Commenting on the release of the House of Commons Education Committee’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities report published today, Dr Sally Payne, Professional Adviser for Children and Young People at The Royal College of Occupational Therapists, said:
“We welcome the Committee’s findings. The Royal College provided written and oral evidence and we are mentioned several times in the report. We are pleased that the Committee are calling for greater access to therapy for all pupils and support proposals to map therapy provision across the country. Our report Occupational Therapy: Unlocking the potential of children and young people outlines how occupational therapists already work in partnership with schools and other agencies to benefit more children.
“We also welcome the call for clarity regarding financial provision to meet the needs of children who do and do not meet criteria for an Education, Health and Care plan and hope that this will address current confusion regarding funding of specialist equipment in schools. Occupational therapists are key to preparing young people for adulthood and independent living and helping them to access meaningful employment. This will require a shift in resources from adult to children’s occupational therapy services.”