CPD Empower – Step into a CPD experience designed to move you forward
New Practice Essentials learning programs in aged care, pain and paediatrics
Celebrating OT Week
June 23-24, 2026
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Queensland
Call for Presentations Open
From Ideas to Impact
OT Exchange is Australia’s largest clinical conference for occupational therapists, bringing together real-world knowledge and approaches that strengthen everyday practice. Designed for the whole profession, it’s the must-attend event to connect, be inspired, and shape the future of occupational therapy together.
We welcome presentation submissions from clinicians, students and researchers that encompass an area of OT practice. Presentation submissions can include, but are not limited to:
• Project briefs
• Practical applications of evidence-based practice
• Case studies
• Quality improvement activities
• Research findings
• Stories and experiences
Key Dates
Call for Presentations Open 29 Aug 2025
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
To discuss how you can be involved, please send an email to advertising@otaus.com.au
Further Information
Please direct enquiries to:
Occupational Therapy Australia P: 1300 682 878 E: conferences@otaus.com.au
For more information on submissions and how to submit, visit: otausevents.com.au/otexchange2026/call-for-presentations
About Connections
Connections is a publication of Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA), the peak membership body representing occupational therapy in Australia.
Please contact advertising@otaus.com.au for advertising enquiries
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Disclaimer
This magazine is published as an information service and without assuming a duty of care. It contains general information only and, as such, it is recommended that detailed advice be sought before acting in any particular matter. The materials included in this newsletter by third parties are not attributable to Occupational Therapy Australia, and are not an expression of Occupational Therapy Australia’s views. Occupational Therapy Australia is not responsible for any printed expressions or views in any third parties’ inclusions. Any enquiries regarding inserts, advertisements or articles placed by these third parties should be directed to them.
Occupational Therapy Australia respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the country on which we live, learn and work.
President’s report
Priscilla Ennals | OTA President
It has been a short time since many of us gathered and connected at the National Conference. Those days together certainly lived up to the theme of ‘connect and collaborate’ and met our hopes that being together would provide some relief from the tough stuff and provide a mid-winter, rejuvenating boost.
We soaked in information and ideas, offloaded stressors, and reconnected with why we are in this profession. We looked backwards and forwards and remembered we are stronger together. We imagined greater future roles for robots, tech and AI, and reflected that ancient First Nations’ wisdom keeps showing us the way, if we are willing to listen, and act. The moving final panel encouraged us to think about looking after ourselves and this felt like an important way to finish.
It was fantastic to recognise and celebrate some longtime occupational therapy leaders during the conference; Professor Mandy Stanley delivering the Sylvia Docker Lecture and Professor Angus Buchanan’s keynote, and welcoming new Fellows, Professor Carol McKinstry, Professor Nicola Hancock, and Associate Professor Libby Callaway, into the OTA Research Academy were all highlights. It was equally exciting for me to witness so many new leaders stepping up, sharing thoughtfully conducted research and practice insights, fierce in their advocacy, challenging the profession to keep progressing.
Organised and informal social events gave us time to tune in to the real value of associations and associating – the people we know and those we meet and come to know. We talked and talked and talked, listened, laughed, smiled and wondered together. For some there were tears and hugs and fears shared.
We ate, drank, danced and explored some of Adelaide’s culture – I heard about delegates enjoying the gala dinner, Katy Perry, Port’s AFL game at Adelaide Oval, the central markets, late night gigs, the trees and gardens, and Viking treasures at the museum, all proving we are a diverse bunch with diverse occupational interests.
It is a scientific conference, but I was reminded again of how much more it offers occupational therapists at any stage of their career. Hope, possibility, inspiration, challenge, celebration, care, kindness and joy.
It was equally exciting for me to witness so many new leaders stepping up, sharing thoughtfully conducted research and practice insights, fierce in their advocacy, challenging the profession to keep progressing.
