Occupational therapy - Children (Richmond)

Health assessment clinic

A health or education professional must refer for assessment into this service using the referral forms. Once the assessment is completed further sessions may be offered in discussion with the parents. For students with EHC Plans, assessments and input will be delivered in school.

School assessment

Children and young people of school age can be referred via their School SENCo for assessment if they attend a state-funded Richmond school and have a Richmond or Kingston address. This includes children with Education, Health and Care Plans ( EHCP). Consent needs to be obtained from the parents or caregiver prior to submitting the referral.

Telephone advice line (020 8891 8190)​

Our Telephone Advice Line is available to parents, carers, health professionals and educators. If you would like to speak to an Occupational Therapist for advice to support a child or young person to carry out their activities of daily living, either at home or at school, please call our Telephone Advice line on the number above. You will be offered an appointment to speak with an Occupational Therapist about your concerns, and strategies and advice will be shared with you so that you can support your child/young person to participate in their daily occupations. In the meantime, please refer to our 'Resources and Links' tab for advice sheets and information.

Our team of therapists work across a variety of settings, including schools, nurseries and clinics to provide occupational therapy interventions for children aged between 0-18. We work closely with parents and educational staff to feel supported and confident to implement occupational therapy into day to day activities, as well as offering blocks of therapy sessions to address a specific clinical need.

Initial assessments for pre-school children are held in clinic, although a follow-up nursery visit is often carried out. Assessments for school aged children with educational based concerns are carried out in schools. Ways of implementing strategies to support the child are discussed with teaching staff.

We offer a selection of both occupational therapy specific and multidisciplinary (MDT) groups. These are based at Ham Clinic.

MDT Groups include:

• Little Stars and Sunbeams (pre-school groups)
• Motor Heroes (Group for children aged between 5-10 years old who have fine and gross motor co-ordination difficulties).

Occupational therapy specific groups include:

• Messy Play group

Families can come and meet the team for the first time in a joint assessment.  We offer multidisciplinary assessment clinics at Ham Clinic which are delivered by a paediatrician, occupational therapist, physiotherapist and speech and language therapist as necessary.

We support children with EHCP plans where occupational therapy is outlined in their provision. This support is offered in school. As part of this service, we contribute to new EHC plans for children that are known to our service through the Education and Health Care Needs Assessment.

We can offer student placements for occupational therapy students and observation opportunities for students that are interested in learning more about becoming paediatric occupational therapists.

Siblings are welcome to attend appointments. However, if it is possible to arrange childcare this can make the session easier for parents to talk to the therapist without distractions.

For occupational therapy appointments we advise that both parents and children do not wear their best clothes. Please note both parents and children may be required to do exercises, participate in messy play and activities on the floor.

• Motor Heroes group – Children will need to wear appropriate clothing to exercise in e.g. shorts and t-shirt.
• Messy Play group - Please prepare to get messy! We do not advise that you and the child wear your best clothes.  You may want to bring a change of clothes for both you and the child.

Yes, email communication is possible. Parental consent for sharing programmes and documents via email is required.

To minimise the impact of missed appointments, which increase wait times for users of our service, please note the department’s non-attendance policy:

• Initial appointments: If you do not attend your booked initial appointment, without contacting the service beforehand, you will be discharged immediately.
• Follow-up: If you do not attend your follow up appointment, without contacting the service beforehand, you will be given 10 days to contact the department before being discharged.
• Groups: If you do not attend two consecutive sessions, without contacting the service beforehand, the remaining group appointments will be cancelled and you will be referred back to your therapist.

Referrals will be considered by the service for pre-school and school aged children and young people according to the following criteria:

• Parental/carer consent is obtained
• All preschool children with a Richmond GP
• All school aged children who are residents in the Richmond or Kingston boroughs and attend a state maintained Richmond school. This includes children who have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
• All school aged children who are not residents in Richmond but who have a Richmond GP with primary and complex physical disabilities whose needs can be met within the clinic service.

All referrals must clearly describe the impact that the child or young person's difficulties are having on their ability to carry out their daily occupations, i.e.:

• Performing self-care activities including dressing, using cutlery, personal care.
• Productivity including using tools and equipment for handwriting/drawing/cutting with scissors, following routines and participation in P.E. in school.
• Leisure including participation in play, extra-curricular activities and pursuing personal interests.
• Sensory processing and the impact on the child/young person's ability to engage in activities of daily living.

• For children under 5 years who need specialist seating, please refer to the HRCH Richmond occupational therapy service.
• For children over 5 years, please refer to achieving for children social care occupational therapy service on 020 8547 6527 or email them at socialcareot@achievingforchildren.org.uk.
• For major adaptations, please contact the achieving for children social care occupational therapy service on 020 8547 6527 or email them at socialcareot@achievingforchildren.org.uk.

• The OT service can offer advice and strategies for children who are experiencing significant difficulties with their co-ordination which impacts upon their participation in daily occupations.
• The OT service is not commissioned to provide a diagnosis of DCD.

All referrals should be made using the Richmond Occupational Therapy Form. Referral forms can be sent to HRCH.Childrens-Therapies@nhs.net

You can also return the referral to:

Children’s Therapy Services Admin Hub
Teddington Health & Social Care Centre
18 Queens Road
Teddington
TW11 0LR

Tel: 020 8891 8195