The children's occupational therapy team helps children and families adapt to the challenges of everyday life that may be a result of a child’s difficulty or disability. This includes supporting children with autism, learning problems, broken bones, birth injuries or birth defects, cerebral palsy and other chronic illnesses. The service can also help children with various needs to improve their cognitive, physical and motor skills and enhance their self-esteem and self-accomplishment.

How to access the service

If your child (0-18 year old) needs occupational therapy the referral can only come from a health professional such as their GP, a paediatrician, paediatric therapist or children’s nurse. 

For housing adaptations and equipment a social worker can also refer a child to this service. Children who attend special schools can be referred by the therapist for these schools.

Your child’s care

Your child’s activities (which we call occupations) can be considered in three areas: self care (such as bathing, getting dressed, feeding themselves), school and play. We aim to help children to maintain their skills, recover previously learnt skills and, where possible, to develop new skills.

Sometimes a child will need occupational therapy to help them change the way in which they do things, for example by working with them to address hand-eye coordination to improve their play skills (hitting a ball, copying from the blackboard) or so that they can feed themselves, use a computer or improve their handwriting.

Other children will need the loan of specialised equipment such as wheelchairs, splints, communication aids or adaptations to their homes such as bathing equipment to help them to be more independent. An occupational therapist can also advise schools on the most appropriate equipment and adaptations needed to support a child in school.

The team

The service is provided by a team of professionals which may include your child's GP, a paediatrician, a social worker, an  occupational therapist and a children’s nurse.

Contacts

If you think your child may benefit from the services of a children's occupational therapist please contact your GP, district nurse, or any of the health or social care professionals providing care for your child.

The occupational therapy team is based at:

Child Health Centre
Woodhorn Lane

Ashington
Northumberland

NE63 9JJ

Tel: 01670 564050
Fax: 01670 564053

The service is available between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday.

You can click on the links if you need information on other services we provide in the community such as children’s community nursing and community paediatric services. You can also find information on the services we provide for children in our hospitals.

Useful links

Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
SCOPE
Dyspraxia Foundation
Dyslexia Institute

Disability North Newcastle