Frequently Asked Questions About Youth OT
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy supports people to participate in the activities that are important in their everyday lives. For children and young people, this may include self-care, play, learning, school participation, emotional regulation, social participation, routines, community access and greater independence.
Support is based on the client’s individual strengths, functional needs, environments and goals.
Who does Youth OT support?
Youth OT supports children, adolescents and young adults aged 1.5 to 25 across the Gold Coast, selected Logan communities and the Tweed region. Services are tailored to the individual and may be suitable where everyday participation is affected by challenges involving self-care, sensory processing, motor skills, regulation, executive functioning, school participation or independence.
Does my child need a diagnosis to access occupational therapy?
A diagnosis is not always required to access occupational therapy. Services may be based on the client’s functional needs, goals and the activities they are finding difficult.
Funding providers may have their own eligibility or documentation requirements, so families should confirm the requirements applying to their funding arrangement.
Do we need a referral?
A medical referral is not generally required to enquire about Youth OT services.
A referral may be required when accessing certain Medicare-funded programs or where another funding provider specifically requires one.
How do we get started?
Contact Youth OT with the client’s age, suburb, support needs, preferred appointment setting and funding type. Our team will review the information, check therapist availability and discuss whether Youth OT’s mobile service may be suitable. If an appropriate therapist is available, the proposed service arrangements will be explained before appointments begin.
What information should I include in my enquiry?
Please include the client’s:
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age
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suburb
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general areas of support
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preferred appointment setting
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funding type
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preferred days or times
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school or early-learning setting, where relevant
This helps our team assess therapist matching, travel arrangements and availability.
What happens if there is no therapist currently available?
Availability depends on the client’s location, support needs, preferred appointment setting and therapist capacity. Where an appropriate therapist is not currently available, our team will explain the options. We can always put you on our waitlist and make contact when something suitable comes up.
Does Youth OT have a clinic?
Youth OT is a mobile occupational therapy provider and does not operate from a fixed clinic.
Appointments may take place at home, school, early-learning settings, appropriate community locations or by telehealth where suitable. We believe that children, adolescents and young adults response best to therapy in their natural environments.
Where can appointments take place?
Appointment locations are selected according to the client’s goals, functional needs and service agreement.
Depending on the circumstances, occupational therapy may be delivered:
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at home
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at school
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in an early-learning setting
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in the community
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through telehealth
The proposed location will be discussed before services commence.
Can an occupational therapist visit my child’s school?
School visits are available where they are relevant to the client’s goals.
Visits require family consent, approval from the school, suitable scheduling and appropriate service arrangements. The occupational therapist would love to collaborate with educators where consent has been provided.
Can appointments take place at childcare or early learning?
Yes, early-learning visits may be considered where they are relevant to the client’s participation and goals. Approval from the setting, family consent and suitable appointment arrangements are required.
Does Youth OT provide telehealth?
Telehealth are available where it is clinically and practically appropriate for the client’s needs, goals and circumstances. Telehealth may involve direct support, parent or carer consultation, strategy development, review appointments or collaboration with other supports.
How often will occupational therapy appointments occur?
Appointment frequency depends on the client’s needs, goals, funding, therapist recommendations and availability. Some clients may benefit from regular appointments, while others may require assessment, consultation, periodic review or short-term support.
Do parents or carers need to attend appointments?
Parent or carer involvement depends on the client’s age, appointment setting, goals and support needs. For younger clients, family participation can be valuable for understanding strategies and supporting their use between appointments. Arrangements will be discussed with the occupational therapist.
Can Youth OT work with schools and other professionals?
With appropriate consent, the occupational therapist may collaborate with educators, support coordinators, speech pathologists, psychologists, physiotherapists, medical professionals and other people involved in the client’s support. Collaboration is based on the client’s needs, goals, consent, funding and service agreement.
Is Youth OT an NDIS registered provider?
Yes. Youth OT is an NDIS registered provider delivering mobile occupational therapy across its service regions.
What types of NDIS funding can Youth OT accept?
Youth OT may support clients with:
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NDIA-managed funding
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plan-managed funding
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self-managed funding
Services remain subject to the supports included in the client’s plan, available funding and the agreed service arrangements.
Can NDIS funding be used for home or school visits?
NDIS funding may be used for occupational therapy delivered in different settings where the support is appropriate, related to the client’s goals and permitted under the plan. Families should not assume that every service or associated cost is automatically funded. Proposed services, travel and non-face-to-face work will be discussed before commencement.
Does provider travel apply?
Provider travel may apply because Youth OT is a mobile service. Proposed travel time and non-labour travel costs will be discussed before services commence and documented in the service agreement where applicable.
What is non-face-to-face work?
Non-face-to-face work is occupational therapy work completed outside the direct appointment.
This may include reviewing information, preparing reports, communicating with relevant supports, developing resources or completing other agreed professional tasks. Any proposed non-face-to-face work will be discussed according to the client’s needs, funding and service agreement.
Can we use Medicare or private health insurance?
Yes. Some clients may be eligible to claim part of the cost through Medicare or private health insurance. Eligibility, rebates and referral requirements vary. Families should confirm their eligibility directly with Medicare, their GP or their private health insurer before relying on a rebate.
Are fees explained before services begin?
Yes. Youth OT will explain the proposed hourly rate, travel arrangements, non-face-to-face work, reporting costs and other relevant service terms before services commence. These arrangements are documented in the service agreement.
Does Youth OT complete occupational therapy assessments?
Yes. Assessment may involve interviews, observation, questionnaires, standardised assessment tools and information from relevant people or environments. The assessment approach is selected according to the client’s needs, goals and the purpose of the assessment.
Does Youth OT complete Functional Capacity Assessments?
Yes. Functional Capacity Assessments may be available where clinically appropriate and where Youth OT has suitable therapist capacity. The assessment process, expected appointments, reporting requirements, timeframes and costs will be discussed before commencement.
Can Youth OT prepare progress or review reports?
Progress and review reports can be completed where required and agreed. Report content is based on the occupational therapist’s assessment, clinical observations, available information and the client’s functional needs and goals.
Does Youth OT provide assistive technology support?
Assistive technology assessment and prescription is be available depending on the client’s needs and the complexity of the equipment being considered. The occupational therapist may assess functional requirements, environments, available options and whether trials or additional specialist input are required.
What happens if we need to cancel an appointment?
Cancellation arrangements are explained in the service agreement. Families should provide as much notice as possible when an appointment cannot proceed. Fees may apply where the cancellation meets the applicable service-agreement and funding requirements, however, we prioritise rescheduling and offering solutions when unexpected circumstances occur.
Still Have a Question?
Contact Youth OT with the client’s age, suburb, support needs, funding type and preferred appointment setting. Our team will review the enquiry and provide information about current therapist availability.