Paediatric occupational therapy FAQs

We know parents have many questions when it comes to their children’s health. That’s why we’ve compiled a helpful list of paediatric occupational therapy FAQs.

Scheduling an initial appointment for your child with a Clever Bees Paediatric occupational therapist is as simple as sending an email to info@cleverbees.com.au, phoning 0457 156 318, or completing our contact form.

We see clients across the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Hunter, and Central West regions of NSW via our mobile service. Consultations are also available via our Telehealth services in other areas of Australia.

A referral is not required however some people do receive a referral as part of a GP Management Plan under Medicare.

It is also helpful if you already have other people working with your child, such as a speech pathologist, to provide a summary of their treatment plan and goals so we can all work well together.

A Clever Bees occupational therapist will attend either your home or complete the appointment via a secure telehealth platform. 

During the appointment, they will discuss your child’s strengths and areas where you would like to see them become more confident. Throughout the session, your occupational therapist will encourage you and your child to set functional goals to work towards whilst accessing occupational therapy. 

The goals will then be rated using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) to allow for tracking of progress.

Yes! It is great to work with a child in their natural environment. We can see your child at school or preschool, provided that external providers can access the school. Please contact your child’s school to confirm if it is possible for their occupational therapist to complete a therapy session within the school environment.

COVID related response: We are adhering to the Department of Education’s decision to not allow external providers into schools. It is anticipated that following the COVID-19 pandemic, external providers will once again be allowed to access schools and complete therapy sessions within them.

An OT has completed at minimum a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and is able to independently administer therapy sessions. They are also registered with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency).

An OT Assistant is currently working towards completion of a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy or has completed a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance. 

An OT will provide an OT assistant with a plan on what to focus on in each session. The OT will provide regular supervision to ensure they are providing the best possible service. Sessions with an OT assistant are a great option for families who would like to stretch their funding further.

It depends on the goals your child would like to achieve and how many goals they have. Some children will require occupational therapy for only a few sessions, whereas others will benefit from receiving occupational therapy for quite a bit longer. 

We are flexible and honour your choice to adjust the frequency and duration of sessions at any time. We aim to equip you and your child with the skills and knowledge necessary to continue working towards your goals long after accessing occupational therapy directly with us.

Absolutely! Recent research evidence suggests that having a parent engaged and involved in therapy sessions results in the child achieving their goals nearly twice as fast as they would without parental involvement (Lin, Lin, & Yu, 2018). Your OT will provide some suggestions of activities and/or strategies that can be implemented within your child’s regular routine to ensure they are continuously working towards achieving their goals.

Consider your child’s daily routine and the things they do well and those they may struggle with. Occupational therapists work with children and adolescents to enable them to achieve success in daily occupations that may include self-care (showering, toileting, and dressing), school and play. By focusing on these key areas, OT’s help children to develop confidence, self-esteem, social skills and general wellbeing.

Yes! During the school holidays we offer a variety of groups including school readiness, Lego group and resilience groups. Like our Facebook page to keep up to date on the groups that we will be offering each holiday period.

We also offer an online Building Strength and Resilience Group. Please contact us to find out more information and when the next group is scheduled to run.

Depending on the nature of your child’s requirements, some, or all, of the consultation and therapy sessions may be covered under the following government-funded streams:

  • National Disability Insurance Scheme – Clever Bees is a registered to provide supports to NDIS Participants. Clever Bees provide occupational therapy services for $193.99 per hour, which aligns with the NDIS price guide for 2019-2020. 
  • Medicare – Your child may be eligible for a Chronic Disease Management Plan or the Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative. We charge $194.00/hour to see an occupational therapist and a Medicare Plan allows you to claim a rebate. Speak with your GP or contact us if you’d like further information.

We also provide occupational therapy services to children who are privately funded. Depending on your specific health fund and level of cover, you may be entitled to a rebate. We charge $194.00/hour.