Mobile Paediatric Occupational Therapy: Gold Coast and Northern NSW.
Youth OT provides mobile occupational therapy for children, adolescents and young adults aged 1.5 - 25.
Our occupational therapists visit clients at home, school, early-learning settings and in the community across the Gold Coast, Logan and Northern NSW.
NDIS registered provider.
Meet the Director
Lara specialises in offering services to children, adolescents, young adults and their families with focus on achieving developmental milestones, growing independence, building social connections and fostering a happy and healthy lifestyle. She has a kind heart and genuine care for her families. She prioritises individualising therapy to meet the specific needs of the child and their family. Lara provides clinical leadership and supervision to the Youth OT team, supporting consistent, evidence-based and individualised occupational therapy practice.
How We Work
At Youth OT, our approach to occupational therapy is deeply rooted in both individualisation and evidence-based practice. We focus on crafting personalised therapy sessions that are tailored to the unique needs of each client, recognising that therapy can vary significantly from one individual to another. Our therapists are adept at engaging clients through therapeutic techniques that leverage personal strengths and interests.
Furthermore, our practice is grounded in the contemporary evidence-based practice model, which integrates clinical circumstances, relevant research, client preferences and professional expertise. This approach guides assessment, intervention and evaluation, supporting therapy that is evidence-informed, individualised and responsive to each client’s circumstances and goals.
Person
The person component considers the client’s strengths, abilities, needs, interests and personal factors that influence participation in everyday activities. Therapy strategies are tailored to the individual client and their goals.
Example: Developing Daytime Continence
Assessment: Our therapists conduct a thorough Occupational Analysis to gauge the client's functional abilities related to daily living tasks. This includes evaluating their ability to recognise the need to use the restroom, their communication skills regarding these needs, their understanding of bodily functions and their motor skills required for toileting independently.
Intervention: We work on strengthening the client's awareness of internal bodily sensations (interoception), enhancing body awareness, refining motor skills, deepening understanding of the toileting process and improving communication abilities to express toileting needs.
Environment
This stage involves adapting the client's surroundings to support their success in daily tasks and occupations, ensuring the environment aligns with their current abilities.
Example: Developing Daytime Continence
Assessment: Our therapists meticulously assess the client's immediate physical, social, cultural and institutional environments to identify potential barriers to successful task completion.
Intervention: We strategically modify the environment to better meet the client's needs. This might involve adjusting lighting, enhancing support through additional human assistance, implementing visual aids for better communication, repositioning toileting facilities to be more accessible, altering the sensory environment (such as the scent) and ensuring all necessary aids like toilet seats and stools are optimally placed.
Occupation
Our approach here focuses on modifying the occupational tasks themselves to make them more accessible and manageable based on the client's capabilities.
Example: Developing Daytime Continence
Assessment: The assessment phase involves closely observing and evaluating the specific tasks the client is expected to perform, such as using the toilet independently within a private setting and managing the associated dressing tasks.
Intervention: We adapt these tasks to the client's current level of functioning. This may involve setting more achievable goals, like using a potty with assistance instead of a conventional toilet, and providing one-on-one support for dressing and undressing, thereby tailoring the occupation to better suit the client's needs and capabilities.
Occupational Therapy Across the Gold Coast, Logan and Northern NSW
Youth OT provides mobile occupational therapy for children, adolescents and young adults across the Gold Coast, Logan and Northern NSW. Our therapists support clients with everyday activities, self-care, sensory processing, motor skills, emotional regulation, executive functioning, school participation, social participation and independence.
Appointments may take place at home, school, early-learning settings, in the community or by telehealth where appropriate.
At Youth OT, we specialise in providing personalised occupational therapy services for our communities. Our tailored approach ensures compassionate and effective care, meeting the unique needs of each client.
How Occupational Therapy May Support Everyday Participation
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Eating and mealtime participation
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Self-care and daily living skills
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Emotional regulation
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Sensory processing
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Fine motor and handwriting skills
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Functional gross motor skills
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Primitive reflex integration
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Executive functioning and organisation
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Play and social participation
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Sleep routines
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School participation
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Community access and independence
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Assistive technology assessment and prescription
Our therapists support children, adolescents and young adults with a range of developmental, neurological, genetic and psychosocial needs, including:
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Autism Spectrum Disorder/ASD - Levels 1, 2 & 3
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder/FASD
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Global Developmental Delay
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
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Cerebral Palsy
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Developmental Milestones Delays
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Hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
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Down Syndrome
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Intellectual Disability
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Genetic and Chromosomal Conditions
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Mental Health: Anxiety, Depression
Our occupational therapists provide individualised, evidence-informed support based on each client’s goals, strengths and everyday environments. We work collaboratively with clients, families, schools and other supports to build participation and independence in meaningful daily activities.
Initial Consultation
Our journey begins with an initial consultation where our therapists meet with parents or caregivers to discuss their child's needs. This session is crucial for understanding the child's current abilities and challenges. We determine which assessments will be most beneficial and set clear priorities for the therapy ahead.
Assessment Phase
During the assessment phase, our therapists conduct a mix of formal and informal evaluations to gain a deeper understanding of the child's difficulties. This thorough assessment helps us craft a detailed and effective therapy plan, setting the stage for targeted interventions.
Goal Setting: Initial Report and Therapy Plan
Following assessments, we compile an initial report that outlines the findings and a therapy plan that sets goals for the next six months. These goals are developed in collaboration with parents or caregivers to ensure they reflect the child's needs and priorities.
Intervention
Interventions are the core of our therapy process, involving regular sessions that may occur weekly or fortnightly. Each session lasts about 60 minutes, focusing on achieving the set goals through one-on-one engagement with the therapist. We also incorporate parent education, suggest environmental modifications and recommend assistive technologies as needed. Additionally, we provide activities for parents and children to work on at home to maintain progress between sessions.
Evaluation
Every six months, we evaluate the child's progress against the therapy goals. During this review, goals are assessed and achievements are celebrated. If needed, goals can be adjusted or new ones added based on the child's evolving needs and the feedback from their caregivers.
Discharge
The discharge process from our therapy services occurs when a child has met their therapy goals or when other circumstances arise, such as a need for a different type of intervention or a break from therapy. Our goal is always to ensure that the family feels supported and satisfied with the progress before transitioning away from our services.
Our Paediatric Occupational Therapy Process
At Youth OT, our occupational therapy process is tailored to each client’s needs, goals and everyday environments. The steps below outline what families can generally expect, although the process may vary depending on the client and the service required.