Lynsay McFarlane-Shaw  Independent Occupational Therapist | OTachieve

Lynsay's clinical work

  • I am an occupational therapist with 29 years of experience working with children, young people and families.
  • I currently hold a small caseload, working in school-based and sixth-form college settings.
  • I am based in Harrow, North West London, UK.
  • I accept commissions from local education authorities to provide occupational therapy. I  DO NOT offer assessments for educational health care plans or tribunal assessments.
  • I work with children and young people who struggle to participate in education, self-care, play, and leisure skills.
  • I am not currently taking on new clinical work. I am continuing to work with existing clients.
  • Use this directory to help you find an OT with availability: Find an OT

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is a health and social care profession that can help children and young people with various needs and disabilities participate in everyday life to improve their health and well-being. It aims to help people participate and, where possible, achieve independence skills in daily life, allowing each child or young person to reach their potential. Our daily lives are comprised of various occupations (or activities).  These may include play, education activities, and self-care skills for children.

Occupational therapy offers fun and engaging activities to help develop cognitive, physical, and motor skills. While building awareness of the emotional and sensory needs that impact participation in everyday activities. This can include access to the educational curriculum, development of handwriting and scissor skills, self-care tasks such as developing skills for eating and dressing and promoting participation in play and leisure activities.

Occupations/activities for children and young people can include the following:

  •  Education and learning
  •  Self-care
  •  Play and Leisure

Education and Learning:

Participating in education at nursery, school, further education or volunteer work requires skills in the following areas:

  •  Handwriting and tool use (pencil, scissors, ruler, cutlery)
  •  Access to the physical environment and technology equipment,
  •  Seating and positioning so that your child will achieve their best
  •  Fine motor skills to enable play and work (construction activities, colouring, drawing, scissor skills, typing skills and puzzles)
  •  Gross motor skills (ball skills, skipping, jumping, riding a bike, PE and playground games, sport)
  •  Organisation and planning skills for the classroom or home (packing own bag, knowing where resources are kept in the classroom)
  •  Concentration and attention skills (motivation, timetabling, monitoring environmental distractions)
  •  Sensory processing (touch, sound, taste, smell, vision, body awareness, balance, motor planning and interpretation of internal body signals)

 

 

 

 

Self-Care:

Some children and young people find challenges in the following areas:

  •  Getting dressed and ready to go out
  •  Eating a meal and using cutlery
  •  Using the toilet without help
  •  Having a shower or a bath
  •  Getting organised for the day ahead (remembering everything they need to take and where they need to be)
  •  Learning to safely cook for themselves
  • Learning to complete basic household tasks such as washing dishes, clothes, hoovering, cleaning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Play and Leisure:

Play is vital to a child’s early development. As children grow they may also start to participate in hobbies and leisure activities. They may need advice on how to:

  •  Access appropriate play
  •  Play with friends
  •  Develop skills for hobbies
  •  Access community groups / facilities such as Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Church groups, Drama, Sport etc
  •  Learning to ride a bike or scooter
  • Play and leisure are important to take into young adulthood and across the lifespan. Occupational therapist will encourage engagement in leisure tasks that you can enjoy in community settings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Occupational Therapists working with Children, Young People and Families

You will find lots of different approached from therapist working with children or young people. It is good to speak with a few therapist to find the best match for the child or young personsneeds.

My focus has always been to look at the occupation (activity) the child or young person wants to engage in, and consider the environment they want to be able to do this occupation in. Then, we agree goals to help them achieve this, the best way they can. I will consider the cognitive, physical, sensory and emotional factors that are impacting on their participation. We will work together to find the best way to move forward. 

I am neuro-affirming in my approach and person centred. I choose the best therapeutic approach for the child or young persons needs, I have a range of approaches that I can utilise, to enable the child or young person to achieve their goals.