Social Setting Occupational Therapy
At Kids World Paediatric Therapy, Social Setting Therapy provides children with the opportunity to work towards their individual occupational therapy goals alongside one or more carefully matched peers.
These 50-minute sessions are tailored to each child's unique developmental needs, creating opportunities to develop and practise skills through meaningful interaction with others.
Why Use a Social Setting?
Many of the skills children develop through occupational therapy are needed when interacting and participating with other people. Introducing a carefully selected peer creates natural opportunities to practise these skills in ways that aren't possible during individual therapy.
Depending on each child's individual goals, Social Setting Therapy may support emotional regulation, sensory processing, communication, flexibility, problem-solving, motor planning, cooperative play and participation with others.
The focus is not on teaching children to behave or interact in a particular way. Instead, our therapists support children to better understand themselves, engage authentically with others and develop the skills and confidence they need to participate in everyday social environments.
Thoughtful Peer Matching
Finding the right peer match is an important part of Social Setting Therapy.
Children may participate with typically developing peers or with other children whose strengths, developmental profile and therapy goals provide an appropriate therapeutic match.
Our occupational therapists consider factors such as age, developmental level, communication style, sensory and regulation needs, interests, personality and individual therapy goals when determining whether children are likely to work well together.
For this reason, Social Setting Therapy is offered when an appropriate peer match is available rather than simply grouping children according to age or diagnosis.
Individual Goals Within a Shared Session
Although children participate alongside a peer, therapy remains individualised and each child continues to work towards their own occupational therapy goals.
The therapist carefully plans and adapts activities, the environment and the level of support to meet the needs of each child.
For example, within the same activity, one child may be working on flexibility and managing unexpected changes while another may be developing motor planning, communicating their ideas or recognising when they need additional support to regulate.
Learning Through Real Interaction
Working alongside another child creates opportunities for genuine interaction.
Children may practise sharing ideas, negotiating, problem-solving together, managing differences, communicating their preferences, recognising another person's perspective and coping when things don't go according to plan.
Our occupational therapists support these interactions as they occur, helping children develop strategies and confidence that can be carried into everyday situations at home, school and in the community.
Supporting Progress Beyond the Therapy Room
Meaningful progress doesn't happen only during therapy sessions.
Our therapists work collaboratively with parents and carers to build their understanding of their child's individual needs and develop practical strategies that can be incorporated into everyday family life.
This helps children use and build on the skills developed during therapy across the environments and relationships that are important to them.
Is Social Setting Therapy Right for My Child?
Social Setting Therapy may not be appropriate for every child or at every stage of their therapy.
Your child's occupational therapist will consider their individual goals, developmental profile and readiness to work alongside a peer. Children may initially participate in individual occupational therapy before moving into a social setting when their therapist believes working with a peer will provide meaningful opportunities to extend their development.
Participation also depends on the availability of a suitable peer match.
Enquire About Social Setting Therapy
If your child currently attends Kids World, speak with their occupational therapist about whether Social Setting Therapy may be appropriate.
Families considering occupational therapy at Kids World are also welcome to contact our administration team to discuss our services and current availability.