What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy supports children in developing essential everyday skills, whether that’s dressing themselves, using cutlery, paying attention in class, making friends, or joining in play.
Our paediatric occupational therapists at Chatterbox guide children through each stage of development. This means supporting toddlers as they discover movement and play, preschoolers as they transition to kindy, and school-aged children as they strengthen handwriting, concentration, emotional control, and social skills.
Our qualified OTs aim to help children with:
- Gross Motor Development
- Fine Motor Development
- Emotional regulation
- Sensory processing
- Self-Care Skills
- Social Skills
You can learn more about the conditions we work with here.
From sitting still and handling writing or coordination, to coping with textures and clothing, or keeping up with everyday routines, our team is here to support your child.
Why Might My Child Need Occupational Therapy?
Just like adults, children have occupations of their own. Their main ‘work’ is to learn, grow, play, and engage with their surroundings, yet sometimes that work doesn’t come easily.
For some children, practice and encouragement aren’t enough: They need structured, individualised support to strengthen the underlying skills. It’s not about effort alone, but about discovering how they learn best.
Many parents hope their child will eventually catch up, but often these difficulties don’t go away by themselves. It’s not about a lack of effort; it’s about missing the essential skills that make tasks possible. Without proper support, daily activities may become more difficult and discouraging. As kids grow, expectations rise both at school and at home. That’s why early intervention is so important. By building strong foundations from the start, your child has the opportunity to thrive and avoid bigger challenges later. The positive news? Occupational therapy aims to provide that support.
How Occupational Therapy Works at Chatterbox
Starting OT can feel like a big step, especially if you’re not quite sure what to expect. Here’s how we keep it supportive and family-friendly from the very beginning:
1. Initial Assessment
Our process starts with a friendly, play-focused assessment that looks at your child’s abilities, difficulties, and how they engage in everyday activities. From this, we aim to identify the right areas for support and tailor an approach to fit your child.
2. Setting Individual Goals
Once we know how your child is going, we work together to create goals that matter most to your family. This could mean learning to manage buttons, improving play, navigating transitions, or staying attentive at school. We break these down into small, achievable steps that build momentum over time.
When setting goals, we take into account your child’s age, developmental stage, and everyday needs so that the plan is realistic, meaningful, and tailored to how your child learns best.
3. Engaging, Evidence-Based Therapy
Here at Chatterbox, therapy sessions are designed to be:
- Adapted to your child’s individual needs, preferences, and approach to learning
- Rooted in best-practice methods and up-to-date research
- Structured to enhance abilities and support areas of difficulty
- Aimed at strengthening confidence, independence, and engagement
Therapy might include obstacle courses, drawing or handwriting practice, sensory play, mindfulness, role play, or daily living tasks. Whatever helps your child learn, grow, and engage in a way that feels safe and enjoyable. Everything we do is neurodiversity-affirming, practical, and fun.
4. Family Support and Coaching
You are key to your child’s development, so we make it a priority to support you along the journey. Beyond giving strategies, we coach you on putting them into practice in daily life, whether at home, in routines, or during tricky times.
It’s not just about children; it’s about families too. When parents feel supported, children thrive.
5. Ongoing Monitoring
In each session, we monitor your child’s progress so we can adapt goals, activities, and strategies to suit their current needs. This way, therapy remains meaningful, practical, and within reach for both your child and your family.
Why Families Choose Chatterbox
We take a neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based approach.
- Therapy is shaped around family-centred goals and individually tailored to your child
- We make sessions fun, engaging, and grounded in real life
- We support multiple areas of development all in one place
- We offer both face-to-face and online occupational therapy options
- A team of caring, knowledgeable therapists with real experience supports your child
We offer all this, yet the greatest reason goes beyond. Want to hear it?
The reason families trust Chatterbox is simple: they know their child is in safe hands with therapists who don’t just offer therapy, but truly care.
What’s the Next Step?
Frequently Asked Questions
How are therapy goals set?
By working with you, we set goals that reflect what really matters for your child’s wellbeing, independence, and everyday activities. Larger goals are broken down into achievable steps, supporting confidence and ongoing success.
Your child’s age, developmental stage, and unique needs are always taken into account so therapy is practical, purposeful, and suited to their learning style.
How often will my child attend therapy?
Your clinician will recommend a schedule based on current research and what’s most effective for your child’s needs. For most goals, regular and consistent therapy leads to stronger results.
Chatterbox offers both 60 and 90 minute sessions. Therapy is usually weekly, based on research, but families can also choose extra sessions or intensives – a great way to use school holidays or concentrate on a particular skill.
How long will my child need OT?
The answer varies depending on your child’s age, goals, needs, and their response to therapy. After the first assessment and a few sessions, your OT will provide more clarity.
We don’t promise a “quick fix,” but we do focus on progress – helping children build skills steadily for enduring success.
Who will my child see for therapy?
Every therapist on our team is qualified, experienced, and registered with Occupational Therapy Australia. They care deeply about helping children succeed through supportive, evidence-based therapy.
Your child will see the same therapist each week, someone who builds a strong, trusting relationship with your child and gets to know how they learn best.
Life can be unpredictable, but being part of a strong team ensures support. If your clinician can’t attend, you need to change a booking or add another session, we’ve got you covered. Families have the option to see another trusted therapist whenever necessary.
Since our team collaborates closely, your child’s goals and progress are always carried through. At times, working with another clinician may build flexibility and confidence, helping your child practise skills with different people, as they would in daily life.
Do you offer online OT?
Yes – we offer Occupational Therapy both in-clinic appointments and online through Telehealth Occupational Therapy. Online therapy is especially helpful for busy parents, children who are most at ease at home, or families living further away in rural or remote areas.
What funding options are available?
There are several ways to access funding for OT, including NDIS, Medicare, and private health rebates. You can learn more about your funding options here.
Is there a waiting list?
Great news – there’s no waiting list right now, so your child can begin straight away. We understand how important timely access is, and we work hard to keep therapy entry quick and easy.
Where are you located?
At each of our primary locations in Bella Vista, Kingswood, Oran Park, Parramatta, and Penrith, a dedicated team is ready to assist you and your family, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish. With free on-site parking available at every clinic, attending assessments or therapy sessions is made easy and stress-free.
While our occupational therapists in Bella Vista primarily support people from surrounding suburbs including Bella Vista, Norwest, Kellyville, Stanhope Gardens, Glenwood, Rouse Hill, Baulkham Hills, Seven Hills, Castle Hill, and Kings Langley, our clinics are more than welcoming to anyone looking to use our services across Sydney.