Children are usually deeply curious – it’s how they learn, grow and develop. They are often curious about the environments surrounding them and how things within them work. We understand that this exploration can be very worrying for parents and caregivers, especially for those children who have additional needs and may find it difficult to understand risks, dangers and personal safety. Some children may also want to express their emotions and behavioural reactions differently.
Consider why your child is displaying unsafe behaviours in the home? Think about the behaviours through your child’s eyes and how you can ensure their safety without reducing any enjoyment in their day. For example, if your child is climbing up at the window to watch the traffic, is there a safe way for them to do this? Using a home safety checklist can also be useful and you can find these online on websites such as:
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
- National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
After you have followed these steps and allowed plenty of time to trial the different suggestions if there are still significant risks with your child's safety at home due to their disability, the Occupational Therapy team may be able to work with you and the team around your child to find other solutions. The service offers a tiered approach to home safety. Universal advice can be accessed using the links provided in this website including the home audit tool and recommendations. Targeted intervention may be offered in the form of support and advice to parents or other professionals involved.
Where a child has a disability, and structural adaptations are identified in line with the relevant legislation the children’s Occupational Therapy service may offer specialist intervention. Disability is defined as being ‘substantial and (having a) long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities’.
For these children, the Occupational Therapy service will work to support others involved with the child to maximise safe participation in meaningful activities in the least restrictive environment through structural adaptations. This work is always undertaken as a multidisciplinary team approach.
You may feel you require more support to understand your child's behaviours and how to help them manage. This would need to be explored before a referral to the occupational therapy team is considered. You may find further information at: