Frequently Asked Questions

No. You do not need a referral to access Occupational Therapy services. You are welcome to contact Play & Thrive directly to discuss your child’s needs and whether Occupational Therapy may be helpful.

Not at all. Many children benefit from Occupational Therapy without a formal diagnosis. If you’ve noticed your child finding everyday activities challenging, we’d be happy to discuss whether Occupational Therapy may be appropriate.

Occupational Therapy can support children who may be experiencing challenges with:

• Fine motor skills
• Handwriting
• Sensory processing
• Emotional regulation
• Self-care skills (dressing, toileting and feeding)
• Play skills
• Motor coordination
• Executive functioning
• School participation
• Building independence in everyday activities

If you’re unsure, we’d love to have a chat and help determine whether Occupational Therapy may be the right fit.

We work with children from infancy through to around 12 years old. If you’re unsure whether our services are suitable for your child, please get in touch.

Play & Thrive is a mobile Occupational Therapy service. We provide therapy in your child’s natural environments, including at home, school, kindergarten, childcare or within the community, depending on your child’s goals.

We provide mobile Occupational Therapy services throughout Brisbane and surrounding suburbs. If you’re unsure whether we travel to your area, please contact us and we’d be happy to let you know.

Yes. We love working collaboratively with educators and can provide therapy within schools, kindergartens and childcare settings where appropriate.

Your first appointment is all about getting to know your child and family. Typically, we would have a parent/guardian consult first without your child present. No one likes talking about your child’s challenges in front of them, so we find it best to discuss this first before involving your child. This also helps you identify if our therapist would be a good fit for your child before having to drag them to a bunch of appointments. We’ll discuss your concerns, your child’s strengths and interests, your goals and what you hope to get out of sessions. In the first session with your child the focus will be on gaining rapport and ensuring they see their OT sessions as fun and somewhere they want to come back to. Throughout this time we will also subtly observe your child through play and meaningful activities to gain a better understanding of their skills and support needs.

Absolutely. We believe parents and caregivers are the experts on their own children and value working together. Parent involvement is encouraged and may look different depending on your child’s goals and preferences.

That’s completely okay. Building trust and connection is an important part of therapy. We never expect children to participate before they feel comfortable. Instead, we take the time to get to know each child, follow their interests and create an environment where they feel safe, respected and ready to engage.

Where possible, we encourage arranging care for siblings so you and your child can get the most out of the session. However, we understand this isn’t always possible and are happy to discuss options that work for your family.

Where appropriate, we can offer telehealth consultations for parent coaching, reviews, meetings and some therapy services.

A neuroaffirming approach recognises that brains work in different ways and that neurodiversity is a natural part of human diversity. Rather than trying to change who children are, we focus on understanding their unique strengths, experiences and support needs while helping them participate meaningfully in everyday life.

Yes. We believe every child has strengths to build upon. Therapy is individualised to your child’s interests, abilities and goals, supporting confidence, independence and participation in activities that are meaningful to them.

Yes. We welcome children with a wide range of neurodevelopmental profiles, including Autism, ADHD and PDA profiles, some of our therapists have lived experience in these areas and are uniquely qualified to provide support to these wonderful kids.

Sensory processing refers to the way our brains receive, organise and respond to information from our senses. Some children may find certain sensations overwhelming, while others seek extra sensory input. Occupational Therapy can help children and families better understand these differences and develop practical strategies to support participation in everyday life.

Occupational Therapy can support children experiencing anxiety by helping them understand their emotions, develop regulation strategies, build confidence in everyday activities and identify environmental supports that reduce stress and overwhelm. We can also support you to whether a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist may be useful.

Yes. We provide a range of Occupational Therapy assessments tailored to your child’s needs and goals.

A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) is a comprehensive assessment that looks at your child’s strengths, support needs and functional abilities across everyday activities. These assessments are often completed to support NDIS funding applications and reviews.

Yes. We provide assessment reports, progress reports, Functional Capacity Assessments, letters of support and other documentation as required.

Yes. Report writing, assessments, consultation and other professional services completed outside of therapy sessions are charged in line with the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.

Yes. We welcome both self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants.

Yes. Private clients are always welcome.

Fees are charged in accordance with the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits for Occupational Therapy. This includes therapy sessions, assessments, report writing, consultation and other professional services completed on your behalf. Travel is also charged in accordance with current NDIS guidelines.

Depending on your level of cover, you may be able to claim Occupational Therapy through your private health fund. We recommend checking directly with your insurer.

We understand that sometimes appointments need to be changed. Please provide as much notice as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule. Our full cancellation policy will be discussed with you prior to commencing services.

Circle of Security Parenting is an internationally recognised, evidence-informed parenting program that helps parents better understand their child’s emotional needs, strengthen relationships and respond with greater confidence during challenging moments.

No. Our Circle of Security Parenting courses are open to all parents and caregivers, regardless of whether your child currently receives Occupational Therapy services with Play & Thrive.

Yes. While Circle of Security was developed for all families, at Play & Thrive we deliver the course through a strengths-based, neuroaffirming lens that recognises every child’s unique temperament, nervous system and way of experiencing the world.

Our availability changes throughout the year. Please contact us to discuss current availability and wait times.

Simply contact Play & Thrive by phone, email or through our website enquiry form. We’ll arrange an initial conversation to learn more about your child, answer any questions and discuss the next steps.