What Is School-Based Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy practitioners work with children and youth, parents, caregivers, educators, team members, and district and agency staff to facilitate children’s and youth’s ability to participate in their occupations, which are daily life activities that are purposeful and meaningful to the person (AOTA, 2014b).
In school-based practice, occupational therapists support a child’s ability to gain access to and make progress in the school curriculum. OTs are health professionals whose purpose in a public school setting is to support a child’s engagement and participation in daily occupations, which include activities of daily living, education, prevocational work, play, rest, leisure, and social participation (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2008).
The California Occupational Therapy Practice Act, Business and Professions Code Section 2570.2 (k) states: Practice of occupational therapy means the therapeutic use of purposeful and meaningful goal-directed activities (occupations) which engage the individual’s body and mind in meaningful, organized, and self-directed actions that maximize independence, prevent or minimize disability, and maintain health.
Under IDEA regulations, Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 300.34(c)(6) ”occupational therapy” is defined as “services provided by a qualified occupational therapist; and includes (a) improving, developing, or restoring functions impaired or lost through illness, injury, or deprivation; (b) improving ability to perform tasks for independent functioning if functions are impaired or lost; and (c) preventing, through early intervention, initial or further impairment or loss of function.”