Groups of
OTFC
Groups
Being part of a group helps children to build valuable skills
At the OTFC group we understand the scope for providing therapy and services within a group-based format. Groups are a great opportunity for your child to develop social and communication skills whilst participating in activities of interest. Each group is run by an Occupational Therapist.
Expressions of interest for groups are sent out each term via email. From here you will be informed whether or not your child’s application for the group is successful.
For more information visit our Contact Us page here, 08 8410 4522 or email admin@otfc.com.au.
Dance
OTFC Dance Factory
Purpose
- Motor planning
- Visual perception skills
- Body awareness
- Sequencing
- Postural control
- Social skills
- Ideational praxis.
Cost involved
- The cost of the group is $40.00 per session (NDIS rebate full amount) + $15 for a t-shirt
- If you are not able to attend a session, the full group cost will be charged
Eligibility criteria:
- Existing clients only (have completed an OTFC Group Assessment)
- Parent attendance during session is not required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
Basketball
Basketball Group
Purpose
- To create a safe space for children to develop their gross motor, sequencing,
bilateral motor coordination, and motor planning skills through an identified interest of basketball.
- To create a safe space for children to socialise and develop social and communication skills.
- To facilitate a transition into organised basketball/ social clubs.
- To promote and engage team building, decision making, and co-regulation.
Aim of the group
- 1 hour session, max 6 clients per group
- Made up of warm ups/drills
- Social skill exercise/partner activity
- Team workout/group activity
- Warm down/debrief
Cost involved
- The cost of the group is $75.00 per session, and $750 per term, (NDIS rebate full amount). This price may be subject to change once location is finalised
- If you are not able to attend a session, the full group cost will be charged
Eligibility criteria
- Existing clients only (have completed an OTFC Group Assessment)
- Parent attendance during session is not required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
Social
Social skills Group
8-10 years
Purpose
This group has been designed to encourage more dynamic and organic social scenarios and interactions. These groups have been developed to build on previous social skill experiences and provide an opportunity to improve social skills and use a multisensory approach to work on a number of skills.
The term will aim to focus on the following Social Skill areas
- Turn taking behaviour and conflict resolution
- Tackle topics such as developing friendships, using empathy, personal space, engaging in conversations
- Introduce concepts around digital safety and technology
- Emotional understanding and ability to express emotions
- Develop leadership skills, teamwork and collaborative skills
- Ability to regulate arousal and emotion levels
- Further physical and motor skills in a social space
- Build individual confidence in a social setting
The areas will be explored in a number of ways within the OTFC space
- Demonstrations and observations of effective social skills
- Group discussion and communication with others
- Utilising the Sensory Room space to undertake team building activities
- Exploration of simple forms of activity to support social interaction (e.g. cards, games)
- Written/verbal forms to assess and understand social skills (including quizzes and activity sheets)
Cost involved
- The cost of the group is $85.00 per session (NDIS rebate full amount)
- If you are not able to attend a session, the full group cost will be charged
Eligibility criteria
- Existing clients only (have completed an OTFC Group Assessment)
- Attending mainstream school
- Sensory / motor delay, ADHD, high functioning ASD, dyspraxia
- Parent attendance during session is not required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
Social Skills 11-13 years
Purpose
This group has been designed to encourage more dynamic and organic social scenarios and interactions. The group aims to build on previous explicit and module based social skill groups and social skills learnt in other context. These groups have been developed to provide an opportunity to improve social skills and use a multisensory approach.
The term will aim to focus on the following Social Skill areas
- Discussing Primary to High School transition
- Explore friendships in a new context
- Understanding bullying and antisocial behaviour
- Engaging in games and causal activities amongst friends
- Furthering conversational skills
- Explore issues around digital safety
- Emotional understanding and ability to express emotions
- Further team work, leadership and collaborative skills
- Ability to regulate arousal and emotion levels
- Further physical and motor skills in a social space
- Build individual confidence in a social setting
The areas will be explored in a number of ways within the OTFC+ space
- Role Playing and observation
- Group discussion and communication with others
- Utilising the Plus Park to undertake team building activities
- Exploration of simple forms of activity to support social interaction (e.g. cards, board games)
- Written/verbal forms to assess and understand social skills (including quizzes and activity sheets)
Cost involved
- The cost of the group is $85.00 per one hour session (NDIS rebate full amount).
