CYP Now - Cost-of-living crisis 'impacting children’s access to occupational therapy'

Rising costs and financial pressures on families are making it increasingly more difficult for children and young people to access occupational therapy, a survey has found.

Financial pressures are leading families to miss appointments. Picture: andreaobzerova/Adobe Stock

Almost two thirds of paediatric occupational therapists surveyed said the cost-of-living crisis is worsening access as services, as parents prioritise earning money and cut back on activities that support their children’s mental health.

In addition, services are already stretched to further narrow access to support.

Among almost 700 children’s occupational therapists surveyed, four in five said there is limited access to therapy in their area. More than four in five said they had seen an increase in demand over the last year.

On average children and young people are waiting for more than 18 weeks to access occupational therapy services.

“These delays mean that children may not receive essential equipment at home, miss out on additional support for improving their writing skills, or even miss school due to heightened mental health needs,” warned the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), which has carried out the survey.

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