Occupational Therapy Special Schools Service

Occupational Therapists help children with disabilities achieve as much independence as possible in self-care activities and activities of daily living. These activities could include dressing, feeding themselves, and handwriting. Sometimes occupational therapists provide equipment (such as specialist seating or supportive toilet chairs) or adapt the environment to maximise a child’s participation to help them achieve their potential.

What we offer

In special schools, Occupational Therapists carry out assessments for seating and other specialist equipment; we order, set up and maintain this equipment for use in school. We also provide assessment and advice to help children develop as much independence as possible in self-care skills, and to improve their fine motor skills. The advice is usually given in the form of programmes, and some children also get blocks of sessions to work on specific skills. Occupational Therapists also provide specialist hand splints for children with contractures and deformities in their hands.

How to see or contact the service

If your child is attending one of the Special Schools in The London Borough of Greenwich, then contact the school and ask to be put through to the Therapy Department (based in that school). You can then speak to an Occupational Therapist about whether or not your child needs to be referred, and what the referral process is.

Further information

Use the link below to access recommended reading:

Royal College of Occupational Therapists – Helping babies, infants, children and young people grow, learn and have fun

Please note: Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is not responsible for the content of external websites. The above links should not be understood to be an endorsements for those websites, the site owners, or their products/services.