70 per cent of occupational therapists are not currently able to provide the occupational therapy that children and young people need, a survey carried out by The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has found.
Some of the key barriers cited for this significant figure include:
- Restricted access to schools
- Workforce issues, including understaffed teams
- Increased demand for occupational therapy and a backlog of cases
- and family circumstances or concerns affecting access to telehealth or face-to-face support.
Other key findings are that:
- 62% of occupational therapists have encountered schools that are reluctant to allow therapists to visit
- Of these, 83% had encountered reluctance from mainstream schools and 48% from special schools
- And workforce pressures are a significant factor when it comes to being able to provide therapy support, with over 50% of respondents reporting understaffing.
Commenting on the survey results, Steve Ford, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, added:
“Occupational therapists have played a vital role in helping people recover from the pandemic, and this includes working on a daily basis with children and young people across the UK.
“The pandemic has proved a huge challenge for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities over the past year and a half. Whether dealing with loss of education or the mental health crisis as they return to education children and young people need as much support as possible, including that offered by occupational therapists. These survey results are truly concerning, and with over 80 per cent of respondents reporting an increase in demand, we need the provision, funding and workforce to be fit for the future and deliver for children and young people.”
The Royal College recently met with Vicky Ford, Minister of State for Children and Families, to discuss access to therapies, and we will continue to work with governments across the UK to address the findings of the survey.
For more information contact ben.jackson@rcot.co.uk
The full survey can be found here.