A Profile of Occupational Therapists Working in School-Based Practice in Australian Primary Schools.
Jill Jeremy, Ilektra Spandagou, Joanne Hinitt
PMID 38707514WHAT IT FOUND
Most school therapists in this sample worked one-on-one with young students, funded by the NDIS.
Few used whole-class or school-wide approaches, and many did not contribute to student education plans. The service model varied greatly by state and employer.
Key findings
01Direct one-on-one therapy was the most common service model, used by 61% of therapists, while whole-class or school-wide consultation was rare.
02The National Disability Insurance Scheme was the most common funding source, used by 76% of respondents, though this varied by state.
03Only 2% of therapists contributed to all education plans for their students, and 14% did not know which students had plans.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (108 therapists) and self-selected, so it may not represent all school-based occupational therapists in Australia. Only three states were included, and the distribution of respondents did not match national workforce statistics. The survey tool was newly developed and its psychometric properties are unknown. Data collection occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted school services and may have affected responses.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources were reported in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these findings represent the entire Australian school-based occupational therapy workforce. The sample was small, self-selected, and limited to three states, so the service models and funding patterns may not apply to your specific region or school setting.