Services

Occupational Therapy for Children – Newry & Cross-Border Families

Worried your child is finding everyday tasks harder than they should be?
Maybe handwriting takes forever, dressing causes daily frustration, or sensory overload makes school a struggle. You’ve tried your best to help but you’re not sure what else to do?

At Abil-OT, we specialise in helping children and young people build confidence, independence, and the everyday skills they need to thrive. We welcome families from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and every session is built around your child’s strengths, interests, and pace.

Why Parents Choose Abil-OT

  • Neuroaffirmative approach – we celebrate differences and work with your child’s natural strengths.

  • Child-led sessions – therapy is more effective when it’s fun, engaging, and respectful.

  • Cross-border experience – we work with families North and South and our therapists are registered with all essential regulatory bodies. 

  • Clear process and outcomes – no open-ended therapy with no direction. You’ll always know what we’re working on and why.

Our 3-Step Therapy Process

Step 1 – Initial Occupational Therapy Assessment

Every child starts with a full assessment so we can understand their strengths, challenges, and priorities. This may include:

  • Play-based and functional activities

  • Observation of motor skills, coordination, and sensory processing

  • Discussion with you to understand home and school life

  • Review of any existing reports or school information

You’ll get a comprehensive written report with practical recommendations for home and school.

Fee: £600 (includes written report and parent feedback session)
Deposit: £150 to secure your slot

Step 2 – Block of Therapy Sessions

After the assessment, we offer goal-focused therapy blocks (usually 6–8 weeks).
This approach gives:

  • Consistency and routine for your child

  • Clear goals agreed at the start of the block

  • Weekly feedback so you can support progress at home

Sessions may target:

  • Fine motor skills and handwriting

  • Gross motor coordination and balance

  • Sensory regulation and emotional wellbeing

  • Self-care skills (dressing, feeding, toileting)

  • School readiness and organisation

Step 3 – Review and Next Steps

In your final session of the block, we’ll:

  • Celebrate your child’s progress

  • Adjust goals where needed

  • Agree the best next step — another block, a short break, or discharge with a home programme

Who We Work With

We support children and young people with:

  • Autism and other neurodevelopmental differences

  • Dyspraxia / Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)

  • Sensory processing differences

  • ADHD and attention differences

  • Emotional regulation challenges

  • Delays in motor skills, play, or self-care

We also see children who do not have a formal diagnosis but need extra support to succeed in daily life.

Families from the Republic of Ireland

We welcome cross-border families and can guide you on accessing funding through the Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme (NIPHS) if applicable

Booking Your Child’s Assessment

Our appointments book up quickly. To secure your child’s slot, we require a £150 deposit, which is deducted from the assessment fee.
Once confirmed, we’ll send you a welcome pack with everything you need to prepare for your first visit.

📧 shauna.ot@outlook.com
📞 028 3005 3182