- If you are not able to attend a session, the full group cost will be charged
Eligibility criteria
- Existing clients only (have completed an OTFC Group Assessment)
- Attending mainstream school
- Sensory / motor delay, ADHD, high functioning ASD, dyspraxia
- Parent attendance during session is not required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
Social Skills 14+ years
Purpose
This group has been designed to provide relevance for an older client group. The aim is to combine informal discussion and encourage organic social scenarios and interactions. Exploring further topics pertinent to this age group.
The term group focus on the following areas
- Exploring future, plans beyond school and the ‘world’
- Discuss part time work and money management
- Friendships – existing and developing new ones in other contexts
- Social and personal independence
- Clear decision making in the face of peer pressure
- Exploring diagnoses and challenges associated with these
- Relationships, sexuality and sexual health
- Engaging in games and causal activities amongst friends
- Understanding digital safety and use of technology
- Further physical and motor skills in a social space
- Build confidence in conversations with a variety of people
- Develop team work and collaborative skills
The areas will be explored in a number of ways within the OTFC+ space
- Role Playing and observation
- Group discussion and communication with others
- Utilising the Plus Park to undertake team building activities
- Exploration of simple forms of activity to support social interaction (e.g. cards, board games)
- Written/verbal forms to assess and understand social skills (including quizzes and activity sheets)
- Community access, where applicable, to explore and build on covered skills
Costs involved
- The cost of the group is $85.00 per one hour session (NDIS rebate full amount)
- If you are not able to attend a session, the full group cost will be charged
Eligibility criteria
- Existing clients only (have completed an OTFC Group Assessment)
- Attending mainstream school
- Sensory / motor delay, ADHD, high functioning ASD, dyspraxia
- Parent attendance during session is not required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
16+ years Social Skills
Purpose
This group has been designed to provide relevance for an older client group. The aim is to combine informal discussion and encourage organic social scenarios and interactions. The aim is to further explore topics pertinent to this age group.
The term will aim to focus on the following Social Skill areas
- Future options and plans beyond school
- Friendships – existing and developing new ones in other contexts
- Furthering understanding of financial and job independence
- Social and personal independence
- Engaging in games and causal activities amongst friends
- Exploring diagnoses and challenges associated with these
- Relationships and sexuality
- Understanding digital safety and use of technology
- Further physical and motor skills in a social space
- Build confidence in conversations with a variety of people
- Develop team work and collaborative skills
The areas will be explored in a number of ways within the OTFC+ space
- Role Playing and observation
- Group discussion and communication with others
- Utilising the Plus Park to undertake team building activities
- Exploration of simple forms of activity to support social interaction (e.g. cards, board games)
- Written/verbal forms to assess and understand social skills (including quizzes and activity sheets)
Cost involved
- The cost of the group is $85.00 per session (NDIS rebate full amount)
- If you are not able to attend a session, the full group cost will be charged
Eligibility criteria
- Existing clients only (have completed an OTFC Group Assessment)
- Attending mainstream school/open access school/Uni/TAFE, work
- Sensory / motor delay, ADHD, high functioning ASD, dyspraxia
- Parent attendance during session is not required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
Cooking
OTFC Pantry
Cooking Group (10+)
Purpose
The OTFC Pantry aims to develop functional independence in the kitchen, a long-term life skill.
The group aims to explore
- Kitchen safety
- Hygiene practices
- Knife skills
- Measurements
- The use of a utensils and appliances
- Social skills & team work
- Following multi-step procedures
- Complete meal preparation
- Increased self-confidence
Group members will also accumulate a ‘cooking journal’ of simplified recipes supporting task break down and visual resources to encourage continued independence in the home.
We plan to run as a small group of 4 participants to ensure adequate support and supervision is provided.
