My World Therapy

18/07/2025

🎉 End of Academic Year Update 🎉

We are so proud of the impact of our specialist EHCP OT assessments!

✅ Robust, evidence-based EHCP reports
✅ Collaborative DCD/Dyspraxia diagnoses with private and NHS Paediatricians
✅ Highly successful SEN Tribunals

We have helped secure EOTAS (education other than at school) packages, special/independent school placements, and the support children need to thrive where they are.

Our therapists are highly skilled, they respect each child as an individual, and always work in partnership with parents. 💜

One of the greatest joys of our work is hearing from families after the hard work of the EHCP process is complete. We love receiving photos and updates of children settling into their new, more appropriate school placements—or thriving in carefully tailored EOTAS packages.

Seeing these children re-engage with learning, build confidence, and feel safe and understood again is exactly why we do what we do!

02/04/2025

World Autism Awareness Day!

On World Autism Awareness Day, I’m reflecting on two decades of working alongside autistic children and their families as an OT. I feel incredibly grateful for the privilege of spending time with and learning from each child—their creativity, unique perspectives, and authenticity inspire me every day. It is an honour to support them on their journey, today and always.

09/07/2024

A massive thank you!

The school year has absolutely flown by and as we approach the summer holidays, I just want to say a big thank you to all the children, parents and schools I work with.

To the children I work with:
“You are all unique and amazing. You put the biggest smile on my face”.

To the parents I work with:
“You are experts in your child, and it is a privilege to work alongside you to make sure that the right support is in place for your child”.

To the schools I visit:
“Thank you for welcoming me and for helping me to make sure that OT recommendations are embedded across the child’s day”.

I have the best job and I am so lucky to get to meet and spend time with you all! 😀

07/02/2024

Our Therapy Practice in Harlow, Essex

01/12/2023

I really like this checklist from the Autism Education Trust '10 ways to create an Inclusive Festive Classroom'.

Let’s make sure everyone enjoys this festive season!🎄

As excitement builds in the run-up to the festive season, changes to the familiar school environment, timetable and sensory stimulation can be overwhelming for many autistic children and young people.

Spontaneous and festive activities that might be exciting for non-autistic pupils can create anxiety and stress for your autistic learners, which can result in overwhelm leading to autistic meltdown or shutdown.


Our easy read 10-point checklist can help guide you to make those all-important environmental adjustments.

Share our festive tips with your colleagues and let's create inclusive environments that all autistic learners can enjoy.

More FREE resources to support your day to day practice can be found here ➡️ www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/resources

07/09/2023

We are very excited to be moving into our new therapy practice at Greenways Business Centre in Harlow!

Greenway Business Centre welcomes our new customers Vent Engineering and My World Therapy. Also a shout out to Nicola Court - Traditional Chinese Acupuncture and massage for opening their second practice. Another beautiful day in .

07/09/2023

My Summer Reading: Autism in Heels by Jennifer Cook

During my career as an Occupational Therapist, I have worked with many autistic girls and have learned so much from each of their stories. The girls I have worked with have often been misunderstood and diagnosis has often come late. For a number of these girls, years of ‘Masking’ or ‘Camouflaging’ (suppressing of autistic behaviours) has taken its toll and has negatively impacted their emotional wellbeing.

During my summer break I read and was super impressed by ‘Autism in Heels’ by Jennifer Cook (previously Jennifer Cook O’Toole). Jennifer was diagnosed with Autism at age 35 and in her book she bravely and honestly shares her life journey pre and post diagnosis.

Personal accounts such as Jennifer’s are so important in helping us to develop our understanding and to adapt/update the support we offer as professionals. Jennifer describes how autistic girls often have the same interests as their non-autistic peers but that the level of intensity they have in these interests may be far higher. She also gives clear insights into her experiences of the sensory environment and how this has affected/ continues to affect her daily life.

Jennifer’s book is another hugely important step forward in understanding how autistic girls may present differently to boys and in reframing autism as a difference rather than a disorder. I hope that Jennifer’s book will empower autistic girls and women to recognise and share their strengths. I also hope that it will increase the ‘autism-friendly’ support provided by all those around them.

Jennifer’s book made me laugh and it made me cry. It made me think of all the wonderful autistic girls that I have been fortunate enough to meet, each one of them individual and each one of them amazing!

