Therapy Pathway

Step 1

Initial Contact & Referral

Thank you for contacting TLC Space via phone, email, or website inquiry form.
You will be sent an online questionnaire to share with us information about your child’s strengths, aspirations and their presenting difficulties.
You will also be asked if you have preferred dates and times and which clinic you would prefer. We cannot guarantee that we can meet preferred appointment times or the preferred location as this is dependent on therapist availability and existing schedules.
Inquiries and referrals can be made by parents and caregivers, schools, social services, or healthcare professionals.
All referrals are discussed at a weekly caseload meeting to ensure that we are the best profession to meet your child’s needs. For enquires from the Local Authority or Schools, we require funding to be in place before being able to progress your enquiry to be allocated to a therapist.
Following the caseload meeting outcome, you will be contacted to discuss next steps.
If an appointment can be offered, you will be provided with at least three appointment options. Due to the high demand for occupational therapy services it may not be possible to agree on mutually convenient appointment. You will then be provided with the option to join the waiting list or we can signpost you to other OT services.
Unfortunately we cannot guarantee that you will be able to see a specific therapist from our team.

Step 2

A free initial consultation may be offered to further discuss your child’s strengths and occupational challenges or to signpost you to other services that may be better able to help.
If an Occupational Therapy assessment hasn’t been completed within the last 12 months, or your child’s needs have significantly changed, a comprehensive assessment will be conducted by an experienced qualified therapist from our team.
The assessment may include:
- Clinical observations
- Standardised assessments
- Parent/carer and teacher input
- Sensory and functional evaluations
You will be provided with a report sharing the assessment findings along with individualised recommendations. Before the report is finalised, you will be invited to a feedback meeting to answer any questions you might have.
We aim to provide a written clinical report within 2-4 weeks of receipt of all requested or required information.

Step 3

Depending on the recommendations of your child’s OT assessment, or on the nature of your inquiry, therapy sessions may commence. These can take place in our designated clinic space, in family homes, schools and colleges, out in the community, or online. Your therapist will be able to advise on the best location to support your child’s needs.
Our therapists use evidence-based interventions, including:
- Sensory Integration Theory and Intervention
- Motor Skill Development
- Cognitive & Behavioural Strategies
- Play-Based and Functional Approaches
All therapy sessions are tailored to meet each child’s individual needs, challenges and interests.
At the start of therapy sessions, collaborative goals will be set. These will be made in conjunction with your child and will aim to foster independence, reduce participation challenges, be meaningful and positive.
Parents, caregivers and support staff are encouraged to be part of therapy sessions so that advice and strategies can be shared.

Step 4

● Following the setting of meaningful and collaborative goals, a therapy plan will be shared with you. This will clearly outline the agreed goals and some steps to support your child in reaching them.
This plan will be reviewed after every sixth session where your child’s progress will be celebrated, the therapy plan will be updated and if appropriate, new goals will be set.

Step 5

Your child will move on from TLC Space Occupational Therapy when their goals are met, with strategies and recommendations for continued success.
You will be provided with a discharge summary outlining your child’s progress.
If your child is moving to another therapy service, we will make links with their new team to ensure a smooth and successful handover. We work closely with schools, social workers, GPs, and other professionals to ensure a holistic approach.
Transition support is provided for:
- Moving to a new school or educational setting
- Preparing for independent living skills
- Accessing additional community resources
Follow-up support is available, including in person or online check-in sessions and access to additional resources.