Practical occupational therapy for children and teens
From a first assessment through to ongoing intervention, therapist led groups, school holiday programs and support for schools. Not sure what you need? Call us and we will help you work it out.
Assessment
Every child referred to us needs an assessment first. This gives us a clear baseline of their current skills and helps us set the right goals for intervention.
We use a mix of standardised and non standardised assessments, informal observation, and discussion with parents, and with school or preschool staff where needed. The tools we choose depend on the reason for referral and your child's ability to follow standardised instructions.
Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)
A Functional Capacity Assessment is required to determine a participant's support needs under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). It is a thorough process that often involves seeing a child across different environments and on multiple occasions, to properly assess their capabilities and any barriers they face. It looks at physical ability, cognitive function, communication skills and social participation, and results in a detailed FCA report to help ensure NDIS funding is allocated appropriately. It is also the right tool for advocating for changes in a child's needs, home life, required services or funding. From there, we write SMART goals together with the family and child to guide intervention.
Standard Occupational Therapy Assessment
This runs for around one to one and a half hours and includes standardised and non standardised assessments, play based observation, an informal interview with caregivers, and sensory and fine or gross motor observations. It is the right choice when funding has already been approved and the focus is on identifying OT needs. As with the FCA, we write SMART goals together with the family and child to guide intervention.
Intervention Sessions
At Little Achievers OT, every therapy session is tailored to your child, whether it is one on one, in a small group, or delivered at school.
All sessions are built around the SMART goals set during assessment. We put a strong focus on parent involvement, so the skills your child learns can be practised confidently at home. Our therapists draw on a range of sensory approaches and stay up to date with current research, with regular progress reviews built in along the way.
Groups
We run a wide range of small, therapist led groups throughout the term, matched to each child's age, skill level and needs.
School Readiness
Small groups focused on fine motor skills, turn taking, social skills, pencil grasp, pre handwriting skills, organisational skills, motor planning, emotional regulation and following multi step instructions. Run by our most experienced therapists.
Lego Based Social Skills Group
Kids build social interaction skills such as turn taking, problem solving, attention, communication and bilateral integration, by taking on roles like Builder, Supplier and Engineer. The group works on one shared Lego build over several sessions, which helps develop teamwork, time management, communication and longer term goal setting.
Handwriting Groups
One of our most popular groups. These are grouped by age and skill level and can cover letter formation, work organisation, pencil grasp and control, and legibility. They run at school or in the clinic, and often during school holidays. You do not need to already be a client to join, so call to register your interest and get on the waitlist.
Social Skills Groups (including the Mario Group)
Grouped by skill and developmental level, these sessions focus on turn taking, empathy, coping with not winning, negotiation, and building friendships and play skills. Groups for older children put extra focus on safe, healthy peer relationships. These run during term at both our Sutherland and Hurstville clinics, with themed versions also running in the school holidays. Call us to find out what is currently running and whether it is a good fit, or to register interest for a school holiday group. Children are only placed in a group that matches their needs, language and age.
Interoception Group
A group exploring interoception and how it affects emotional regulation, eating, temperature changes, pain and more.
Art Group
This group supports emotional regulation, interoception, praxis and ideation, and teamwork, while children explore creativity and free expression in a supported setting. The complexity of each project is matched to the group's needs. Run by our resident artist and occupational therapist, Rachel.
Life Skills
Designed for our older clients, with goals set around functional, everyday skills. Examples include a MasterChef style group covering community access, planning, sequencing and money management, as well as bike riding and hygiene groups, all while building social connections with similarly abled peers.
Community Access
Aimed at teenagers, this group supports safe navigation, social skill development, money management and independence in the community. It usually runs during school holidays, since travel training needs extra time. Call to register your teenager, as placement depends on their needs, development and age.
Feeding and fussy eating support
A low pressure, step by step approach that makes the table calm again before it makes it varied, offered as part of intervention sessions and as school holiday intensives.
School Holiday Programs
Our school holiday groups give kids a fun, supportive way to build important skills while enjoying the holidays. These small, therapist led groups help children develop social skills, confidence, emotional regulation and play skills in a relaxed setting.
Through movement games, sensory play, problem solving challenges and cooperative tasks, children practise turn taking, communication, flexibility and teamwork, with every activity tailored by our experienced OTs to the group attending.
Intensive Sessions
Recommended for children who cannot commit to weekly sessions, or who need to intensively target specific goals. Children attend every day for a full week to work toward agreed goals, an approach that has proven particularly successful.
Mario Kart Social Skills
Focused on teamwork, turn taking, resilience in winning and losing, assertiveness, and building friendships.
Preschool Social Skills
A school holiday program for preschool aged children, focused on early social skills.
Minion vs Monsters Group
A themed school holiday social skills group.
SOS Feeding Intensives
A school holiday intensive program for feeding therapy.
Functional Capacity and Comprehensive Assessments
Also offered during the school holidays, for families who would like to complete an assessment while school is out.
Places in all school holiday programs are limited, to make sure every child gets the support they need. Check our Facebook page for more information and details on current classes.
Workshops, Presentations and Professional Development
Alongside direct therapy, Little Achievers also supports schools, preschools and fellow professionals.
Education Packages
Our occupational therapists provide bespoke education packages for preschools, childcare centres and schools, covering a range of relevant topics.
Supervision
Our senior occupational therapists offer supervision to newly qualified OTs, those new to paediatrics or sensory integration, or any OT needing extra support.
Daily Rate at Schools
Our therapists work regularly within schools, including experience across the Catholic Education System, support units and mainstream settings. We offer a daily rate to support multiple children within a school, working collaboratively with teaching and support staff. This model is increasingly successful for embedding a child's program, and their understanding of sensory integration, trauma informed approaches and self regulation, directly into the school environment. Many schools choose teacher training, or a block of group therapy for selected children, which can then continue in future terms with a trained teacher in place.
Therapy where it actually matters
In clinic
Purpose built rooms in Hurstville and Sutherland with space to move and quiet corners to regulate.
At school
We work inside classrooms and playgrounds alongside teachers, so strategies stick during the school day.
At home
For routines that only happen at home, such as mornings, mealtimes and bedtime.
Telehealth
Video sessions for parent coaching, reviews and families further afield.
How getting started works
- 1
Get in touch
Call or send an enquiry telling us what you are noticing.
- 2
We match you
We find the right therapist, clinic and time for your family.
- 3
Assessment
A clear baseline of your child's skills and what would help.
- 4
SMART goals
Goals written together with you and your child in plain language.
- 5
Review
We check progress regularly and adjust as your child grows.
Funding your sessions
We are an NDIS registered provider and support self managed and plan managed participants. Medicare referred plans, private health rebates and private paying families are all welcome. If funding feels confusing, ask us. We do this every day.