What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapists help children to achieve or maintain their independence at home, nursery or school. An Occupational Therapist will assess your child’s functional skills (which mean the skills they need to carry out daily activities) with the aim of helping them to participate in everyday life.
We can help children in a number of ways:
- Increasing life skills such as getting dressed, eating independently, using the toilet
- Taking a full part in their education (help with activities like handwriting, organising themselves and being better able to join in with play time games and PE).
Please note that there is a separate social care occupational therapy service for children. This team assesses whether any changes should be made to a family’s home to help the child or young person be safe and more independent and organises any equipment necessary.
Who can use the Occupational therapy service?
We work with children and young people who have difficulties that significantly impact on their ability to perform everyday activities because of physical, developmental or sensory difficulties.
How is the children’s occupational therapy service delivered?
Occupational Therapists work closely with parents, carers and education staff to support your child. The service may offer parent training and workshops, advice and strategies to develop your child’s skills. Advice may include activity programmes, including examples of how to change everyday tasks so they are easier for your child to do and suggestions of equipment that may make it easier for the child or young person to do something.
We recognise the importance of working in partnership with children’s parents and carers to maximise a child’s physical abilities and independence. Parents and carers can help their child by encouraging them to regularly carry out any activity programme that the service recommends or practice their exercises. We also work closely with educational settings.
How to access
Contact your GP or health visitor to discuss any concerns you have. If your child is at school, you could discuss your concerns with the SENCO. Any health or education professional can refer a child or young person to our service. All referrals go to the Seaside View Child Development Centre referrals panel. We aim to see children within 18 weeks.
Contact details
Seaside View Child Development Centre
Brighton General Hospital
Elm Grove
BN2 3EW
Occupational Therapy
Tel: 01273 265806
Email: SC-TR.OTSeasideview@nhs.net
Opening Hours
Monday – Friday 09.00 - 17.00
How to find us
Seaside View Child Development Service
Edburton Building
Brighton General Hospital
Elm Grove
Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 3EW
Tel 01273 265780
sc-tr.bgh-seasideviewcdc@nhs.net
Car parking: Car parking charges will apply at Brighton General Hospital. Please use the patient/visitor car park on your right as you enter. Free parking is available on surrounding streets however restricted for permit holders between 11 - 12am and 6 - 7pm. There are disabled parking bays outside Seaside View if you are a Blue Badge holder.
Buses for Brighton General Hospital: There are bus stops located nearby and around the Brighton General site. Buses: 2, 21, 22, 22A, 23, 37B
Other information: Seaside View Child Development Service is wheelchair accessible. We have disabled toilets and baby changing facilities. We have a water cooler in Reception and there are refreshments available from mobile coffee shop in the Patient and Visitor car park (8am - 3pm). If you have any additional needs please contact us to see if these can be accommodated.
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