Trauma and the role of the school-based occupational therapist.

OT’s working in mental health know that trauma impacts on so many aspects of everyday life, making it the business of OT’s practicing across a range of settings.

This article “Trauma and the role of the school-based occupational therapist” by Colleen Whiting is about the role school-based OT’s can play in addressing trauma, using a sensory-based approach, to support participation and engagement in education.

This is Colleen’s second article, her earlier article; School Performance of Children who Have Experienced Maltreatment can be found if you click here.

“An occupational therapist’s role in the public school is to support the occupation of the student, which includes their education, social interactions, and play. All of these areas have been identified as affected by trauma. Due to their unique training and focus on function, occupational therapists are in an ideal position to help children in school who have experienced maltreatment”

Whiting, 2002