Occupational Therapy – OT

Occupational Therapists aim to enable all students to participate in the activities of everyday life.

Occupational Therapists use meaningful activities (occupations) to help students engage and participate in what they want, need and/or have to do. Engagement in meaningful activities throughout the day allows our students to develop their independence and wellbeing. Occupational Therapists look at the relationship between the activity (occupation), the person and the environment.

At Breckenbrough School, the Occupational Therapists’ role is to identify, assess and provide specialist intervention to support the students to participate and engage in school-based occupations such as engaging in learning, participating in schoolwork, play and leisure, social participation, self-care, independence and life skills. In partnership with the student and their important adults (school staff and parents/carers), strategies for enhancing participation will be explored, for example:

• Changing the way the school task is done
• Outlining modifications to the environment
• Recommending or providing equipment
• Teaching the child, young person or staff new techniques
• Developing the child or young person’s skills and abilities.

Students may be supported through individual sessions with the Occupational Therapist, as well as through other interventions such as sharing strategies with teaching staff and providing programmes.

The focus of intervention is:

• To assess and monitor student’s occupational therapy needs and progress in school and classroom contexts
• To generate targets and strategies to manage areas of need, through collaborative relationships with teachers
• To work with parents and important adults to implement strategies
• For students to consistently use sensory behavioural strategies to engage and participate in meaningful activities (occupations) and to prevent from becoming frequently dysregulated.