Helping children and young people maximise their potential

As a highly experienced Children’s Occupational Therapist who has dedicated 29 years to the field, Kate Hesketh is passionate about helping children reach their full potential through a child-centred, goal-oriented, and evidence-based approach. She works closely with parents, carers, and teachers to ensure that each intervention is maximally effective, providing a strong, supportive network for every child.

In addition to her hands-on work, she leads a small team of carefully selected associate OTs to deliver high-quality therapy services in clinic, schools, nurseries and family homes.

We are always looking for high quality OT's to join our team.

Services

From our practice in Muswell Hill, North London, Optimal Therapy Services (OTS) offers occupational therapy to children and young people to support development in:

Play and early learning skills
Sensory processing skills
Planning and organisational skills
Core and postural stability skills
Gross and fine motor skills
Handwriting skills
Visual perceptual skills
Problem solving and strategies
Concentration and attention

We work with a wide range of children including those with Developmental Coordination Disorder, Sensory Processing Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Down's Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. However, many of the children we work with have no diagnosis. We work with each child as a unique individual looking at their specific needs.

As a parent with a child who is struggling to manage daily tasks you will want to get to the heart of their difficulties, understand how to develop their skills and support them.

Assessments

An assessment teases out both functional difficulties and the foundations for those difficulties. We carry out assessments on children as young as a few months old up to secondary school age. Assessment takes about 2 hours of direct work as well as liaison with parents and school through questionnaires or consultation, after which a detailed report is sent to the parent. If necessary a detailed assessment can form part of an application for an Educational Health Care Plan. Assessments typically take place in the OTS clinic base.

For Parents

Treatment

Treatment can take many forms. Depending on the needs of the child as identified by the assessment, we develop an individual treatment plan which usually combines face-to-face OT sessions with a programme of home or school activities. OT intervention is most effective when integrated into everyday activities, so the exercises are designed to fit into the parent's and child's daily routine. Treatment sessions take place either in the OTS clinic room, school or the child's home.

Training

We have created and run a variety of training programmes that develop knowledge, understanding and practical solutions for children with difficulties such as sensory processing disorders, motor coordination difficulties and ADHD. Other training programmes support universal skills such as writing and early years preparation for school. Training is delivered to parents, teachers, SENDCos, teaching support staff and dyslexia and other specialist teachers in a variety of settings in many London boroughs and across the UK.

For Educationalists

As a SENDCo, headteacher, Nursery Manager or Early Years Development Manager you want to ensure your staff are fully able to support all children in your setting. We are seeing many more children coming into nursery or school with subtle difficulties that can impact on their ability to access learning.

Mentoring

Our mentoring schemes are one of the most effective way of supporting staff. They facilitate a deep understanding of difficulties, opportunity to develop assessment, intervention and evaluation to support children in the most effective way. These are modelled in real life settings giving both practice and theoretical understanding. This helps embed best practice. This mentoring model has been highly successful in nursery and pre-school settings as well as in primary schools.

Testimonials

"Parenting M has been a constant uphill struggle for years...a huge thank you for all your help so far. We feel like a functioning family which I’m so grateful for." CW

"Having worked with Kate as a teacher and SENCo, her classroom strategies are always practical and easy to implement and she works closely with all teaching staff ." MP

"Kate has provided comprehensive occupational therapy assessments for each of my three children and worked closely with us to implement recommendations." LC

"Thank you so much for all of the work that you have done with B, it has been incredibly helpful and meaningful for him. OT with you has been the most meaningful therapy he has had by a very long way and it has been incredibly important for B to know that you understand him and that you are his ally." JS

Team

Kate Hesketh

Director & Lead Occupational Therapist

Kate has 25 years experience as a therapist. She is passionate about working in collaboration with parents and teachers to facilitate progress.

Lana Makdisi

Senior Occupational Therapist

With 8 years paediatric occupational experience, Lana is also an advanced sensory integration practitioner. Has worked in the NHS and privately.

Norma-Eve Koopman

Senior Occupational Therapist

Norma has been a paediatric occupational for over 20 years. She is also an advanced sensory integration practitioner. Has worked in the NHS and privately.

Simon Hesketh

Practice Manager

Experienced business manager having run his own company for 25 years.

Resources

The handwriting exercise books

New clearer handwriting books

Build children’s writing skills and develop their confidence in written communication with our highlighted writing books!

As a paediatric occupational therapist for 29 years, many children who come to me struggle with handwriting. I created these unique books so that children learn how to size and orientate letters appropriately. They feature a shaded band, the height of which is exactly half that of the distance between each line, encouraging children to keep lowercase letters within the band and uppercase letters within the two lines. Children no longer have to cope with confusing lines in standard ‘handwriting books’ and our A4 books can be cut down to a traditional handwriting practice book size or used as an integrated handwriting and writing book. By better facilitating the integration of ‘best’ handwriting into every day use, with each page children develop essential writing skills while enjoying the satisfaction of seeing their progress in real-time.

We have two styles of book. Our Stage 1 book, has been design specifically for children in Years 1 and 2. Our Stage 2 book has a narrower space between lines than the Stage 1 book and is designed for children in Years 2 and above.

“The highlighted writing books have been a lifesaver in the classroom for correcting and maintaining neat and well-presented handwriting." Harriet, Form 2, Tetherdown Primary School

"Using Kate's fantastic highlighted books has been revolutionary for the children who struggle with the mechanics and organisation of writing. Finally, something simple which can be implemented which has instant results and empowers children to be on a level playing field with their peers". Sinead, From 3, Norfolk House School