Our occupational therapist works alongside educators to build their capacity in understanding and confidence to support regulation and participation in real classroom contexts. This includes in-room modelling, group professional learning, and reflective conversations with educator teams and educational leaders. Our focus is on helping educators notice sensory and regulation cues, adjust expectations, and respond in ways that support participation across the whole group.

The therapist observes group routines, transitions, play spaces, and learning environments to identify barriers to regulation and participation. Support focuses on practical adjustments to room layout, noise and visual load, movement opportunities, routines, and adult responses. These environmental and routine-based changes are designed to support the whole preschool.

Our occupational therapist can work alongside the educator with small groups of up to 4 children within the classroom during play and everyday routines, focusing on regulation, sensory processing, movement, and participation. All supports are play-based, relationship-focused, and neuro-affirming, and are designed to be realistic and sustainable within busy preschool environments.

Through group-based family workshops for up to 15 attendees, our Occupational Therapy service supports parents and caregivers to develop a clearer understanding of how emotional and sensory regulation needs develop through play and everyday interactions.

Through practical, strengths-based information and discussion, families are supported to feel more confident in recognising and responding to their child within daily routines. This promotes greater consistency between home and preschool and fosters a shared understanding between families and educators.

ECEC settings place significant sensory, social, and movement demands on children, and difficulties with regulation often present as behaviour that appears challenging, avoidant, or emotionally overwhelming. Our approach supports the reduction of developmental vulnerability within the AEDC Physical Health and Wellbeing domain, with secondary contributions to Social Competence and Emotional Maturity.

Expected outcomes for educators and families:

• Improved understanding of emotional development in early childhood
• Improved ability to understand and regulate their own emotions
• Improved ability to model and teach emotional regulation strategies
• Improved support for emotional resilience

Educator sessions are delivered on-site, and includes 1 hours of contact time with a small group of up to 4 children with an educator and 1.5 hours training and reflection with educators, either on-site or online.

Group professional learning for educators is delivered on-site or online, and includes 2 hours of contact time with up to 15 educators and electronic reference materials.

Group professional learning for families is delivered on-site or online, and includes 1.25 hours of contact time with up to 15 parents and caregivers and digital resources.

Educator sessions are delivered for $1,125 for a single Occupational Therapist on-site at the educational facility. Group professional learning for educators is delivered for $2,375 for a single Occupational Therapist on-site at the educational facility. Group professional learning for families is delivered for $1,562.50 for a single Occupational Therapist on-site at the educational facility or online. Additional groups may be run on the same day at the same site at reduced cost by negotiation. Travel is included within 15 minutes of Mitchell Park. Travel to sites outside this distance will be charged based on location.