Transform your assessment process and thrive in 2025!
Get Your ChecklistThe landscape of healthcare is changing - reshaping how we occupational therapists work, connect with our clients and deliver our therapy.
Changes to the NDIS (for those practising in Australia like I am), rising costs of living that out-pace our therapy rate, and a rapid increase in the number of complex clients on our caseloads.
We feel overwhelmed, unsupported, and uncertain what the future holds for us and our clients. None of this is truer than for our clients with high sensory needs.
So how do we prepare for this?
- we arm ourselves with knowledge and skills in sensory processing
- we sharpen our assessment skills
- we learn how to articulate sensory concerns succinctly in both the verbal and written form
- we implement a holistic, realistic and organic therapy plan where the family and child thrive.
Stay Relevant, Stay Focused and Stay True to your profession.
Whats Inside the Checklist
This 'tick and flick' style checklist allows you to easily see what areas to observe,
record your observations and make notes for additional qualitative information.
Section 1: Initial Observations
In this section, you record the child's general presentation in different settings.
Section 2: Sensory Systems
In this section observations according to the different sensory systems are recorded.
Section 3: Behavioural Patterns
In this section, you are considering arousal patterns and engagement.
Section 4: Environmental Impacts
Consider environmental and social impact.
Section 5: Functional Capacity Analysis
Record the impact on occupational performance.
Section 6: Patterns and Trends
Here you record and reflect time of day effects and environmental and arousal impact. Over time this data can help plan sensory strategies/ sensory diets.
Section 7: Documentation
This sheet can be printed and used for general recordings in each session.
Hi, I am Kerry
As an OT with over 25 years of experience, I have seen many changes in the occupational therapy space. I have also worked as an OT on three continents and in many different funding frameworks.
I have seen and experienced a lot, as both a parent of a child requiring services, and as an OT within different size organisations, in schools, and private practice.
Through it all my main message is to remain true to your profession and your clinical judgement.
I hope this checklist helps you build a strong therapy plan for your clients, and hopefully secure the funding they may require.
