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Who do we help?

We are a team of Occupational therapists and Technical Instructors who provide assessment, support and advice for children and young people with significant functional difficulties impacting on their ability to participate in daily life aged from birth to 18 years (19 years if in special education). No types of difficulty or disability are excluded as we give support based on need, not diagnosis.

We provide support to children across Plymouth, West Devon, South Hams and East and North Cornwall.

How do we work?

We undertake a specialist assessment to understand what the child or young person's strengths and difficulties are and identify if further support is needed. This enables us to provide the best quality care and most appropriate support for the child or young person and their parents/carers.

We work in partnership with parent/carers and children and young people to ensure individual needs are met and always review progress together.

We also work very closely with other professionals including those in the Child Development Centre (CDC) as well as nursery key workers, learning support assistants, teachers and other organisations that may be involved.

What happens at our appointments?

We provide support and/or intervention based on individual need.

We aim to offer support in the most appropriate setting for child or young person; this may be in the CDC in Plymouth or a centre local to you. Depending on their needs, we may also visit your child at their pre-school or school. If you are visiting us at the CDC, take a look at the photographs here of the spaces we use to see children and young people.

The Occupational Therapist will discuss and write down the concerns and find out more about the child or young person and the difficulties they are having.

The therapist will ask for some background information including birth details, health issues, and talk about general progress and family history alongside a more detailed assessment to find out specific needs and to see if further support is needed.

The therapist then builds up a picture of the child or young person's skills and finds out their exact abilities, difficulties and needs by using use one or more of the following ways to assess:

• watching your child playing and looking / listening to what they can do 

• playing with your child to informally check their skills

• undertaking formal assessments or tests which will give more information about their skills

We may also need talk to the nursery/playgroup, SENCO or schoolteacher, who know the child or young person best, to get further information about their abilities.

Find out more, including resources and activities at our padlet 

How to refer to us?

Referrals are accepted from GPs, Consultants, or other professionals, including education. Information provided should include what the problem is, any relating history to that problem and any other information that may be relevant.

These can be emailed to plh-tr.plymouthchildrensot@nhs.net

or sent to:

Therapies Department,Plymouth Child Development Centre,Scott Business Park,Beacon Park Road,PlymouthPL2 2PQ

We are happy to discuss eligibility if you are not sure if this team is the appropriate one, and we will assist in signposting/redirecting you to the right place.  

Who are we?

Lucy W

Occupational Therapy Lead

Jane

Occupational Therapist

Lucy U

Occupational Therapist

Beth

Occupational Therapist

Clare F

Occupational Therapist

Clare H

Occupational Therapist

Andrea L

Technical Instructor

Elaina SJ

Technical Instructor

We look forward to meeting you!