Occupational therapist
An occupational therapist helps with the practical everyday things a child needs to do: dressing, handwriting, using cutlery, coping at school. They work on the activity and the environment, not just the child.
Applies across the UK
Occupational therapy is a science-based, health and social care profession that is regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council. An occupational therapist looks at the activities your child does every day, the challenges they face and the environment they are in, and then makes a plan of goals and adjustments Reasonable adjustments Changes a school or service must make so a disabled child is not put at a big disadvantage. The duty applies now, and it does not wait for a diagnosis. Read the full definition of Reasonable adjustments .
How you get to see one: speak with your GP GP Your family doctor. For many families the GP is the first person to talk to, and the person who refers your child on to a specialist. Read the full definition of GP or another health or social care professional, who may be able to arrange for you to see an occupational therapist. School, the SENCO SENCO The teacher in your child's school who leads support for children with special educational needs. They are usually the quickest person for a parent to reach. Read the full definition of SENCO or a paediatrician can also refer. NHS, education and social services provision is free. You can also pay an independent occupational therapist.
Can they diagnose? Not autism Autism Autism is a difference in how the brain develops. It shapes how an autistic child sees and experiences the world, how they communicate, and how they respond to things like noise, light and touch. Read the full definition of Autism or ADHD ADHD ADHD is a difference in the way a child's brain works. It affects how they pay attention, how much energy they have, and how easily they act on impulse. Read the full definition of ADHD on their own. They are qualified to do some but not all parts of an autism assessment, so they do it as part of a multidisciplinary team. The NHS names occupational therapists as one of the professionals who assess developmental co-ordination difficulties.
What to ask: what will change at home and at school as a result, and how progress will be measured.
If you work with children
RCOT advises therapists to accept referrals that describe occupational challenges rather than requests for a named sensory assessment or intervention. A referral written as "needs a sensory assessment" is more likely to bounce than one describing what the child cannot do at school.
Related words
Where this comes from
- What is occupational therapy? , Royal College of Occupational Therapists. Checked 2026-08-09.
- Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children , NHS. Checked 2026-08-09.
- Informed View: Using sensory integration therapy, sensory-based interventions and sensory approaches with children and young people, March 2026 , Royal College of Occupational Therapists. Checked 2026-08-09.
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