Paediatric OT and the NDIS: A Parent's Guide to Getting Started

If your child has recently received NDIS funding — or you're exploring whether occupational therapy might help them — you probably have a lot of questions. What does paediatric OT actually involve? What can the NDIS fund? How do you find the right therapist?

This guide covers the basics.

What Is Paediatric Occupational Therapy?

Paediatric OT helps children develop the skills they need to participate in daily life — at home, at school, and in their community. The focus is on building independence and capability in a way that's fun and engaging for the child.

Common areas where paediatric OT helps include fine motor skills (handwriting, using scissors, doing up buttons), gross motor skills and coordination, sensory processing challenges (over- or under-sensitivity to sound, touch, movement, or textures), self-care skills (dressing, toileting, eating), school readiness and classroom participation, attention and concentration, social skills and play, and emotional regulation.

Every child is different, and the OT's job is to understand your child's specific strengths and challenges, then design therapy that meets them where they are.

How the NDIS Funds Paediatric OT

Paediatric occupational therapy under the NDIS is typically funded through the Capacity Building budget, specifically under Improved Daily Living. If your child's NDIS plan includes this category, they should have funding available for OT.

The NDIS funds the OT sessions themselves, as well as assessments, reports (for school, for plan reviews, etc.), and in some cases, equipment or assistive technology that the OT recommends.

There are no out-of-pocket costs for OT services delivered within your child's NDIS plan budget.

What Happens in Sessions?

Paediatric OT sessions look different from adult therapy. A good paediatric OT makes sessions feel like play — because for children, play is the work. Activities are designed to be engaging and motivating while targeting the specific skills your child needs to develop.

Sessions might involve obstacle courses that build coordination and body awareness, craft activities that develop fine motor control, sensory play that helps a child learn to manage sensory input, games and activities that build attention and turn-taking, and practising real-world skills like getting dressed or packing a school bag.

The OT will also work with you as a parent, giving you strategies and activities you can use at home between sessions. And if school is a challenge, the OT may work directly with your child's teacher to develop classroom strategies.

Finding the Right Paediatric OT

A few things to consider when choosing a provider for your child.

Experience with children. This sounds obvious, but not all OTs have paediatric experience. Look for a therapist (or a practice) that specialises in working with kids — they'll have the skills, the environment, and the energy that paediatric work requires.

Clinic environment. A clinic set up for children makes a big difference. Dedicated paediatric spaces with age-appropriate equipment, sensory tools, and space to move are much more effective than a generic treatment room.

Availability. Waitlists for paediatric OT can be long, particularly in regional areas. Ask about availability upfront so you can plan accordingly.

Communication with parents. You should feel informed about what's happening in your child's therapy, what progress is being made, and what you can do at home to reinforce it. Regular parent updates are a sign of a good provider.

Paediatric OT with Optimum

Optimum Allied Health offers paediatric occupational therapy for NDIS participants at our clinics in Tweed Heads and Grafton, as well as through home and school visits across the region.

Our paediatric OTs work with children across a range of ages and needs, and we're set up with purpose-built spaces and equipment for paediatric therapy.

We're a registered NDIS provider and work with plan-managed, self-managed, and NDIA-managed participants.

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Call 1300 871 249