NHS Forth Valley – Occupational Therapy for Children & Young People

Helpline

If you have any questions about a child or young person’s ability to carry out daily tasks or activities, call our helpline on 01786 454551 available every Wednesday between 1.30pm – 3.30pm.

What is Occupational Therapy?

“Occupational therapy enables 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 or young people may include self-care (getting ready to go out, eating a meal, using the toilet), being productive (going to nursery or school, or volunteering), and leisure (playing with friends or doing hobbies)” – College of Occupational Therapists

Occupational Therapists provide advice, reassurance, support, assessment and intervention to help children and young people develop their skills in everyday activities. Children and Young People’s Occupational Therapists work closely with the child, their family and members of staff from nursery/school etc to address specific functional difficulties.

We have collated some useful resources which you may find helpful in supporting your child to develop their functional skills. Please click on the links below to explore.

Children and Young People’s Resources

Early Years 0 – 5

Primary School 5 – 11

High School 11 – 18

Sensory Resources

For more information on pre writing skills to help your child, please see our YouTube video.

How do I access the Occupational Therapy for Children and Young People?

Please complete the Occupational Therapy for Children and Young People Request for Assistance Form (Form Hints and Tips) and send to:

Occupational Therapy for Children and Young People
AHP Office
Admin Area 4
Stirling Health & Care Village
Livilands Gate
Stirling
FK8 2AU

It is important that you give as much information as possible about your concerns and how they are affecting your child. It is also helpful to list what strategies you have already tried and what helps/does not help.

What happens next?

A Children’s Occupational Therapist will process your form. We will then contact you to discuss the best course of action for your child. This may be to:

Offer advice
Strategies
Information sessions
Signpost your child to another service based on the information you have provided
To make plans for an appointment and your child may then be placed on a waiting list.

Help from local councils

Each of the three local councils in the Forth Valley area has a Children With Disabilities Team who also have Children’s Occupational Therapists (OTs). These OTs can assess if changes can be made to enable a child or young person to take part in everyday activities. Following assessment, the Children With Disabilities OTs may offer advice, provide specialist equipment or adapt the environment to help remove the barriers to engaging in daily tasks. Further information can be found at: