School-Based OT

Question 1

Purpose of Social Skills group

Answer 1

build friendships and handle social situations by teaching positive social interactions and coping strategies

Skills include:
★ effective communication
★ taking turns
★ sharing
★ resolving conflicts
★ understanding emotions
★ self-awareness

Question 2

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Answer 2

Process for helping children gain critical skills for life effectiveness, such as developing positive relationships, behaving ethically, and handling challenging situations.

SEL help children to recognize and manage emotions, think about their feelings and how they should act, and regulate behavior based on thoughtful decision-making.

Question 3

Interventions that may support a small group of students who are at high risk for mental health challenges

Answer 3

1. Group projects to develop peer relationships
   - help students identify coping mechanisms to be used during occupational engagement
2. Exploration of hobbies & leisure activities
   - encourages awareness of stress responses, promotes organization, & social engagement with others
3. Providing strategies including organization & communication strategies to address assignment completion
   - encourages students to verbalize needs & promote organization

Question 4

What are some appropriate steps to take if a student has been identified to have a mental health challenge?

Answer 4

1. Develop a behavioral intervention plan
2. Collaborate with school-based mental health providers to implement consistent interventions

Question 5

Why would providing additional 1:1 intervening services be appropriate for a student demonstrating at high risk behavior of developing mental health challenges?

Answer 5

★ may allow for accommodations (e.g. additional time to complete assignments, adapted way to complete assignments based on needs)

★ support mental wellbeing & successful engagement in school

★ adapt routines in classroom & at home

Question 6

A parent reported that their child becomes overwhelmed & stressed with evening homework, cries daily, misplaces homework, has trouble remembering what assignments need to be completed, and comes home with many assignments that were intended to be completed during the school day.

How might the OTR support the parent and the child in the home environment?

Answer 6

★ Modify routines at home to create a positive experience around homework

• promotes mental wellbeing
• determine HOW homework is completed
• determine WHEN homework is completed (may vary depending on student’s needs each day)
• provide parent with skills to modify routine to support student