School Planning -- Therapy Set up 2025

Therapist working in Schools 1984--2024 

During the last 40 years, I have worked in schools in south-east Queensland as an Occupational Therapist and Music Instructor (piano). Looking back, I am developing a list of ideas that work well for therapists as we begin the new school year in 2025. This may inform the development of ad hoc therapy support services in schools. 

 

 
Occupational Therapist  (CC Attribution)                             Petrie Tce State School--1970 

By 'ad hoc,' I mean therapy services provided indirectly to school students in schools--by a range of parent-controlled and community service groups. The funding can be sourced through NDIS, Medicare, private and health insurance or other non-government funds. There is a constellation of therapy services that operate within schools in various ways--with varying levels of success.

My employment includes working in these schools with a wide range of experiences / knowledge:

Period	School / Employer
1984-87	1984-87 Eight Mile Plains Special School (Multicap--Multiple Handicapped Association of Queensland)
1987-88	Narbethong Special School for blind, vision impaired and multiply disabled students with high support needs.
1988-96	Guide Dogs for Blind Assoc Qld visiting schools/SEUs
1994-2003	Mt Gravatt Primary School - Special Education Unit for Blind/Vision Impaired Students employed by Blind and Low Vision Youth Support/Vision Australia:  visiting various government and private schools in Ipswich, Logan City (Calamvale), Brisbane South (Birkdale).
1999	Xavier Special School--now Whites Hill Special School
1999-2010	Disability Services Queensland – Children’s Respite, Specialist and Professional Services
2000-25	Private Practice Occupational Therapist visiting various schools for students with autism, ADHD, developmental delay, physical disabilities, mental health conditions, including: ·      Goodna State Primary School, Roadvale State Primary School, All Saints School Boonah, etc.
2012	Lockyer District Concerned Parents of the Disabled Group (Non-Schools Funding Program): Providing assessments, Parent/staff education, and therapy withing 3 schools. ·      Gatton State Primary School: Special Education Unit (Pre-Prep, Prep, SEDU, and Primary) ·      Peace Lutheran Primary School ·      Our Lady of Counsel Catholic Primary School
2020	Xavier Children’s Support Network visiting various schools and school students in Brisbane South/Ipswich regions.
2024	Darling Point Special School, P&C Association, DREAM therapy and disability service. Based at Wynnum Manly.

There are some basic requirements for therapists to succeed in school environments:

* A dedicated space for therapy that you can work in to see students with equipment stored securely when you are not present. Easy access to lockable areas that you need to access. Space for tabletop tasks with easy-to-adjust height to suit various students

* Provision of digital equipment and internet access; set up and training in databases / apps required.

* Understanding and access to billing information and statistical/demographic information on students.

* Ergonomic set-up of your own workstation with support from a team of colleagues (multi-disciplinary)

* Access to administration, stationery, and resources that are required.

* Your office and therapy area can be viewed by others as they pass by with line of sight and windows.

* Bags or cases on wheels to transport equipment and reduce manual handling

* Smooth trailing paths for wheeled equipment from your vehicle point of drop off to therapy space or classroom (no more than 200m distance)

* Elevators if you need to access various levels of the school campus

* Secure place to store attractive and portable items

* An interview space that you can use to meet with parents, teachers or other stakeholders

* A meeting place that you can use for workshops or groups with colleagues/parents

* Coaching and/or professional supervision appropriate to your scope of practice and experience

* Access to Personal Learning Networks and training

* Access to evidence-based research databases and study time to increase knowledge and skills

* Engagement with the professional and managerial team, with news/events information

* Workplace health and safety processes; induction; mandatory training

* Therapy equipment and educational material/resources appropriate to the needs of the student-base

* Parking in a location that is safe and secure, and accessible, particularly for itinerant therapists.