Eligibility criteria
- Existing OTFC Group clients (have completed an OTFC Assessment)
- Targeted at adolescents, 10+ years of age
- Attending/attended mainstream schooling
- Parent attendance during the session is not required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
Cost involved
- The cost of the group is $55.00 per session (10 weeks). NDIS rebate full amount
- A cooking essential box ($55) will also be required to be purchased prior to the first group. This box will include 10+ utensils, apron, oven mit, scales and cooking journal folder)- if purchased previously, you will not need to purchase again
- If you are not able to attend a session, the full session cost will be charged
Adolescent Girls
GIRL GANG
Age 11-13 and 14-15 (alternate terms)
Purpose
OTFC’s ‘Girl Gang’ group has been developed for adolescent females who are seeking extra support and understanding around personal and social challenges, as well as discussions on topics that arise as they get older. This group will combine social, emotional and functional activities to support their learning and confidence in such areas as friends, relationships, school, puberty and health and well-being. The group will support the engagement of organic conversations while performing functional and interest-based tasks such as cooking, art, nails, yoga and community access.
The areas of conversation addressed in the group:
- Meaningful and positive friendships – what makes a true friend
- ‘Frenemies’- what this might look like
- Puberty
- Health and diet
- Mental wellbeing
- Home dynamics
- School relationships
- Appropriate social media use
- Social interactions
Cost involved
- The cost of the group is $75.00 per session (NDIS rebate full amount)
- If you are unable to attend a session, the full group cost will be charged
Eligibility criteria
- Existing clients only (have completed an OTFC Group Assessment)
- Parent attendance during session is not required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
Experiences
OTFC Wonder Years
OTFC Wonder Years – Aged 3-5 years
What a child experiences in the first years of life matters A LOT! As a parent, how would you like to build your understanding of a thriving child and be involved in their learning and development?
OTFC Group would like to introduce to you: WONDER YEARS. A class-based program for children aged 3-5, that involves developmentally appropriate activities designed to target sensory foundations and increase motor and social skills.
Sensory foundation pillars targeted in WONDER YEARS that support social skills and motor and development:
Vestibular sense:
Responsible for balance, posture and complex skill development. Wonder Years will focus on an array of movement opportunities that employ this sense for success.
Tactile sense:
Touch is essential for a child’s performance in physical abilities, cognitive and language skills, and social and emotional development. Aim is to have parents understand what touch opportunities can be adopted in the home space.
Proprioceptive sense:
Allows us to know where our body is in space and will be explored in the group through heavy muscle work activities that link to development of self- regulation, co-ordination, posture, body awareness, the ability to focus and speech.
Auditory sense:
Hearing and listening are crucial during childhood and are closely linked to learning. This will be targeted through music and sound and processing of instructions.
Visual sense:
Important for comprehending what a child sees to identifying, judging its use or importance and connecting it with other senses. Wonder Years will afford stimulating visual processing opportunities to develop this sense.
Brought to you by an OT and specialist in the child development field, WONDER YEARS wishes to help educate and collaborate with parents through meaningful play.
Date & Time
- Wednesday Mornings
Cost involved
- $54 per session
Eligibility Criteria
- Existing clients only (have completed an OTFC Group Assessment)
- Client can have diagnoses and can manage group-based sensory rich settings
- Parent attendance during session is required
- Able to attend the group for 10 weeks
Camp
Camp Evolve
What is Camp Evolve
This is a Camp about growth and accomplishment, where every child is given the opportunity to engage in a real-life experience within an intensive therapy context. CampEvolve provides an opportunity that allows children and young adults to engage in a new experience that is supported by professionals.
What to expect at Camp EVOLVE
OTFC Clients will have the opportunity to participate in a three-day program to improve their sensory-motor skills and engage with their environment in a meaningful and purposeful way.
Campers will be provided with opportunities to engage in a range of therapeutic activities
- Develop camper’s gross and fine motor skills
- Develop social skills including their ability to negotiate conflict
- Ability to be responsible and organised
- Confidence and functional capacity
- New friendships
