Paediatric Occupational Therapy near Ashfield
Giving your child the skills and confidence to thrive.
Guiding your child's progress
Your child’s development journey is unique, and we’re here to walk it with you. Whether they have a developmental delay, a disability, are neurodivergent, or would benefit from extra support, our fun occupational therapy sessions may help your child build towards independence.
At Inner West Paediatrics, our team has experience working with children who have a broad range of abilities and disabilities. This includes autism, global developmental delay, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, genetic differences, learning difficulties, ADHD, social-emotional challenges, trauma, and behavioural differences.
How our occupational therapists can help
We support your child to build the key skills needed to take part in meaningful daily activities, such as play, attending school, and self-care like feeding, dressing, and toileting.
These skills include fine and gross motor skills, developing strategies to support attention and concentration, play and social interaction skills, and regulation strategies (emotional, sensory and behavioural). We also offer a variety of ways to access care, including:
In-person OT
Mobile occupational therapy
Online OT
The thinking behind our skills work
Fine and gross motor skills
Our therapists will look at underlying motor skills, including strength and endurance, stability, balance, coordination, and motor planning. We develop strategies to support your child so they can engage joyfully in the activities they love.
Self-care tasks and activities of daily living
We break down daily living tasks such as dressing, toileting, eating, sleeping, and personal hygiene to help your child perform them with increased independence.
Play and social interaction
We spend time learning your child’s interests, sensory preferences and aversions, interaction skills and play skill level. We also explore the skills and level of understanding of family and other important people. Then, we develop fun play ideas and strategies to help your child engage in meaningful social connections and interactions through daily routines and build the capacity, skills and confidence of important people around the child to engage in meaningful play.
Regulation (Emotional, Sensory, Attention)
Our occupational therapists help your child build strategies for emotional regulation, sensory regulation, and attention, so they may join in important activities as comfortably and independently as possible. Alongside this, we support you and other important people in your child’s life to develop strategies and skills, and to modify tasks and environments that allow your child to thrive.
Functional Capacity Assessments
An FCA sets out clear, evidence-based recommendations to support NDIS applications or reviews, advocate for suitable supports, and inform therapy planning and collaboration with schools and other professionals. We take the time to work with you and your child, gathering the necessary information and putting together a comprehensive report about your child’s abilities. Where relevant, we may also recommend therapies, accommodations, assistive technology, and next steps.
Community and School Participation
Our occupational therapists can support you and your child to recognise the school and community activities they value, and to develop strategies that encourage their participation.
Every child deserves support that fits them.
Our paediatric occupational therapists work together with families to provide tailored support that reflects your child’s unique strengths and needs.
How research shapes our OT
- DIR Floortime principles
- SCERTS®
- Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP Approach)
- Learn to Play approach
- Occupational Performance Coaching
- Handwriting Without Tears programs
- Toileting interventions
- Sleep interventions
- Zones of Regulation
- Alert Program
- Autism Level UP
- Regulation and sensory supports
- Upper limb programs including CIMT & bimanual skill programs
- Cognitive interventions
Common questions about occupational therapy
What exactly is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy aims to help people achieve independence and improve their quality of life by addressing physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges.
What areas can an occupational therapist support?
Occupational therapy can address a broad range of areas, such as fine motor skills, coordination, and self-care tasks, along with social skills, emotional regulation, and attention.
When should I consider occupational therapy for my child?
If everyday tasks like getting dressed, holding a pencil, managing emotions, or engaging with peers are proving difficult for your child, occupational therapy support may be worth considering. If you’re uncertain, get in touch, and our team will help you understand what they may benefit from.
What does your approach to intervention look like?
Our occupational therapists begin by getting to know you and your child so we can understand your priorities and establish meaningful goals. From there, intervention focuses on activities that develop the skills your child needs, adapting tasks, environments or routines where appropriate to support taking part in everyday life.
What speech and occupational therapies do you provide?
- Hanen Programs (It Takes Two to Talk, More Than Words, Target Word, Talkability, Learning Language and Loving it)
- DIR Floortime Principles
- Learn to Play approach
- Key Word Sign
- Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT)
- SOS Feeding Approach
- Responsive Feeding Approach
- The Lidcombe Program
- Sounds~Write
- Meaningful Speech for Gestalt Language Processors
- Occupational Performance Coaching
- High and Low Tech AAC assessment, trial and intervention
- Handwriting Without Tears programs
- Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP Approach)
- Toileting interventions
- Zones of Regulation
- Alert Program
- Regulation and sensory supports
- Upper limb programs including CIMT & bimanual skill programs
- Cognitive interventions
Do you provide resources for parents and carers to use at home?
Yes. Our therapists share practical resources and strategies with parents and carers to support their child’s development between sessions, since meaningful progress happens in everyday life rather than in the clinic.
How can OT support be funded?
Support your child beyond OT
The Inner West Paediatrics difference
Carefully matched care
Using the information you provide, we carefully match a therapist to your child and family through a thorough triage process, so you receive the right support from the very start.
Family at the centre
Our team is focused on growing parent and carer confidence and skills, so they feel equipped to support their child's long-term independence.
Locally operated
As an independently owned, locally operated practice, Inner West Paediatrics provides community-first care that puts your family first.
Where Ashfield families turn for children's OT
We believe all children should be given the tools they need to grow and learn with confidence, which is why we offer tailored OT support in Ashfield. If your child is struggling with daily activities, reach out to our committed team today.