Who We Are
Occupational Therapists (OTs) are specially trained professionals who have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree and are registered with the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists. They work closely with educators, school teams, families, and other professionals to identify and reduce barriers to learning, helping students reach their potential at school.
School Supports
OTs at the CBE collaborate with school staff, families, and other professionals in identifying and reducing barriers for learning, to help students reach their potential at school. CBE OTs support students and school teams in the following ways:
Safety and Accessibility
Support access and participation in the school environment for students with complex physical mobility needs, including safe access to washroom facilities, specialized seating in the classroom, and modifying tools to access curriculum and materials.
Self-Care Skills
Support the autonomy and safe participation of self-care activities that are part of a school day. This includes supporting students that experience significant challenges in independent toileting, safe eating and dressing tasks.
Physical, Sensory and Emotional Regulation
OTs have extensive training in supporting students and educating school staff to promote optimal regulation, so the student is ready to learn.
Written Output
Identify areas impacting written output concerns and reduce these challenges by adapting tasks, using assistive technology, or modifying the demands to support the student in demonstrating their learning and knowledge.
Activity Participation and Independence
Identify and address task and environmental barriers that impact participation, task initiation, and task completion, to support the students’ participation in daily routines, transitions and learning tasks. With significant knowledge in executive functioning, OTs provide strategies such as visual supports, classroom layout recommendations, modified tools and the development of consistent routines. These supports help students with daily transitions and promote independence and engagement throughout the school day.
Fine Motor Skills
OTs may support a student’s development of pencil and scissor skills if significant challenges persist despite having received classroom instruction, experience with fine motor activities, and adequate exposure and practice with writing tools and scissors.
Service Delivery
OTs use a strength-based approach and a comprehensive view of the student, focusing on removing barriers rather than changing the student. Services may include:
- Observing students in the classroom and collaborating with school staff on specific student need
- Modeling and coaching strategies for teachers and support staff to improve student inclusion and participation
- Offering resources (e.g. websites, handouts, visuals, tools) and providing professional learning to build capacity of school staff
Access to Occupational Therapy
- OT services are available to students in all schools and programs within CBE and are assigned based on school-identified needs and therapist availability.
- Before an OT becomes involved in directly supporting your child, they will reach out to explain potential services and obtain your consent. Additional questions can be addressed at this time.
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Contact your child’s school to discuss Occupational Therapy services with your child’s teacher or school leadership.
