Children and Young People's Occupational Therapy - A guide for parents and carers

Patient information leaflets
NHS Borders

"Information given on this site is not meant to take the place of a talk with your doctor or health worker."

The Children and Young People’s Occupational Therapy team are community based and provide a Borders wide service to children and young people aged 0-18 years in home, school, and health settings.

The team work with children and young people who have difficulties with the functional skills necessary for their everyday life.  The service will aim to support those with concerns to enable the child/ young person to maximise their opportunities to develop in the following areas:

  • functional abilities e.g dressing, eating, toileting etc
  • schools skills e.g pencil control, access to the environment, attention and concentration
  • play & leisure skills
  • sensory regulation
  • gross and fine motor skills
  • routines
  • sleep

Prior to contacting the service, we suggest you explore our resources online and on Facebook.


www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/cypot


www.facebook.com/CYPOTNHSBorders 

If you wish to seek further advice, please contact our Enquiry Line or Enquiry email:

Telephone 01896 826033 (voicemail), 
email Paediatrics.OTEnquiries@borders.scot.nhs.uk

We will contact you within 5 working days

For a copy of this information in:

  • another language
  • large print
  • Braille
  • BSL DVD

Please telephone 01896 826033

© NHS Borders

Seeking Advice and/or Support from Occupational Therapy

Advice and support can be sought from the service by contacting the team directly using our Enquiry Line or via our Enquiry Email Inbox.  

An Occupational Therapist will discuss the concerns which relate to the child/ young person’s functional difficulties with the person seeking advice and will offer one of the following:

  • reassurance
  • signposting to another more appropriate service
  • advice
  • an individualised assessment

Advice may also be sought from the service from Health Care Professionals, Education or Social Work.

Occupational Therapy Intervention

Ways of supporting the child/ young person may include one or more of the following:

  • support, advice and strategies for parents, carers, teachers, and other service providers
  • invitation to a parent/carers group
  • recommendation of specialist equipment to support functional skills, learning and sensory regulation (at home and school)
  • direct therapy with the child/ young person either individually, or in a group
  • Occupational Therapy intervention may involve joint working with others involved with the child/ young person.

Discharge

The child/ young person will be discharged from Occupational Therapy for one or more of the following reasons:

  • goals set have been met or intervention is complete
  • those closest to the child/ young person are equipped with the advice and strategies to continue to support ongoing development
  • the child/ young person is not benefitting from Occupational Therapy currently
  • the child/ young person or family do not attend appointments, or they have chosen not to continue with Occupational Therapy
  • the child/ young person moves out with the Scottish Borders

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 30/09/2024

Next review date: 30/09/2027

Author(s): Collison L.

Version: V3

Approved By: Clinical Governance & Quality

Reviewer name(s): Collison L.