Therapists

Think carefully before accepting the broom closet under the stairs for your base, or storage of items in a locked disability toilet--or no storage at all. There are implications for the quality of your work, if basic needs are not met. Therapy can be compromised by having to work in corridors or inappropriate places.

Students

Disability Standards for Education clarify the obligation for education and training providers under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.  

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards) are Australian laws that protect the rights of students with disability. These laws aim to eliminate discrimination against people with disability and uphold the rights of students with disability to access education. They apply to all education providers.

School

Therapists are valued professional members of the School Team, even though they may not be employed directly by the school and may have other accountabilities and lines of management. Parents, Teachers and School staff can support and assist Therapists by sharing resources, spaces, and providing orientation to local arrangements. Therapists need to know precautions, and the chosen approach that the school uses. This includes the digital and material environment which is critical to learning success.

Benefits

Having therapists in the school, can result in better communication and more streamlined learning for students--with integration of therapy into the daily routine. Having Therapists as part of the educational setting can reduce the need for parents to withdraw students throughout the day, and/or trying to book outside of school therapy appointments which may be scarce. There are various schools that embrace and arrange for therapists to be involved throughout the day.

Challenges

Schools are busy places with ever-changing staff, protocols, policy, and environments. Therapists are often itinerant and shift themselves and their equipment around from one school campus to another. This can be exhausting and challenging for manual handling especially with hot or inclement weather. 

Occupational Therapists provide sensory processing assessments and design environments suitable for individual students. Therapy sometimes occurs in a school multi-sensory room with specialised equipment. Education Victoria has developed 'Sensory Rooms and Equipment Policy,' but there does not appear to be clear guidelines/policy in some other states of Australia. Teachers and Teacher aides sometimes take students to a sensory room to assist with positive behaviour support and other needs, according to local arrangements. 

Therapists need to learn the names of students, their teachers/health professionals/funding stream requirements/parents and guardians and the local social environment, community support services, equipment suppliers, and transport arrangements, electronic databases, policies and practices. This is a steep learning curve and there are sometimes bridges or barriers to accessing students within the school environment. There is a high turnover of allied health professionals, not surprisingly given the flexibility, resilience and determination needed to operate in multiple school environments.

Current Situation

Therapists are health professionals that work according to the regulations of their professional bodies, and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority (AHPRA). Overlaid on this, are the requirements of the funding programs that Therapists work within, including NDIS, Medicare, private health, or education and social support programs. There are limited therapy services through Education Queensland. Most of my experience has been through ad hoc government, non-government and private health schemes. This has required constant adjustment to the political landscape across a range of government portfolios. 

Research and Development for the Future

There is a need for research and rationalisation of the current therapy services landscape to provide more reliable, long-term funding for therapy in schools. I am interested to hear about other people's experiences and knowledge--particularly how to tailor therapy to students in identified locations, cultural groups, and population-based primary health concerns. The art of therapy involves creative collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams within diverse educational environments. It is timely to write and share our experiences with a view to sparking discussion, positive and directional movements which will benefit students and all concerned.

I have pioneered research to develop frameworks for culturally engaged community music practice in rural Ipswich and established the Purga Music Museum with Purga Friends Association in 2003. This included publications about music museum outreach that benefits children in schools. I would like to see further uptake of evidence-based research that links community-based rehabilitation with schools.

Sandra Kirkwood B.Occ.Thy, B.Music, M.Phil, Grad Cert Education (Digital Learning & Leadership in Education)
Occupational Therapist registered with AHPRA (Wynnum Manly, Brisbane Qld)

Music-Qualified
m. 0488 624 362

References

Australian Government NCCD Disability Standards for Education https://www.nccd.edu.au/disability-standards-education  

Australian Government. Disability Discrimination Act, 1992. https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A04426/2018-04-12/text

Australian Government. Disability Standards for Education, 2005. https://www.education.gov.au/disability-standards-education-2005

Education Victoria 'Sensory Rooms and Equipment Policy' https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/sensory-rooms/policy