What is OT?

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Occupational therapy helps children and young people grow, learn and have fun so that they can develop and thrive. OT focuses on the development of skills needed for everyday activities. This can include gross motor coordination, fine motor skills, self-care skills, cognitive skills, visual motor and perceptual skills and sensory processing needs. These skills help children with tasks that they may find challenging in both the home and school environment.

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What are common difficulties or conditions that can be helped with OT?

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Autism Spectrum Disorder Developmental Coordination Disorder Dyspraxia ADHD / ADD Sensory Processing Disorder Sensory Processing Difficulties Visual Perceptual Skills Learning Disabilities Developmental Delay Gross motor skills Fine motor skills Handwriting Self-care skills (e.g. dressing, feeding, toileting)

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What are the benefits of OT?

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Improve fine motor skills for writing, making things using both hands, using tools and cutlery Improve gross motor skills such as balance skills, ball skills and climbing Improve feeding, dressing, and hygiene skills Improve visual-motor/visual-perceptual skills Regulate level of arousal to help learning, focusing and joining in with others Increase socialization, organizational skills, and self-confidence Develop emotional and sensory regulation skills to help manage anxiety, social interactions and managing everyday activities

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What is my role as a parent during sessions?

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We encourage parents to be therapy partners and you are always invited and welcomed to join in with sessions We encourage meeting with parents on their own before a block of therapy starts to make sure that we understand your goals for therapy and how best we can help. We invite parents to meet after a block of sessions to review progress, talk through what is currently happening and what may be needed going forward

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How do I pay?

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You will be invoiced for therapy services we provide on a monthly basis

You will be asked to pay a deposit when booking an assessment and the full amount will be invoiced following the assessment

You can pay by bank transfer.

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Do I need a referral for services?

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You don’t need a referral and can contact us directly

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How can I prepare my child for their first therapy visit?

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We encourage visits and the first session is usually a play-based session where the therapist will introduce her to your child and set up the therapy gym for your child to have a go at some of the equipment. We aim to make the session fun and achievable as it is important that your child feels safe and confident and that they want to come back the next time! We can provide you with a photo of your therapist and the play gym and a letter of invitation for your child which will explain what we do which you can read to your child.

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Where will my child be seen for therapy?

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We see children at home, school and in our temporary home, The Hive at The Bee. The therapy room has a variety of equipment and tools and is child friendly. We explain to children that the only rules in the room are:

To keep them safe

To keep everyone in the room safe

To keep the equipment safe

To have fun

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Is there parking nearby?

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The easiest place to park is in the central Farnham Sainsbury’s. Once you have parked, walk towards the doors of Sainsbury’s but turn right before you go in. Follow the footpath round the corner and you’ll find yourself in Cambridge Place. We’re easy to spot due to the bright colours of our signs!

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