06/08/2023

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 (𝐄𝐇𝐂𝐏)?

An EHCP is a legally binding document that describes all the special education, health and care needs of a child or young person and details the extra help and support they will need to learn.

𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐭 (𝐎𝐓) 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐇𝐂𝐏?

OTs assess for any sensory processing and/or motor skills
differences/difficulties which are impacting upon a child’s participation at home and school.

As sensory processing and motor skills differences/difficulties are very common in Autistic children and those with ADHD, Developmental Coordination Disorder/Dyspraxia and Developmental Delay, it is very important for evidence and recommendations from an OT to be included in an EHCP.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐓 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐇𝐂𝐏?

In our experience, to be able to clearly understand and detail a child’s needs for an EHCP, the OT needs extensive postgraduate training and clinical experience as a Children’s OT, extensive experience of completing EHCP assessments and of writing high quality EHCP reports.

𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞) 𝐎𝐓 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭?

Input for an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) can be provided by a private OR statutory (NHS or Local Authority) OT. The OT, regardless of their professional setting, is required to provide recommendations based on the individual needs of the child and not the resources available.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐎𝐓 𝐄𝐇𝐂𝐏 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩?

At My World Therapy, all our OTs have extensive experience and post graduate training.

Our OT EHCP reports:

• Help families to secure the right educational placement for their child.
• Help children to gain one to one support from a Learning Support Assistant to ensure that OT recommendations are fully implemented at school.
• Result in recommended OT provision being included in Section F of the EHCP, meaning that children receive the follow up OT they need.
• Help parents and school staff to understand the child’s unique sensory and physical needs.

𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬:

‘𝘞𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵; 𝘴𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥’𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥’.

‘𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵, 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘏𝘊𝘗’.

‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩! 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘏𝘊𝘗’.

‘𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘣 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺’.

02/07/2023

Mummy goes to work to play!

My children think that it is very funny that I go to work to play. They are fascinated by the toys I use for therapy sessions and often ‘borrow’ them. They notice how my therapy bag looks very different for each session and I have explained to them that this is because every child is different.

My therapy bag may just look like a bag of exciting toys but in truth each toy/activity has been very carefully selected to engage the child and to work on their unique Occupational Therapy goals.

My children are right, I do go to work to play. Play is the most important occupation of the child. Children learn and practice new skills through play and they develop a sense of self.

During the last year, I have worked on OT goals by playing hide and seek, dressing teddies in clothes, having my hair plaited like a Disney princess, losing several games of Connect 4 (not intentionally) and by pretending to be Super Mario (as requested by the child). I have had a lot of fun!

I am taking this summer holidays off to play with my own children. They are growing up quickly! All of our My World Therapy OT Team will be ‘recharging their batteries’ over the summer holidays so we are ready in September, to play with your children again and to help them to smash their OT goals.

02/04/2023

World Autism Awareness Day 2nd April 2023

Today is World Autism Awareness Day which promotes increasing understanding and acceptance of Autistic People.

It was an honour to be asked by AUTISM ADVOCATE Parenting Magazine to write an article on ‘Improving Sensory Environments for Autistic Children’.

You can read the article here:https://myworldtherapy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Improving_Sensory_Envirnments_for_Autistic_Children.pdf



https://www.autismadvocateparentingmagazine.com/

26/03/2023

Searching for a new My World Therapy practice...

The owners of our lovely little therapy practice in Cole Green unfortunately sold the building and the new owners are not taking on tenants.

We are busy searching for our new longer term home. This is not straightforward as most commercial properties are either designed for retail, office or industrial purposes and are far from ideal for the wonderful children, young people and families we work with.

We are looking for a 'sensory friendly' and 'family friendly' therapy practice. We need the environment to be quiet but our neighbours need to at times be tolerant of a little noise. We also know that having parking nearby is really important for families.

In the meantime, while our search continues, we are using a small hall in the beautiful village of Brickendon, near Hertford. There is free parking right outside and the hall is directly opposite the village green and play park.

16/03/2023

Another fantastic Autism Documentary on BBC last night:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001k31t

This programme made me think of all of the brave Autistic girls I have been fortunate enough to work with. Their journeys have sadly often been incredibly tough, they have been misunderstood and their families have often not been listened to.

I hope that programmes like this will bring greater understanding, acceptance and support!

Christine uncovers a hidden world of autistic women who, like her, have been ignored.