Skills for Life OT
Supporting children and young people to participate and develop skills for life in environments that matter to them.
Hi, I'm Emma, a Specialist Community Paediatric Occupational Therapist since 2008, supporting children and families at home, school and in the community. I provide individualised, strengths-based and neuro-affirming occupational therapy for children and young people from early childhood up to age 18 across Dún Laoghaire and South County Dublin.
I provide two main service areas: Paediatric Occupational Therapy and Paediatric Housing & Accessibility. Assessment and therapy can take place in the clinic, at home or at school.
Building skills for everyday life
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy helps children develop the skills they need to participate in everyday life — at home, at school and in the places that matter to them.
You know your child best. You may have noticed difficulties with coordination, handwriting, sensory processing, attention, emotional regulation, organisation or independence.
Sometimes it's simply that something doesn't seem to be working for your child, and you want to understand why.
That's where OT can help. I look at the whole child and their environment to understand what may be making things difficult and find practical ways to help them participate and develop skills for life.
Skills I can help develop
Can I Help Your Child?
Parents often recognise the day-to-day challenges before knowing there's support available. If any of these sound familiar, Occupational Therapy could help.
Getting dressed is a struggle
I teach dressing skills step-by-step using fun, motivating strategies.
Buttons and zips are difficult
I build the finger strength and coordination needed for fastenings.
Handwriting is messy
I work on pencil grip, letter formation, and writing stamina.
Holding a pencil is uncomfortable
I develop hand strength and find the right grip for your child.
Using cutlery is hard
I practice mealtime skills in a supportive, fun way.
They trip or fall often
I strengthen balance, coordination and body awareness.
Riding a bike is difficult
I build the motor planning and balance skills needed for cycling.
Noise or textures overwhelm them
I help children manage sensory sensitivities at their own pace.
Emotional regulation is difficult
I teach calming strategies and emotional awareness skills.
School mornings are stressful
I create routines that reduce stress and build independence.
Daily routines are challenging
I break tasks into manageable steps and build confidence.
Confidence is low
I celebrate small wins and build self-belief through achievable goals.
How I can help
I offer two distinct service pathways designed to guide and assist families navigating diverse challenges across home, educational and everyday settings.
Paediatric OT Services
Individualised, strengths-based and neuro-affirming occupational therapy for children from early childhood to 18. Supporting participation, skills and independence at home, school and in the community.
Learn morePaediatric Housing & Accessibility
Specialist OT assessment of your child's functional needs within their home environment. I provide clear recommendations and a written OT report to support housing applications and grant processes.
Learn morePaediatric OT service areas
How it works
You don't need to know exactly what your child needs before you get in touch. I'll help you work that out — starting with a free 15-minute Initial OT Consultation.
Initial OT Consultation
15 minutes · Google Meet. You tell me a little about your child, their strengths, what they're finding difficult, their home and school life, and what you'd like help with. Together, we'll decide what type of OT assessment or support is most appropriate.
Choosing the right assessment
I offer comprehensive OT assessments in the clinic or across your child's home and school environments, or a targeted assessment focused on a specific area of concern. We decide together what's most appropriate for your child.
What the assessment looks at
I may use standardised assessment, clinical observation, functional activities, parent/carer discussion, school information and previous reports. I look at how your child participates in the everyday activities that matter to them.
Your OT report
Following assessment, you receive a written OT report bringing together the assessment findings and practical recommendations for home and school, and, where appropriate, recommendations for further OT therapy.
From assessment to action
We discuss the report together. For some children, practical recommendations may be all that is needed. For others, ongoing intervention may be beneficial. Either way, you'll have clear, actionable next steps.
Therapy & parent coaching
Where therapy is recommended, I work towards specific goals, practise skills, introduce strategies and support carry-over into everyday life. Parent coaching can also be incorporated to help you support your child at home.
What happens next?
As your child develops and their needs change, I can review progress, adjust goals and provide ongoing support where appropriate. If a previous assessment is more than 12 months old, a review may be needed before new recommendations.
My Approach
Every child is different, and how they participate can change depending on their environment. This is at the heart of my approach — and the meaning behind Skills for Life OT.
Strengths-based
I focus on what your child can do and build from there, working with their interests and strengths.
Neuro-affirming
I respect neurodiversity and take a positive, affirming approach to understanding every child.
Family-centred
I work alongside parents, carers and school staff — everyone supporting the child in a consistent way.
Natural environments
Where possible, I like to understand your child in the environments that matter to them — home, school and community.
Whole child
I look at the whole child — their strengths, needs, interests and environment — not just an isolated skill or difficulty.
Community OT experience
Community paediatric OT since 2008, including 15 years within NHS services in London, followed by HSE and private practice in Dublin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to help you understand how I can support your child.
Tell me about your child
You don't need to have all the answers before you get in touch.
If you're concerned about your child's development, participation or everyday activities, tell me a little about what you're noticing. I'll get back to you using your preferred contact method and we can talk about what might be most appropriate for your child.