Therapy Goals 4 Kids

01/01/2026

Wishing everyone a fantastic 2026 🥳🎉
Happy New Year from all the team at Therapy Goals 4 Kids.

We have a very busy year ahead as always, but wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you to all of our families and supporters over 2025!

Our website is still currently a bit of an on-going project, apologies for the delay!

In 2025, we have provided a record number of training sessions into local schools, nurseries & childminders on both sides of the border and received more referrals for children this year than previous years.

We also provided a record number of assessments & treatments in 2025 for children who required much needed support. We see children from newborn babies to younger adults in their 20s.

Our Health Education classes for children & young people will begin again soon (dates to follow). We have welcomed a few Physiotherapy, Children's Nursing & Health Visitor students to the practice too.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us & the business since 2021 💛.

Claire, Jess & Hannah x

31/12/2025

As we say in Scotland - Lang May Yer Lum Reek 🎊🥂

Happy New Year to all the amazing families we have been lucky enough to work with since we opened in 2021.

Have a fabulous night and see you all soon.

The Therapy Goals 4 Kids Team (Claire, Jess & Hannah) xx

31/12/2025

The brain is most adaptable and receptive to change in the early years, allowing the creation of new neural pathways.

Cerebral Palsy does not stop this little fella! Finley worked hard during this therapy session. We had a lovely joint morning with our Physio Hannah, followed by joint home visits in the afternoon with our OT Jess.

Finley managed to independently sit on the therapy bench without side supports 👏

As a Paediatric Therapist, I gain lots of information through clinical observation when working with Children. During this task, a few adaptations were made. We continually assess and plan for future sessions to help our little ones achieve their goals.

Finley worked on:

💫 Sitting Balance & Posture
💫 Postural Responses
💫 Postural Control & Stability
💫 Motor Control & Effective Movement Patterns
💫 Reducing any Atypical Coodination strategies from becoming established, which are much harder to change in later life
💫 Active stretch of upper limbs
💫 Strength in upper and lower limbs
💫 Crossing Midline
💫 Visual Motor Development (Hand-Eye Coodination & Visual Perception)
💫 Visual Discrimination (utilising the size, colour and positioning of the stacker cups)
💫 Cognitive & Social Growth
💫 Developing Play Skills

30/12/2025

Maintaining sitting balance for a child with neurological challenges requires a combination of core strength, proprioception, reflex integration, head control and specialised positioning/equipment, focusing on activities like weight shifting, using therapy balls, peanuts, balance boards, reaching games, and deep breathing to build trunk stability for functional tasks like playing or eating. A multi-disciplinary approach with physiotherapists is key, often using adaptive seating to support their posture.

It is important this skill is practiced out of equipment too (if possible). Your Paediatric PT or OT will be able to assess and advise further. Little Ella here has specialist seating for tabletop activities and floor sitting. She is making fabulous progress, now managing independent sitting for over a minute, from just a few seconds! Her mum Kerry works hard at her therapy goals in between our sessions.

28/12/2025

💙Are you expecting your first baby in 2026?
💙Are you getting ready to be a parent?
💙Are you thinking about weaning?

Book a private parent first aid class and learn vital skills with friends and family in the comfort of your own home ❤️

Suitable for new & expecting parents, seasoned pros and grandparents!

Perfect for antenatal groups to get together and do too 😀

The class focuses on babies & children and includes:
👉how to deal with choking
👉cpr & recovery position
👉allergies & poison
👉head injuries
👉burns & bleeds
👉meningitis

Book now: 📧 carlisle@daisyfirstaid.com

£30 per person for groups of 6 or more

28/12/2025

Handwriting & practicing letters should never be forced and if you have concerns regarding your school aged child's handwriting, please reach out to a paediatric therapist. There can be many reasons why a child may find this activity challenging.

Children should first have access and lots of opportunities through play to work on upper limb strength and core stability.

Key Physical Capabilities required:

Fine Motor Skills:

💫 Hand & Finger Strength: Needed to hold and control a pencil, applying the right pressure.

💫 Finger Dexterity: Moving fingers independently for precise letter formation (like the tripod grip).

💫 Pencil Control: Manipulating the pencil accurately for clear lines and shapes.

Gross Motor & Postural Control:

💫 Core Strength & Shoulder Stability: Provides a stable base to allow for controlled arm and hand movements, preventing fatigue.

💫 Trunk & Neck Support: Helps children sit upright and maintain focus.

Visual-Motor & Coordination:

💫 Hand-Eye Coordination: Linking visual input with hand movements for accurate drawing and writing.

