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51ÁÔÆæ - Services - Children’s Services - Specialist Children’s Services - Children’s Occupational Therapy

Children’s Occupational Therapy

Our occupational therapists and therapy assistants work with children and young people who have significant difficulties which impact on their development and/or ability to participate in everyday activities.

On this page

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy offers practical support to empower children and young people (CYP) to overcome barriers that are preventing them from doing the things that matter to them. We look at the practical and purposeful activities thatÌýCYP do, or need to do, – to live as independently as possible and have a sense of identity.

Occupational therapists help babies, children and young people grow, learn, have fun, socialise and play so they can develop, thrive and reach their full potential.

We will consider all of a CYP’s needs; physical, psychological, social and environmental.

What occupations do children and young people have?

Occupations are things we occupy ourselves with during our daily lives. As adults we tend to associate this with employment, but for CYP Ìýthis means anything they engage in during the day, wherever they are; home, school, nursery etc.

This may include self-care skills such as dressing, eating, toileting, washing and bathing. It could be more complex skills such as organisation, visual perception or fine motor development. It could mean leisure skills or in younger children it could simply be play.

Who do we work alongside?

Occupational Therapists work closely with the CYP , their parents, teachers and carers. We often liaise with other health professionals, including doctors, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, specialist nurses and with our colleagues in education and social care.

Where are we based?

The Occupational Therapy team are based in Child Development Centres in 51ÁÔÆæ and Northallerton. As one team, we cover two localities; 51ÁÔÆæ and Rural District, and Hambleton and Richmondshire.

Both Child Development Centres are open from 8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Whilst we are based at the centre, the therapist may arrange to see the CYPÌýin other locations to assess their needs. For example, this could be at home, in school or at nursery.

51ÁÔÆæ District Hospital
Specialist Children’s Services
Child Development Centre
51ÁÔÆæ District Hospital
Lancaster Park Road
51ÁÔÆæ
HG2 7SX

Hambleton and Richmondshire
Specialist Children’s Services
Child Development Centre
24 Brompton Road
Northallerton
DL6 1EA

Referral Process and Form

Referrals are accepted from most healthcare providers such as GPs, physiotherapists, nurses and speech and language therapists.

It is necessary for the referral to include 2 occupations that your CYP finds tricky.

The more information you can provide us with the better at the referral point. This enables us to see what you have tried to do to help, and which other agencies are involved. If your CYP is school age it is extremely helpful for us to see what school have already implemented and whether they felt this was successful. You may wish to include information from the school SENDCO to support your referral.

We aim to see your CYP within 18 weeks.

Click here for theÌýReferral Form

Once we receive a referral, we triage it into one of the following categories:

  • Universal services are aimed at giving early input to all CYP to try and prevent difficulties
  • Targeted services are aimed at CYP who have had difficulties identified by health care professionals and education
  • Specialist services are provided for CYPÌýwith complex needs and may include advice to Education, Health and Care Plans, specialist seating, equipment, postural management

If you are concerned about your CYP’s motor skills (fine or gross motor) it is important that your CYP has completed 2 terms of activities in school as set out in this document. Without this information we will return your referral.

This is a shared Local Authority and NHS collaboration document for children with co-ordination difficulties for educators to work through whilst in school:

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This is our family friendly version full of activities to work through at home:

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Family Friendly version: Supporting Children and Young People with Co-ordination Difficulties.

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What to expect during your appointment

You or your CYP Ìýmay have some questions about what will happen during your appointment with us. You might want to look at and share the two documents below with them to help them understand and to alleviate any worries they may have prior to coming. They will help to explain where the appointment will be, who you will see and what sort of things you might be asked to do. If you feel your CYP will have difficulty attending for any reason, please call us to discuss this.

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Help your CYP at home

Welcome to our ‘Universal Service Offer’

You may be looking for some ideas of how to help your CYP) at home, or you may be waiting for an appointment and looking for some things to do whilst you wait. Schools may also be looking for extra resources and information and utilise this section.

Our universal offer is also for children aged 0-18 (19 if they are in a special school) with sensory processing differencesÌýaffecting everyday activities.

We aim to empower parents/carers to facilitate their CYP’s development and participation in everyday activities which they want to do and also have to do. We hope that these ideas will help you to find ways to assist your CYP.

We like to take a strengths-based approach and want your CYP to enjoy engaging with you. So, we would suggest you start and end your practice sessions with a short quiet, calming activity which your CYP loves to do and is good at.

We have increasing evidence which shows that it can be very effective to work with families in this way.

Useful links

We often use external companies to assess for and provide equipment like seating for our CYP.

If you have a problem with your piece of equipment and it was provided by the NHS, please call Mediquip on 01423 226240

Some of the equipment companies we use are listed below with contact details:

  • SymmetrikitÌýÌý01531 635388
  • JiraffeÌýÌý0114 2853376
  • Simple stuff worksÌý01827 307870
  • SchuchmannÌý01733 561885
  • R82/ETACÌý0121 5612222
  • Leckey –Ìý028 9260 0750
  • SmirthwaiteÌý01626 835552
  • TherapostureÌý0800 834654
  • VELAÌý01204 322333,
  • AATÌý01978821875
  • Chunc Chairs –Ìý01432 377512
  • Bambach –Ìý020 85325100
  • Careflex –Ìý01626 836440

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Wheelchair services are provided by AJM ÌýHealthcare 0330 128 1260

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NYCC (Social Services) Occupational TherapistsÌýcan help you to make large adaptations to your property or provide equipment to make things easier at home like bathing aids, stairlifts, etc. You can contact them on 0300 1312131

The William Merrit CentreÌýin Leeds offers children’s car seat clinics if you are concerned about your child travelling safely in a car seat because of their disability. This is a self-referral service.

0113 3508989

SMS 07858 224510

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