What we do                    

Occupational therapists support children and young people who may experience difficulties carrying out and participating in activities of everyday life, for example their self-care, school work or play.

Our occupational therapists carry out an assessment of need and provide treatment including coping strategies for children, young people and their families to make sure they get the support they need.

This video explains the role of Occupational Therapy (OT) for children with additional support needs. This will give you an idea of what to expect if your child has been referred to Occupational Therapy, but please bear in mind that Occupational Therapy services will vary in different areas.

Occupational Therapy treatment 

Our Occupational Therapy treatment plan can include one or more of the following:

• One-to-one specialist support from an occupational therapist to help develop skills in areas like bathing, toileting, feeding, dressing, as well as play and hand skill development.
• A programme of agreed targets and goals for the child or young person, in collaboration with parents or carers who support them.
• Group therapy blocks are offered, where appropriate.
• Coaching and education for parents/carers and professionals working with your child or young person. This may relate to your child’s specific difficulties in carrying out activities of daily living.
• For children aged under 5, we complete assessment and recommendations for providing specialist equipment at home, as well as nursery e.g. seating for positioning and play.
• Hand splints for those children who require them.
• We provide assessment at schools when needed and specialist equipment for children who do not have an Education, Health and Care Plan.
• We work closely with Physiotherapists and Speech and Language Therapists within the local Children's Therapy Service as well as other professionals and agencies involved in the care of the child or young person.

Who is if for

Occupational Therapists work with children and young people from birth to 19 years old (if still receiving secondary or special education input). Occupational Therapy is offered to children/young people who are having difficulty joining in with the activities they need and want to do every day e.g. dressing, using cutlery, completing jigsaws, riding a bike, writing. These difficulties may be due to the child having a complex health and neurological condition, poor co-ordination skills, poor core stability or muscle control, poor movement planning skills, and sensory difficulties.

Who provides it?

Our team includes occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.

Appointment system

Our Occupational Therapy service offers a range of approaches to provide you and your child with support depending on their needs. This may include:

• Virtual appointments – these will happen on a web-based platform that helps us offer video calls via your phone, tablet or computer.
• Face-to-face appointments can also be carried out either in clinic, nursery, school or at home.

The Occupational Therapist will talk to you and your child depending on their age, and ask questions about your child and your concerns. The OT may also carry out specific assessments to identify what is affecting your child’s ability to do their daily activities and observe the child carrying out activities such as handwriting, playing games, using a knife and fork or fastening buttons. The therapist may want to see you again for further assessment or review if required.

Referral criteria and process

The Occupational Therapy service will see:

• Children and young people aged 0-18 years (or 19 years in full time education in special schools) with a Redbridge home address or school.
• The referral form must identify at least two functional concerns, such as difficulty using a knife and fork, organising books for school, dressing, riding their bike, making breakfast/light snacks, participating in PE lessons or sporting activities, handling play items (e.g. building with Lego) or using school tools (such as scissors and pencils).
• For children who have been referred again, there must be evidence of a new problem or a change in the previous identified problem.
• If you are unsure if you meet our criteria, please contact us to discuss.

Referrals to the service can be made by a parent or any person who supports the child. Referrals are accepted via filling in a written or electronic application. You can also contact us at:

Specialist Community Health Services for Children and Young People
The Grove
Grove Road
Chadwell Heath
RM6 4XH
Tel: 0300 300 1618  
Email: SPAreferrals.redbridge@nelft.nhs.uk

Depending on your child’s needs, we aim to see all children and young people within 6-18 weeks, and we operate a priority system for all new referrals.  Any urgent referrals, e.g. supporting children discharged from hospital or those with a complex neurological condition and palliative care needs, will be seen within 6 weeks.

Education, Health and Care Plans

Some children have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) or are going through the process to obtain an EHCP. We are able to offer assessments for this and will write a report to add OT onto their plan, if appropriate. Once this is added, your child will be seen by the Local Authority OT team for the input that is detailed on the plan. If your child has OT on their EHCP, please contact the local authority OT team at send.therapies@redbridge.gov.uk .

Social Services Occupational Therapy

This team can help if your child is having difficulties around the home or using facilities in the home. This may include aids, adaptations (changes) and equipment (toileting, bathing, and seating). They will provide all home equipment for children aged over 5. They also provide advice on moving or handling your child comfortably and safely.

Social Services Occupational Therapists can also assess the suitability of accommodation (living space) for the child’s needs. If a child’s accommodation does not meet their health needs, the Occupational Therapist may write a report to the housing options team.  Prior to this assessment, you will need to be listed on the housing register.

From 1^st August 2024, the Social Services Occupational Therapy team will no longer be part of our service.

To make a referral to this team, please complete a written or electronic application form below and send it to cpat.referrals@redbridge.gov.uk.

Redbridge Social Services Occupational Therapy referral form.docx [docx] 116KB