The purpose of occupational therapy is to help the child to achieve or maintain their maximum level of independence and to develop practical life skills so that the child can participate to his/her full potential in the home and classroom environment. This occurs in partnership with the child’s family or teacher within the child’s home or school community.

The Occupational therapist provides assessments in the following areas:

• Developmental skills including cognitive, motor & play development.
• Self-care and functional skills such as feeding, dressing or toileting
• Fine motor skills particularly in relation to functional tasks such as handwriting, using a knife or fork, use of scissors.
• Gross motor and co-ordinating skills where there are concerns about general co-ordinating in relation to general function such as learning to ride a bike, performance in P.E, sitting posture in the classroom.
• Visual perception skills in relation to handwriting & other functional tasks
• Handwriting
• Splinting- monitoring use of upper limbs and provision of support if necessary.

Where appropriate therapy is provided to improve specific problems or difficulties using play and other therapeutic activities.

Therapy may be individual or in groups such as handwriting groups, specialist motor groups etc.