Participate in study on sensory integration

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Dear Pediatric OTs, My name is Samantha Seaton and I am an occupational therapist completing a PhD in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. My thesis is focused on understanding knowledge uptake in the area of pediatrics. In particular, I am interested in understanding how practice decisions are made. One part of my thesis work is focused on understanding the use of sensory integration therapy (and sensory integration-informed treatment) in Canadian pediatric occupational therapy private practice. I am writing to request your participation in an interview study designed to understand decision-making around sensory integration therapy use*. We are recruiting occupational therapists who have clinical experience using sensory integration or sensory integration-informed therapy with pediatric clients. For more information, please see the attached flyer. As a participant in this study, you will be asked to take part in a single, one-hour online interview, during which you will be asked a series of questions designed to gain an understanding of the factors that influence your therapy decisions.   In appreciation of your time commitment, you will receive a $30 gift card to your choice of the following: Indigo/Chapters, Amazon.ca, Tim Hortons, or Starbucks. If you are interested in participating, please email me at samantha.seaton@mail.utoronto.ca. At that time, I will contact you to set up a phone appointment to discuss the study further. Thank you in advance for considering this invitation.  *This study has received ethical approval from both the University of Toronto and McGill University Research Ethics Boards.  ---------------------------------------------------

Rent your M-ABC etc please

 Hi OT's, 

I am hoping to collaborate with some of the OT's in Calgary. I would like to get in touch with OTs who own assessment kits that they would be interested in occasionally renting to me. I am currently looking to rent a movement ABC assessment kit for ~2 days to complete an assessment. 

If you own this assessment or another movement assessment (BOT-2) and are interested in sharing it with me - please email me at allison@risepediatrics.com 

Thanks so much!

Allison 

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Allison Miron, M.Sc. OT(c) 

Registered Occupational Therapist

403.466.1315

allison@risepediatrics.com

education budget affected you? please let them know

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See Below: No Cuts for Kids campaign

Response from government is that the budget should not be affecting people with disabilities. 

If the budget has affected you please let them know. 

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No Cuts For Kids Campaign from SAOT

 

The Society of Alberta Occupational Therapists (SAOT) supports equality for all children living in Alberta. Alberta’s children and families are facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Added to these stressors are UCP announcements to reduce funding for early education supports, including occupational therapy (OT) services, for children who are most at risk of being left behind. What happened to the PUF Grants Program? Program Unit Funding (PUF), which follows children through early education, will no longer apply to kindergarten students. The program was reduced to two years from a three-year model (now only available to children aged two years eight months to four years and eight months) Previously, children up to age five years and 11 months could qualify. Instead, the funding will be rolled into the new Specialized Learning Support Grant, which allocates money in a general envelope for the entire school. The new Specialized Learning Support Grant will only support those children with severe disabilities or severe language delays. This means that many children with moderate delays in language and motor skills may no longer receive occupational therapy supports as they may not qualify for the Specialized Learning Support Grant. The total amount of funding available for children who have a severe delay is now decreased because access to funding is based on how many hours of programming the child receives under this new model. Virtually no pre-Kindergarten aged children attend school for a full day resulting in substantially reduced funding available. Don't Let "At Risk" Children Fall Behind Occupational therapy services play an integral role in school classrooms and in Early Childhood Services (ECS) programs in particular. In the absence of OT support in ECS, children who are currently “at risk” are more likely to develop complex needs and face the reality of not being able to “catch up” to their same-aged peers. We define “at risk” children as those children experiencing physical, cognitive and/or emotional barriers to success. Read our Position Statement Will You Help? SAOT has launched a comprehensive campaign to let politicians know that funding needs to be reinstated this school year. We are calling on stakeholders, parents, teachers and concerned residents to take action.  Visit No Cuts for Kids and share your concerns with MLAs and School Board Chairs in just a few clicks. As one of the key stakeholders we have identified, your organization can help by 1. Sharing this campaign with your members, friends, associates 2. Sharing this campaign on your social media Please take a few minutes to voice your concerns and help ensure access to supports for children are put back in place this school year.

No Cuts for Kids Society of Alberta Occupational Therapists advocacy@saot.ca