Screening
Formal Kindy and Pre-Primary Screens with Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology.
• Individual or group; depending on need.
• Whole class or year group.
• Select children.
• Therapist administered.
• Therapist recommendations provided in writing to school for distribution.
Assessment
Privately Funded or NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) Funded
• Most common
• 1-2 hrs; including face to face and non-face to face time to analyse results.
• Goals and therapy recommendations made following appointment.
• Parent attends appointment.
• Standardised assessments where appropriate.
• Clinical/Classroom observations as appropriate.
• Parent and teacher Questionnaires provided prior to appointment to gain background information.
School Funded
• Based on need – severity and socioeconomic factors
Therapy
Individual
• 1:1 time with therapist
• Weekly / Fortnightly
• Child withdrawn from class and see in separate room or area as directed by school
Group
• 2-4 children
• Weekly / Fortnightly
• Child withdrawn from class and see in separate room or area as directed by school
Other Options Available
Home Program to ensure therapy recommendations are translated into the home.
Educational Assistant Program to be delivered in class to transfer skills.
Therapy student support at certain times throughout the year.
Classroom Intervention can be delivered where appropriate.
Professional Development
*These sessions may incur a cost to the school; please reach out to discuss
Staff Talk or Workshop
• Tailor made to staff needs.
EG: “Motor skills required for pre or early literacy attainment.”
Parent Talk or Workshop
EG: “Helping my child to be ready for Kindergarten.”
Consultation
Programs
• Review current programs.
• Program design input.
• Support to adapt the delivery of academic material to support all learners.
Universal Design
• Activity and environmental changes.
Parent/ Teacher Liaison
• Drop-in service for staff and parents can be arranged.
Possible Roles within Your School
We pride ourselves on developing customised services, unique to your school and its students. We have outlined some possibilities; it is by no means conclusive, rather a guide. Please contact us to discuss your school’s needs and budgets and how we may work collaboratively to achieve best outcomes for your students.
Screening
An annual screening program in the early years is highly advised to identify those children who require support to develop foundation skills necessary for optimal learning. Our screens are constantly reviewed to ensure the most recent and clinically relevant assessment and screening tools are used.
Any year group can be screened upon request. Screening may be informal or formal or a combination of both.
Post screen, your therapist(s) can provide you with feedback and recommendations based on the outcome of individual students or cohort. You may request a meeting to discuss findings in person in addition to the written report which we provide within the costing of the screen.
See ‘Screening’ information above for information.
Assessment
An assessment may be warranted based on a student’s performance during a screening measure. In addition to which, a teacher may initiate a referral based on referral guidelines provided or professional opinion. Parents may also instigate a referral.
Assessments include standardised assessments where clinically indicated, clinical and classroom observations and parent and teacher questionnaires and / or interviews.
Parents are encouraged to attend initial appointments to meet the therapist and provide valuable background information, they are also asked to complete online assessment forms prior to the appointment as it allows the clinician to prepare suitable items for assessment.
Assessment may occur at the student’s school or at AIM’s office dependent on the needs of the child, the clinician’s timetabling and/or parental work commitments.
Goals and and intervention plan are provided as part of the Initial Appointment.
Therapy
Families can choose where therapy will take place dependent on their child’s age, needs and family commitments. For many, school-based therapy is regarded as the ideal option; it minimises absences from school, promotes a direct relationship with teaching staff and is convenient for time poor families.
Intervention is tailor made to the individual needs of the child. Some examples of therapy that we can provide within your school include:
• One to one weekly or fortnightly treatment session. The student is withdrawn from the classroom at a regular time decided upon by teacher and therapist.
• Small group – 2, 3 or 4 children who have been matched by therapist based on therapy goals withdrawn from their classes. Students are not required to be from the same classroom or year group though the time is agreed upon by all teachers involved.
• Classroom based intervention where the therapist joins the student in the class to observe the child, trail strategies or equipment. This approach is especially valuable for student’s whose goals incorporate skills specific to the classroom.
• Education assistance programs where a therapy program is produced by the therapist to be delivered by teaching staff within the classroom to ensure strategies are embedded in the school curriculum/ environment.
Professional Development
We can support with training and development; tailor made to your requirements.
Would your school benefit from?
1. A staff talk or workshop on:
• Role of the Therapist within your school
• Understanding and accommodating specific areas of need in the classroom to assist attention and concentration, emotional regulation, and engagement in learning.
• Motor skills required for pre or early literacy skill attainment
• Developing handwriting skills
• Developing social skills
• Identification and support for children with a variety of needs or diagnoses.
• Importance of play in early childhood education
2. A parent talk or workshop on:
• Helping their child to be ready for kindergarten
• Unravelling the importance of play
• Alternatively, any of the staff workshops above can be adjusted to suit parents
• We can tailor a talk or workshop to your needs so please just reach out!
Consultation
We can review existing programs within your school and consult with you on how they may be improved.
Perhaps your handwriting program needs updating? Or you would like support to offer new and creative ways to engage all children in the learning process, regardless of needs or learning styles?
Universal design within the classroom and school environment is another potential role for our therapists; we can advise you on easy to implement activities and environmental changes that optimise learning for students.
Existing Partnerships
AIM Occupational Therapy for Children has had the privilege of providing a service within many schools since its inception in 2009 and in more recent years formed partnerships with several schools.
Want to join the schools already engaging in meaningful relationships with AIM? Please reach out and we will be happy to work with you to support all your students.