Staff in Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services are graduates of accredited University programs with specialty master’s or bachelor’s degrees and are regulated by professional colleges (College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario or the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario). All OT and PT staff at the TDSB also have experience in Pediatrics and School Based Practice.
Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Physiotherapists (PTs) provide services using a responsive, neurodiverse, identity-affirming, and strengths-based approach to improve inclusion and participation for students with special education needs. OT and PT staff support function and productivity with a focus on the following areas:
- Safety and Accessibility
- Activities of Daily Living - eating, dressing, toileting, hygiene, personal care, household skills
- Community Living Skills
- Pre-Vocational and Functional Life Skills
- Gross Motor Skills
- Fine Motor Skills
- Visual Perceptual Skills
- Sensory Processing and Regulation
- Social Skills and Play Skills
- Executive Function Skills and Work Habits - planning, organization, flexible thinking, working memory, self-control, self-monitoring
- Lifts, Transfers, and Back Care
- Posture, Alignment, and Ergonomics
- Adaptive Equipment and Assistive Technology - wheelchairs, walkers, standers, toilet supports, lifts, specialized software and computer hardware, etc.
- Mobility and Transportation
For more information, please contact the principal of your home school or refer to the Guide to Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for Parents/Guardians/Caregivers.