Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists work with children, young people and their families to help remove barriers to children participating in everyday activities. Our occupational therapists work closely with children and young people to identify areas of strength and to build and develop skills.
Activities or “occupations” children and young people may wish to develop participation skills in include:
Personal care occupations
These include:
- dressing
- eating and drinking (using cutlery)
- washing themselves
- brushing their teeth.
Productivity occupations
These include:
- being able to attend to school
- using classroom tools such as a pencil, scissors and rulers.
Leisure occupations
These include:
- attending a dance or swimming lesson
- painting
- reading
- playing in the park with friends
- watching TV with the family
- any activity the child/young person finds enjoyable and fun.
We work with you, health, education and social care colleagues, to help your child get the most from their lives and achieve their potential.
Accessing our services
The Occupational Therapy Service see children from 0-19 with a Buckinghamshire GP, or a Buckinghamshire Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Children and young people will be seen in clinic or in school setting depending on their needs.
Children and young people fitting our criteria for high or urgent health and social care needs and will be seen for a face to face assessment.
- Children and young people requiring postural control advice/equipment who are at risk of developing contractures, respiratory complications or other ill health as a result of not being positioned correctly.
- Children with severe developmental delay
- Children requiring home equipment to be safe or to enable others to care for them safely
- Dysphagia support (postural support/equipment)
- Sensory based eating/drinking support if impact on weight/failure to thrive
- Post-surgery rehabilitation
- Equipment for hospital discharge
- Equipment in school setting such as seating or moving and handling equipment.
- Sensory behaviours causing significant participation concerns such as school refusal or break down of family/home setting.
- Sensory behaviours resulting in harm to self or others.
- Assessment for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
- Support for Chronic Fatigue
- Educational health and care assessments as requested by the local authority.
Children and young people who are on a Chid in need plan/Child Protection plan/LAC/Trauma background and those with significant level of vulnerability within the family will also be considered for face to face assessment.
To make a referral into the service please complete our referral form .
Our service supports young people aged 5 to 18 years old with high/complex or urgent health and social care needs who have a GP and an address within Buckinghamshire
We work closely with school occupational therapists and other treating professionals. This ensures that the support children and young people get in school transfers to the home.
Our team work alongside the housing occupational therapists to provide equipment in the home. This equipment helps children and young people access community activities, participate in family life and remain safe at home.
Seating
We promote optimal seating positions to support safe feeding, taking part in family activities and how to protect body shape through postural management.
Personal hygiene equipment
This helps your child to have a dignified personal hygiene routine whilst minimising manual handling risks for their carers. Equipment can range from a simple bath chair to a more supportive showering system. We can advise you if your child needs adaptations and make a referral to the appropriate service.
Hoists and slings
These help to reduce the handling risk to a young person, their parents/guardians and carers. Hoists and slings can be used in home and school for transfers such as from a chair to the toilet.
Sleeping and lying
We encourage 24 hour postural care by improving night time positioning. This can help promote regular sleep patterns and reduce the risk of pressure sores and contractures by using a sleep system. We may recommend profiling beds for ease of care and safety.
Use our referral form to make an equipment request .
Further support
For young people who have had their 18th birthday
You can make a self referral, or get a referral from your GP to the Buckinghamshire Community Learning Disability Health Team.
Call 01494 838260 for High Wycombe or 01296 387516 for Aylesbury.
You can also send an email
Advice on toileting
ERIC, the children’s bowel and bladder charity has a helpline for advice – 0808 1699949.
Sleep
Visit the Cerebra website for advice and guidance.
Advice for car transfers and specialist car seats
MK in car safety centre provides assessment, support and advice for all in car safety including car seats. You can arrange an assessment through the website or call 01908 220909.
Our service can provide written support for the centre family fund for any car seat they recommend for your child.
You can also access assessments from the Regional Driving Assessment Centre (RDAC) for people who have difficulty getting in and out of a vehicle as either a passenger or a driver, or need to assist people or load equipment into vehicles.
Assessments include:
- car adaptations for driving and specialist driving tuition
- car seats
- powered wheelchair assessments.
Visit the website to complete a referral form or call 0300 300 2240 for centres located in Aylesbury, Northampton and Oxford.
Charitable funding letters for equipment
We can provide supportive letters if you want to apply for charitable funding for equipment. We can not provide funding for car seats.
Charities include:
Agencies we work with
Buckinghamshire Wheelchair Service provides assessment and wheelchairs for children over 3 years old. They must have a Buckinghamshire GP and a long-term disability resulting in permanent or significant difficulties walking indoors and outdoors.
Call 01494 734046 or email buc-tr.WheelchairService@nhs.net
Nottingham Rehab Supplies (NRS) help with repairs and maintenance for all equipment we provide for a young person.
Call 0345 123 8248 or email enquiries@bucks.nrs-uk.net For any equipment collections and use of their assessment room for demonstrations, you’ll need to go to the NRS depot at:
Unit 1 Millenium Point
Broadfields
Aylesbury, HP19 8YH
Paediatric Community Occupational Therapy Service – Buckinghamshire Council (Housing OT)
For housing adaptations, housing support and permanent equipment, for example permanent ramps, and ceiling track hoists.
Email pfa@buckinghamshire.gov.uk for a referral form.
Accessing an occupational therapist without the need for a referral
If your child does not meet our high/urgent health and care need criteria they are still able to access direct occupational therapy support via our website resources, live webinars and virtual advice lines. No referral is needed and this support can be accessed by anyone supporting the child or young person.
Find out about our virtual advice sessions
Find out about our webinar sessions
Access our resources and guides
Occupational Therapy support you can access without a referral