The Joint Multidisciplinary Approach

At Foundations First we work across our professional boundaries, using our individual expertise to work together directly with your child.  This joint approach combines a range of skills from both disciplines, to create a unique environment tailored to the individual needs of your child.

Occupational Therapy 
Occupational therapy applies specialist knowledge and understanding of the sensory systems, as well as physical, cognitive, and emotional development, to maximise a child's engagement, achievement and independence.  Intervention aims to gain the functional skills in play, motor skills development, self-care and socialising in the home and wider environment. These skills are necessary for the child to participate in their daily life.

​​Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and language therapy addresses specific aspects of development and communication, including how we understand and use words to communicate.  To be a successful communicator requires the child not only to develop language skills, but also to have acquired many early foundation skills such as engagement, attention, and sensory processing.  These skills are essential for development, function, and learning.  Frequently, speech and language/communication difficulties are combined with other skill challenges, such as sensory processing and motor coordination

At Foundations First, we value the joint therapy approach. This allows us to draw on the specialist knowledge from both professional fields, to fully appreciate your child’s strengths and challenges and understand how they function holistically.

Benefits of Joint Working

• Quality
  As clinicians, we find the quality of information attained from joint multidisciplinary assessment/intervention gives us the insight on how the child functions.
• Time Management
  Families do not have to repeatedly share the same sensitive information with different disciplines.  Joint working reduces the number of separate appointments parents are required to attend.
• Outcomes
  The combined knowledge of parents and therapists working jointly, allows for integrated and realistic goal setting.  It allows us to intervene at an earlier stage, developing essential foundation skills for future learning.​
• Relationships
  This joint problem solving with parents, builds relationships and supports them on their journey in understanding their child’s profile and how best to use therapeutic strategies in the wider home environment.​