Occupational Therapy at Express

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My name is Martha and I am an Occupational Therapist here at Express. 

I am so passionate about supporting Autistic children to be their whole authentic selves and centring joy for all children. I am a child-led, play-based, neuro-affirming OT and my work is rooted in nervous system safety, using a regulation-first approach.

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• I offer 1:1 sessions here at Express as well as outreach to schools and homes.

• I offer comprehensive OT and EHCP assessments and reports to support school participation.

• I am available to support advocacy through specialist training and workshop delivery in schools.​

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OT sessions:

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OT sessions with me are completely tailored to the unique needs of your child. I use a child-led, play-based approach which prioritises creating a sense of safety and trust for your child to allow us to build a positive, joyful relationship. 

OT sessions support emotional regulation, fine and gross motor skills, executive functioning skills and self-care skills such as dressing, cutlery use and hygiene. Active parent involvement is encouraged where possible to support connection, regulation and development at home. 

School-based OT sessions also support in-class participation and modelling of a regulation-first approach to school staff. My work with schools centres around adapting the environment and incorporating sensory strategies to reduce distress, without expecting the child to change or adapt.

Assessment & Report:

An OT assessment is beneficial to understand your child's strengths and OT needs on a deeper level. This may include assessment of their fine motor skills and handwriting, gross motor skills such as balance and coordination, sensory processing skills and their ability to complete self-care skills. This is always completed in a way that works for your child meaning I will use my clinical judgement to decide whether to use standardised or non-standardised, observational measures. 

Autistic children, particularly those with a PDA profile, are likely to benefit from a child-led, play-based observational assessment and so I always follow their lead to ensure the assessment process is a safe space. Following the OT assessment, a detailed report will be completed with the findings, including a comprehensive list of recommendations.

This is particularly useful to help your child's school understand how best to support them.

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EHCP Annual Review Reports:

An Annual Review report is completed annually in line with your child's EHCP review meeting. This is a short report detailing your child's participation in OT throughout the year, including progress towards their EHCP outcomes. I always write Annual Review reports using a strengths-based focus and the recommendations are often advocating for neuro-affirming supports and environmental adaptations to ensure your child can continue to thrive at school. This is also an opportunity to suggest changes to outcomes or an increase in OT provision, where needed. I always aim to attend the Annual Review meeting to support the advocacy process for you and your child.

EHCP Initial Assessment & Report:

An EHCP initial assessment involves a full OT assessment of your child's fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing needs, executive functioning skills and self-care skills. An EHCP assessment has a strong focus on school participation and therefore will involve liason with your child's school regarding their needs within the classroom environment. This allows me to write comprehensive, child-centered outcomes which are written into your child's EHCP document. Outcomes are always written in collaboration with parents.

The EHCP report is a detailed, comprehensive document which outlines your child's strengths and needs, individualised outcomes to support your child's participation in school including any necessary access arrangements, and specific recommendations outlining how much direct and indirect OT provision your child will need at school to support learning outcomes. The EHCP OT report is an important document as it supports the EHCP application process and increases your child's chances of having funded Occupational Therapy sessions at school.

Important to note:

An initial consultation with parents will take place ahead of any direct OT sessions or assessment with your child. It is important to me to offer you a space where we can discuss your child in a way that honours their strengths and respects their needs without ultimately having a negative impact on your child. It is equally important for me that you feel confident that the Occupational Therapist you choose for your child is aligned with your values and is a good fit for your family. 

Summer offering:

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As an OT with over 8 years of experience, I have a deep understanding of how tricky school transitions can be. Perhaps your child is starting in reception in September and you would like targeted support to develop their school readiness skills. Your child may have worries about transitioning into a new class with a new teacher, in which case they may benefit from targeted regulation support. Maybe your teen is transitioning to secondary school where their schedule will look completely different. This might be a good time to support their executive functioning skills. 

If this sounds like something that may benefit your child, I am available to offer a block of targeted sessions over the summer holidays on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

The school environment is not set up with Autistic children in mind. The combination of constant demands, communication expectations, regular transitions and sensory overload is leading to so many children experiencing school can't. This can lead to heightened anxiety, prolonged distress, persistent meltdowns, and eventually burnout for Autistic children, particularly those with a PDA profile.

I am offering a summer package of support which includes an OT assessment, a written report and a block of sessions. The assessment and report will aim to support your child's school in understanding their distress, to understand that school avoidance is not a choice and to advocate for truly neuro-affirmative supports in place for your child in September. The sessions will focus on nervous system safety, prioritising regulation and increasing joy for your child who may be feeling let down by the education system. 

Having worked with many families going through school burnout, I have a deep understanding of how this can impact on the whole family. Targeted, non-judgmental and empathetic family support will also be provided.

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📧 Contact us today to discuss your needs and book a session: 
📍 therapy@expresscic.org.uk  
🌐 www.expresscic.org.uk ​