Paediatric scope of practice : an update

Introduction: Paediatrics is a core area of practice for Occupational Therapists in Australia. A lack of guidelines related to paediatric occupational therapy practice was highlighted in an environmental scan of Occupational Therapy Australia’s paediatric practitioners. A Paediatric Taskforce, convened as a sub-set of the National Professional and Practice Standards Committee, is currently developing position papers and guidelines to support Occupational Therapists working with children. Objectives: To present the development and progress of the draft Guidelines for Good Practice, and invite feedback as part of the guideline validation process Approach: A workshop involving consultation from participating paediatric occupational therapists in Australia will add to information gathered from the Paediatric Taskforce, literature review and surveys. This will guide the development of a good practice for paediatric occupational therapy practice. Practice implications: A good practice guide will direct practitioners, employers and the general public as to what to expect from Occupational Therapists working with children. This forum presents an opportunity for occupational therapists to contribute to its development