Practical guides and information for families and schools
20 guides written by specialist occupational therapists · trusted by families and schools across the UK
If you've been told your child might benefit from an occupational therapy (OT) assessment, you probably have questions. What happens in an assessment? What will it cost? How long does it take? Will it lead to support …
Read the complete guide →If you are navigating the Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment process, you may have heard that occupational therapy (OT) evidence is important. But what exactly do local authorities (LAs) look for in an …
Read guide →Every moment of a child's day involves sensory processing. When your child walks into a classroom, their nervous system must take in the sound of other children, the fluorescent lighting, the texture of their uniform …
Read guide →If you're reading this, you've probably noticed something that's been sitting with you. Maybe your child takes twice as long as their peers to get dressed, or they have a meltdown when certain foods touch on a plate, …
A plain-English 4-page guide covering what happens before, during and after an assessment, including what the report includes, how to prepare your child, and FAQs.
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At SENsphere, private OT assessments for children are structured as tiered packages so you know exactly what you are paying before you book.¹
Read guide →For familiesIf your child struggles with handwriting, coordination, self-care skills, or sensory processing, an occupational therapy (OT) assessment can provide clarity about what's happening and what will help. But when you look…
Read guide →For familiesYes. Occupational therapy is a direct-access profession in the UK, which means you can book a private OT assessment for your child without a GP referral letter. You don't need to wait for a GP appointment, ask for per…
Read guide →For familiesIf your child has just had an occupational therapy assessment, you'll receive a report. It might look intimidating at first, full of technical terms, standardised scores, and recommendations. But this document is actu…
Read guide →For familiesYou've heard the term "sensory diet" from your child's occupational therapist, teacher, or another parent. It sounds mysterious. It also sounds like it involves food, which adds to the confusion. Let me clear that up …
Read guide →For familiesWhen a child struggles with coordination, tripping frequently, struggling with buttons, or writing that exhausts them, parents often hear the word "dyspraxia." If your child has recently been diagnosed with Developmen…
Read guide →For familiesOccupational therapy (OT) for autistic children is not about making them appear neurotypical or training them to mask their autism. Instead, it is about increasing their ability to participate in the daily activities …
Read guide →For familiesMany parents assume occupational therapy (OT) is only for children with motor difficulties or autism spectrum differences. If your child has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you may…
Read guide →For familiesHandwriting is one of the most common presenting concerns in paediatric occupational therapy. Yet it is often dismissed as a minor issue, something children will "grow out of" or overcome with more practice. In realit…
Read guide →For familiesIf you have noticed that your child struggles with holding a pencil, fastening buttons, or managing scissors when other children their age manage these tasks with ease, you may be wondering whether there is a cause fo…
Read guide →For familiesIf your mornings involve a twenty-minute battle to get a sock on, or your child has eaten the same four foods for three years, or hair washing has become something you dread, you are not alone. You are also not overre…
Read guide →For schoolsWhen a child is struggling with handwriting, struggling to dress for PE, or crashing through the classroom, it is easy to default to an Educational Psychology (EP) referral. But Occupational Therapy (OT) is often the …
Read guide →For schoolsHandwriting difficulty is not a motivation problem. A child who struggles to form letters legibly is not lazy, unwilling, or careless. Something in the motor, sensory, or processing systems is making the task harder. …
Read guide →For schoolsDCD stands for Developmental Coordination Disorder. You may hear it called dyspraxia, in the UK, the terms are used interchangeably and refer to the same condition[1]. The clinical term is DCD; the everyday term is dy…
Read guide →For schoolsYou've noticed something. One pupil covers their ears every time the door slams. Another changes into PE kit under their uniform in the morning and keeps it on all day. A third crashes into desks and peers without see…
Read guide →GuideIf you've been wondering whether your child's responses to the world around them are typical, you're not alone. Many parents notice that their child finds certain textures, sounds, or situations much harder to manage …
Read guide →If something in these guides resonates, a referral takes a few minutes and there is no GP referral needed.