Child mental health services
The world around us is rapidly changing and can be demanding on our children. Mental health difficulties amongst these groups are on the rise, and can be detrimental to family life. Difficulties, such as signs of depression and anxiety, can take away from a child’s experience of going to school, having friends or spending time with family. Mental health difficulties also have a detrimental impact on a child’s cognition and skills development, including self-care, schooling, socialising, learning and participating in leisure activities.
At FunctionAbility, we offer assessments around the impact a mental health challenge is having on the life of a child. We can also assist the family with understanding how to manage these difficulties. Following the assessment and consultation, we may recommend further occupational therapy intervention in the form of education on management strategies, changes to lifestyle and exploration of ways to improve participation in normal daily activities. Contact us today for a consultation and assessment.
Sensory difficulties and Education and Health Care Plans (EHCP)
Sensory integration, Sensory Intelligence and Sensory Strategies have revolutionised people assessment, training and development, applying groundbreaking, innovative, yet simple sensory-based strategies to address some of the biggest problems in the new world of work today.
As certified Sensory Intelligence® practitioners and as having a certified Specialist Sensory Integration Practitioner, we see sensory input and processing as a key component in many mental and physical cases. The way in which sensory input is processed plays a major role in our client’s wellbeing, so the creation of a sensory profile, as well as education on the topic, is often included in our assessments, reports and treatment plans.
At FunctionAbility, we use both standardised and non-standardised assessments to make recommendations for support that should be included in your child’s EHCP. These may include (but are not limited to): Background information and Occupational Profile, Clinical Observations of Movement Patterns: Postural stability, Ocular Reactions and reflexes, Sensory Profile Assessment, Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH) assessment, Developmental Test of Visual Perception – 3rd Edition (DTVP-3) and Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Movement ABC). We work closely with the school, family and caregivers to complete comprehensive assessments and observations.
As part of our services, we can also implement the recommendations required from your child’s EHCP, monitor goal attainment, provide evidence and re-assess the Occupational profile and needs of your child in preparation for annual review. Upon request, we can also attend annual reviews and Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings (MDT) to ensure that your child’s goals and needs are being met.