💫 Visual Memory/Processing: Remembering letter shapes and how to form them.

Body Awareness:

💫 Crossing the Midline: Reaching across the body to perform tasks.

💫 Proprioception: Understanding body position and force application.

25/12/2025

24/12/2025

Happy Christmas to all of our lovely families and work colleagues. As we wrap up a very busy 2025, we would like to share with you some of our achievements over the last 12mths that have supported children's physical and mental health. Over one thousand assessments completed in 2025! 😊

Our Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service has really taken off in 2025. Our Jess is very busy! Jess has recently completed a training course advancing her Sensory Integration Practice. Jess has been working in clinic, in little one's homes, nurseries and schools. She has been working on lots of service development recently too, which includes new training/education packages for school staff (more details to follow I'm the new year)

Claire is very busy managing the practice, but still trying to do as much hands on assessments and treatments as she possibly can. Claire has recently completed further advanced practice courses in Paediatric Neurology, Management & Treatment of Paediatric Bladder and Bowel conditions and has DMI training booked in early 2026.

We introduced our new Sensory Integration Therapy Programme in 2025 and it has been amazing, with some really good feedback - thank you. We have many more SI assessments booked in Jan/Feb 2026.

Our Teen Pilates classes are going well, we welcomed a couple of new faces too. Our Hydrotherapy service across both sides of the border is also going well - we are now working closely with 6 pools.

Our Physio Hannah has been spending time shadowing Claire and learning lots on Paediatric Complex Needs and Development.
Hannah has also been busy completing business administration and developing new resources/leaflets for us.

We are so proud of everything we have achieved so far and excited to work on new ventures that will follow in 2026. None of it would be possible without all of the brilliant support we have from everyone we work with and the amazing families who continue to use our services.

Have a wonderful Christmas 🎄 🎅.
Love from Claire, Jess & Hannah x

21/12/2025

We are getting ready to sign off for a few days from Christmas Eve. Today is a full admin day and you'll all be hearing from me re Jan/Feb appointments (if you haven't already had these arranged).

It is an absolute pleasure working with all of our amazing families, schools and nurseries across both sides of the border. We hope you all have a fabulous Christmas and New Year 🎅🎄🥂

Love from the Therapy Goals 4 Kids Team, Claire, Jess & Hannah xx

09/12/2025

Scissors skills are a very important developmental skill in children, but it has to be functional and safe when working on an activity!

Some 3 & 4 year olds may have the ability to use small scissors, but this skill is not fully developed until approximately 6yrs of age. Developing scissor skills in early childhood helps children build hand strength, coordination and focus. Simple activities like cutting playdough or making fringe on paper, help build grip strength and hand control.

No matter the motor skill ability, there are different type of scissors that supports that ability or skill development. A paediatric OT or PT can assess your child's ability and provide advice. Cutting skills, like writing, are a foundational fine motor skill. Just as you would spend time selecting the right pen/pencil, makeup, hair accessory, or pair of shoes, it is important to select the correct types of scissors!

This is especially important if your child has fine motor delays, hand weakness, difficulty with motor planning/coordination, small/large/irregular hands, or a diagnosis impacting their skills.

Here are a few real life examples:

Lula is 4 years old with dwarfism. Her hands are tiny. At her school, Lula was provided with regular sized scissors, thus struggling to learn this important skill.

Izzy pictured below working on the skill, is using spring loaded scissors. Izzy has a diagnosis of paediatric stroke and has a weakness on one side of her body.

James is 7 and has Down Syndrome. Not only are his hands weak, but they are small. While care is taken to select the right shoes and clothes for him, selecting the right scissors is just as important.

Marcy is 5 year old and has cerebral palsy, limiting her hand and arm movements. She too should have extra consideration in the type of scissors that she uses.

06/12/2025

Developmental Physiotherapy 💪
Such a smiley boy is our Rudy!
Consolidating & learning new functional skills 👌

05/12/2025

We have been incredibly quiet lately! It has been such a busy few weeks for the team.

Overwhelmed with such lovely, kind gifts today. My last family this afternoon surprised me with these as it was our last session together after 6mths of input. It's always a positive when we can discharge a child from therapy but a sad one too!

Comment from parents today "You have given us hope when no one else listened, your report helped secure an accepted referral onto the ASD pathway & with CAMHS, when it was previously rejected. School feel much more confident in supporting her needs after your training and home life is so much more happier, we can't thank you enough"

A diagnosis is not required to receive support..if your child is struggling with their physical, sensory, cognitive and/or learning abilities, please reach out to discuss an assessment with one of our highly trained and experienced Paediatric Therapists.