What is the Occupational Therapy (OT) service, who can access it, and how.
The Disabled Children's Occupational Therapy service provides assessments and services to disabled children and young adults across Bristol, from birth up to the age of 18.
You can refer children and young people who have difficulty with things like:
- getting into or around the home
- sitting independently
- moving on or off the bed, toilet, bath or a chair
- staying safe at home or in the garden
What support we offer
Advice, recommendations, and referrals to other agencies
We can:
- offer advice and support to make daily tasks easier
- offer advice and equipment or adaptions around moving and handling
- make recommendations for home adaptations
- make referrals to other agencies, for example health professionals, wheelchair service, Social Work
- visit the child's school to find out what adaptions should be made to meet their needs
Specialist equipment
We also provide specialist equipment that:
- helps maintain function
- promotes independence
- prevents deterioration, for example specialist seating
- keeps the child safe, especially around transfers, bathing and using the toilet
Who can use the service
You can make referrals for children and young adults:
- from birth to 18 years of age
- who are disabled
- who live in Bristol
- who have needs resulting from their disability that cant be met by services available to all children
Before making a referral
We do not accept referrals for general safety advice and guidance. All parents and carers have a responsibility to carry out safety measures for their own children.
Before making a referral, read the information in our pdf Parents and Carers Safety Booklet(793 KB) .
Professionals working with the child should also direct parents and carers to this information before making a referral. You will be asked to confirm that the parent or carer has reviewed this information when making a referral that relates to the child's safety.
If you have read the information in the safety booklet and you want to discuss a case or need advice on how to proceed:
- leave a message for our Consultation Service on 0117 903 8250 and an Occupational Therapist will call you back, or
- email dcsot@bristol.gov.uk
Make a referral if you are a professional
Professionals should use this form to make a referral (See below for parents and carers):
If you've already completed an assessment, use this form to ask us for equipment or a minor adaptation for the child:
Ask for equipment or a minor adaptation
These forms are only for professionals, for example physiotherapists.
Make a referral if you are a parent of carer
If youre the parent of a child who needs our service, you can refer your child through our Local Offer site.
What happens next
We'll send the childs parent or carer a consent form in the post within a week.
We'll arrange to visit the child within eight weeks.
If you haven't heard from us within eight weeks, or if the needs of the child have changed, call 0117 9038250 and ask for the Duty Occupational Therapist.