Disability Support For Children and Adolescents
Together we help you build your child’s abilities and support them to experience a fulfilling life
At Ability Action Australia, our Occupational Therapists are experienced in child development, working with children and teenagers of all ages, as well as their families and support workers, in a variety of environments including home, school, and community settings. Using age-appropriate, easy to follow therapies, we work with the whole family so that we can develop joint goals and work toward mutually beneficial outcomes.
Whether you’re wanting to bring your NDIS plan into action, are not sure what you’re entitled to, or you know your child needs paediatric Occupational Therapy services but are not sure where to begin, Ability Action Australia can help you on your NDIS journey.
Who can we help?
We work with young people living with all levels of disability, across the age span. Our hard-working, dedicated clinicians deliver tailored services that focus on improving quality of life and making everyday life easier.
Our child and adolescent therapist team is involved in working with all types of conditions, including:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Developmental delays and learning disabilities
- Cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders
- Genetic disorders such as Down’s Syndrome
- Mental health conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression
Occupational Therapy for children can help your child with:
- Fine motor skills: writing, colouring and drawing, tying shoelaces, opening lunch boxes
- Gross motor skills: running, jumping, swimming, bike riding
- Social development: teaching children how to behave and react in social situations
- Sensory processing: helping your child to appropriately respond to sensory input
- Self care: everyday skills such as dressing, toileting, hygiene and eating
- Emotional regulation: NDIS positive behaviour support can show children how to self-calm during certain situations
- Self management: organisation, keeping track of belongings, telling the time
How we work with your child
An important aspect of our work is our collaborative approach. We know that every child is different, and that families know them best – their challenges, needs, strengths and interests. Our clinicians work closely with you and your child to understand their specific needs, and use that information to deliver a tailored program. We use the latest research and technologies in our field to assess and design programs that are evidenced-based and effective.
The usual process our clinicians follow with families and caregivers is as follows:
- Informal introduction and general discussion about the child’s challenges
- Questionnaire about developmental and medical history, education and areas of concern
- Child’s teacher may be consulted for more information about needs
- Standardised assessments carried out to better understand abilities with everyday activities
- Goals are developed
- Comprehensive report documenting observations and recommendations
- Evidence-based therapy program activated
- Education for parents, carers, support workers or teachers to help them implement therapy each day
- Play-based therapy
A good example of the type of therapy we use with children is play-based therapy. Playing is fun, and also allows children to engage with the world around them. Through play, kids develop physical and social skills, and learn about negotiation and problem solving.
At Ability Action Australia, we firmly believe in play-based therapy as an important, creative way to target the skills we want to develop in young people.
Examples of play-based therapies include:
- Sensory play using water, sand, dough or mud to build up tolerance to different textures
- Gross motor play using things like obstacle courses to build muscle strength with the whole body
- Fine motor play using crafts, puppets to build strength and coordination in the hands
An OT at work
For an example of how our Occupational Therapists work with children, please see the following video of our OT Rachel supporting Finn to reach his goals.
What strategies do we employ?
Our clinicians provide services through the NDIS that are tailored to the individual child.
These services help young people engage in their everyday tasks or occupations, from tying their shoelaces, to using their toothbrush, packing their lunchbox, riding their bike or attending school and getting along with others.
We use a range of approaches to obtain the best results with our young clients. Our NDIS child development therapy services include:
Family-based: We work closely with families and their support workers to develop individual programs. While our clinicians are degree-based experts who know a lot about helping people to participate in everyday life, parents are the experts on their child. Parents and carers can help us better understand their child and identify approaches that are more likely to work.
Evidence-based: We adhere to the principles of evidence-based practice at Ability Action Australia. As evidence-based clinicians, we integrate the best available research evidence with information from clinical experience, client values and circumstances, and knowledge of the practice context. Evidence based practice also promotes a habit of inquiry and reflection by our clinicians, and lifelong learning.
Holistic: Our clinicians take a holistic approach to their service, so that we help young people with all aspects of their life, not just their condition. We focus on the whole person, supporting the physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing of our clients.
Why choose us?
We value simplicity in our methods, and long-term partnerships based on trust and credibility. Collaboration is also a core strength, so that we work through your goals as a team, while acknowledging that you know your needs best.
Choose us and benefit:
Achieve your goals
Local professionals
Multidisciplinary Care
Multidisciplinary care is when a team of health professionals with different skills collaborate to support as many of your needs as possible. Our multidisciplinary team can support you reach your goals!
What people say about us
Frequently Asked Questions About Disability Support For Children and Adolescents
Child Occupational Therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on helping children develop the skills they need to participate in everyday activities, which can include things like play, self-care (e.g. dressing and grooming), school activities, and social interactions.
Occupational therapists who specialise in child Occupational Therapy use a variety of techniques to help children improve their abilities to perform these daily activities. They may work on improving fine motor skills, such as handwriting or using utensils, as well as gross motor skills, such as balance and coordination. They may also work on cognitive skills, such as attention and problem-solving, and social skills, such as communication and play skills.
The goal of children’s Occupational Therapy is to help children become more independent, successful, and confident in their daily activities, as well as to improve their overall quality of life.
Ability Action Australia provides a range of services to support children and adolescents with disability, with a focus on early intervention, positive behaviour support, and transition to employment. Some of our child development Occupational Therapy services include:
- Early Childhood Approach (ECA): This is a family-centred and evidence-based approach that focuses on early intervention for children with disability from birth to seven years of age. The ECA program provides access to a broad range of therapies designed to support children’s early development and enhance their participation in everyday activities.
- Positive Behaviour Support: This is an approach that focuses on identifying the reasons behind a child’s challenging behaviours and developing strategies to address them. Ability Action Australia offers positive behaviour support services to help children with disability develop appropriate behaviours and reduce challenging behaviours.
- School Leaver & Employment Support: Ability Action Australia also offers services to support young people living with disability as they transition from school to the workforce. Our Employment Advisors can support with job coaching, employment preparation, and ongoing support to help them succeed in the workplace.
To ensure that your child receives the level of support they need and also that the best measures can be employed, a functional capacity assessment is undertaken.
A functional capacity assessment is a comprehensive evaluation process that aims to determine an individual’s physical and cognitive abilities, as well as their limitations. In the context of Occupational Therapy for children and adolescents, this assessment is typically carried out by an occupational therapist experienced in child development. It involves analysing the child’s overall health, mobility, cognitive abilities, and social skills to determine their functional capacity.
The purpose of a functional capacity assessment is to identify an individual’s strengths and weaknesses and develop an individualised support plan tailored to their unique needs. This assessment can help the NDIS to determine the level of support a child requires, the type of child Occupational Therapy needed, and the best measures to be employed to support their wellbeing.
Ability Action Australia has accessible clinics and mobile service areas across Australia. View our full list Ability Action locations or get in touch if you need help finding the right support for you.
Ability Action Australia is committed to being a Child Safe Organisation. We align with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations which includes ensuring that the safety, wellbeing, and rights of children and young people are upheld. If you would like a copy of our child safety and wellbeing policy, please email a request to hello@abilityactionaustralia.com.au
NDIS therapeutic, positive behaviour and employment supports
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a way of supporting people with permanent and significant disability. The NDIS is designed to give individuals greater choice and control over when, where and how their funded supports are provided. The specific support and funding available is based on each individual’s specific needs. You can find out more about what therapeutic supports are funded by referring to the NDIS website.
Ability Action Australia provides therapeutic, positive behaviour and employment supports across Australia.
