RCOT writes to Schools Minister calling for every UK school to have an OT

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has written to Kelly Tolhurst MP, Minister for Schools and Childhood, Department for Education (DfE) stating that equipment and adaptation services require investment and should be streamlined to minimise delays in provision.

It is also arguing that every school in the UK needs to have an occupational therapist (OT).

This open letter follows the results of RCOT’s recent children’s survey. The research paints a worrying picture in the UK that children’s occupational therapy services are overstretched, underfunded, and at a “crisis point”.

One of the most notable and alarming figures from RCOT’s survey reveals that 85 percent of OTs said demand for children’s services has increased since July 2021. Additionally, over one in five respondents said they were unable to provide the equipment and adaptations children and young people needed, when they needed it.

Now, the college has written to Kelly Tolhurst MP to explain that OTs are the key to resolving the difficulties facing children’s services in England.

The letter notes that COVID-19 has had a profound impact on children and young people, more than half of services reporting an increase in referrals for children whose development, performance, or wellbeing has been affected by school disruption.

“What we are seeing right across the UK is an unsustainable equation. There is rising demand for occupational therapy, an increase in the complexity of children’s needs – often with pandemic-related anxiety – and not nearly enough staff to help them due to a workforce crisis,” the letter reads.

“The outcome of this is that occupational therapists cannot provide children and young people with the support they desperately need and deserve.”

Among the recommendations to ensure that every school has an OT and streamlining equipment and adaptation services, which will improve children’s services in the UK, RCOT made a number of other key suggestions to Kelly Tolhurst MP.

One of these is that children’s occupational therapy services must be resourced to meet the needs of their local community and to support children and young people with increasingly complex needs.

Additionally, the college believes that OTs should be included in school mental health teams to prevent difficulties escalating and employed in roles enabling them to support children’s physical and mental health. It also states that strong occupational therapy leadership is required to ensure therapists’ skills and workforce are used effectively.

The letter adds: “We recognise there will be many pressing issues in your new ministerial inbox, however recent statements from senior leaders in the Government about the importance of children’s services highlights that urgent action is needed.”

RCOT closes the letter offering support to government with regards to its survey findings and how OTs can help with the difficulties facing children’s services in the UK.