Hi Nina,
I'm a pediatric OT and came to say that you're correct. We are seeing more global delays and needs across the country, referrals at schools are more than OT/PT/SLP's can keep up with. Pre-pandemic we know that there was an incidence of 1 out of 6 children that had a developmental delay. I have not heard any updated numbers on this since the pandemic, but we all know anecdotally that it has certainly increased.
Best practice for an OT/SLP/PT working in ECE is for push in services within the child's natural environment. If you choose to contract with a local therapy provider to provide services within your preschool setting, I would be very clear in your contract that the expectation is for those service providers to push in to the classroom for the majority of their session and not remove a child from an educational setting, as the goal should always be for the child to return/remain within the educational setting to practice skills in a functional manner. In this way, classroom teachers are able to be coached and mentored on how to manage difficulties such as transitions, play skills, initiation and persistence of tasks, self care, speech strategies, coordination cues and modifications and adaptations of tasks (etc...) Although students may be removed for short term focused intervention- the classroom teacher should always be aware of what is happening and for what benefit and how to carry over strategies.
Universal design for learning should be the over-arching frame of reference that the therapy provider operates from when entering into an ECE space. Within the context of your therapist's client, your provider should come alongside that client on whole class activities to support developmental milestone achievement within the natural educational environment. Additionally, written record of how to carry over tasks or adaptations within the child's environment should be provided for carryover at home and at school. It is standard practice that therapy providers have home programs that are provided to school and home.
The bottom line is that no therapist will make much difference in the life of a child in the 30-60 minutes of therapy they receive in the classroom if there is not a collaborative team approach especially from the teachers and parents that are with that child the other 23 hours a day 7 days a week. We are and always will be better when we all work together and it's ok to advocate for best practice for the children and families you serve in your community.
If you choose to use COVID funds to access a therapy provider to consult within your educational setting, I would consider being very explicit about your expectations that your investment of having them present for consultation is also an investment in your staff for real-time training. Additional strategies I have used in the past as an OT in ECE is I create a "back and forth" book so that I can jot down a quick blurb about what we did in therapy at school, what I told teachers, what I'd like for parents to do, how the kiddo responded and what I'm planning to do next time I see their kiddo. This is also pretty standard practice. If your therapists don't do it, make it a policy for anyone working with kiddos in your building must follow. It is best practice and can be as quick as a checklist with the therapist's contact info if there are questions that parents or teachers have.
I hope this post helps and doesn't sound too confusing, I'm happy to clarify as needed.
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Tia Gamelin
Occupational Therapist
Blackbird Therapy Group LLC
Littleton CO
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-20-2022 03:08 PM
From: Nina Burrows
Subject: Processes and communication to support kids receiving OT, speech, PT
Hello!
I wonder if anyone else feels like there is a greater need for speech and OT this year? I may just be seeing what I'm expecting to find, but we seem to have more children who would benefit from outside support.
To that end, I have different professionals who work with parents and bill them directly, while providing services here at school.
I'm also using some of our COVID money this year to have OT and Speech professionals observe in classrooms and give teachers ideas for how to make their classrooms more supportive for kids who need help.
What I'm wondering is this: have any of you put systems in place to help manage all the details and increase communication between outside support professionals, parents, and classroom teachers? It seems that we are not kept in the loop.
We are a single school, not part of a district and not part of a corporation. I used to work in public school, and feel like I need to set up a preschool version of an ARD meeting and guidelines for how often to meet, who initiates communication, etc. I also feel like I'd like to update my enrollment forms to encourage parents to share results of evaluations, which I often do not receive.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can share!
My Best,
Nina Burrows
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Nina Burrows
Preschool Director
FUMC Preschool
Fort Worth TX
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