness (proprioception)
This video talks about body awareness and why it is important to include heavy work activities as part of a child's day.
Movement and balance
This video talks about our postural stability, balance and alertness.
Alertness Levels
This video talks about how a child's alertness levels can affect their readiness to join in with activities and learning.
If your child/young person is already known to our service and you have a query, concern, or need advice, or you need to cancel/re-arrange a scheduled appointment, please call your local administration team:
- Bracknell, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead: 0300 365 0123 (option 2)
- Newbury: 0300 365 4000 (option 2)
- Reading: 0300 365 4000 (option 1)
- Wokingham: 0300 365 4000 (option 3)
