Dumfries & Galloway Health & Social Care

Occupational Therapy for Children and Young People

Occupational Therapy enables children and young people to participate in daily life to improve their health and wellbeing. Daily life is made up of many activities, or “occupations”. Occupations for children may include self-care (getting dressed, eating a meal, using the toilet), being productive (going to nursery or school) and leisure (playing with friends, hobbies).

How can Occupational Therapy help?

An Occupational Therapist will identify and gain an understanding of your child’s usual occupations and what challenges they face with these.

We will support your child, you and other relevant people such as teachers, to evaluate your child’s strengths and challenges, to help them to achieve important tasks.

We suggest alternative ways of doing things, providing advice on learning new approaches and techniques, or making changes to the environment e.g. use of equipment.

Let’s Move On 2016 is our new free resource to guide those supporting children within 6 skill-based areas (getting the body ready for work, independence skills, organisational skills, handwriting, scissors skills and & PE skills)

Let’s Move On can be used to support children at the earliest opportunities in their development, with activity sheets to suggest for home.

Let’s Move on is available here.

Who do Occupational Therapists see?

Occupational Therapists help babies, children and young people with support and advice if they are not able to do occupations for many reasons.

LINKS

More information available from College of Occupational Therapy:

www.COT.org.uk

Contact us

We are currently updating our criteria for referring to Occupational Therapy for Children and Young People, and this will be available in due course.

Further information and to access the service:

Addresses:

Occupational Therapy for Children and Young People
The Willows,
Children, Young People and Family Centre,
The Crichton,
Glencaple Road,
Dumfries, DG1 4TG

The Oak Tree Family Centre
Dalrymple Street,
Stranraer,
DG9 7EH

Please read the Request for Assistance Criteria and send Request for Assistance form to the Dumfries-based address
All telephone enquiries: 01387 244470
Email: dg.OT-Child-Health@nhs.scot