I want to thank every presenter, delegate and exhibitor who joined us and made the conference magic. Special thanks to the amazing OTA team and the many OTA members who did all the behind-the-scenes work to make it happen, especially calling out Conference Scientific Committee Chair Courtenay Harris and Conference Convenor Justin Scanlan.
The conference reinforces that we are a strong and vibrant community that knows how to connect and one that is determined to keep learning and progressing the profession.
CEO’s report
Samantha Hunter | OTA CEO
The opportunity to connect, learn, re-set and share the hopes for, and the changes and challenges of the profession is always so rewarding and refreshing – there is a certain energy created by sharing space and ideas with colleagues.
In the middle of a cold southern winter, over 1,400 occupational therapists converged on Adelaide for the Occupational Therapy Australia 31st National Conference. As our President Priscilla Ennals has conveyed, it was not only a large, but a lively affair with energy, passion and purpose spread across three days, plus an extra day of learning for our educators on Education Day.
The opportunity to connect, learn, reset and share the hopes for, and the changes and challenges of the profession is always so rewarding and refreshing – there is a certain energy created by sharing space and ideas with colleagues.
To enable more of this energy and excitement combined with deep learning, we have developed a new model to add to our CPD suite of programs.
CPD Empower was launched earlier this year in Melbourne, with a September event in Perth, and events scheduled for Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in the coming months. Each event has been designed to bring OTs together for high-impact, face-to-face learning that’s immersive, practical, and genuinely rewarding – with plenty of time for connection.
We have a full schedule of opportunities for ongoing connection and collaboration with our members. I encourage you to plan your professional development with our key national events in mind, as well us dipping into our ongoing webinar and on-demand offerings.
As we approach 2026, we look forward to bringing our 3rd OT Exchange, our clinical conference, to Brisbane in June. This is a not to be missed opportunity for clinicians to engage deeply in their area of practice across disability, aged care, paediatrics and knowledge translation. To round off 2026 our Mental Health OTs will gather for our two-day Mental Health Forum later in the year.
But it is not all champagne and canapes! The association staff continue to work deeply in the advocacy and policy areas of OT, with a recent heavy emphasis on the challenging and ongoing reforms in aged care and the NDIS. We are making the most of the opportunities of new Ministers and Senators and their bureaucratic arms – to reset some relationships and establish new ones that will help us advance the understanding of the vital role OTs play in our complex health, disability, education and wellbeing sectors.
We also continue to engage with our state and territory governments, particularly around our compensable schemes with traction being gained in Victoria and recent wins in Western Australia. Working with our colleagues through the Allied Health Professions Association, we have also recently sparked interest in the extension of Paid Prac Placements.
There has been a groundswell of support and member engagement in advocacy in meeting with local MP’s, support for our online petitions and social media campaigns; we applaud and encourage this action as it will require sustained and multi-pronged advocacy efforts to elicit real outcomes in what is an increasingly tight fiscal budget at both a Federal and State level.
On a final note – many of you will have seen the release of a number of Occupational Therapy Australia’s Capability Frameworks and new suites of learning modules called Practice Essentials, developed to support the foundational development skills required in each of these areas of practice.
I’ve been pleased to see strong interest and uptake across the profession, and within the organisations and government agencies that have noted and referenced our capability frameworks. I invite you to explore these new, much-needed resources for the profession.
Scan the QR code to view the Capability Frameworks
Scan the QR code to view the Practice Essentials
Highlights
31st National Conference & Exhibition 2025
Thank you to the over 1,400 participants who gathered in Adelaide at the end of June for OTA’s largest National Conference and Exhibition to date.
Over three inspiring days, bold ideas were shared and lasting connections were created.
Highlights included Dr Jordan Nguyen’s presentation on assistive technology and human connection, Gamilaraay man and licensed psychologist Dr Clinton Schultz’s exploration of lore, culture, health and wellness, and Karen Jacobs’ hopeful vision for OT in a digital world. Professor Mandy Stanley’s Sylvia Docker Lectureship was a powerful reflection on the power of meaningful occupation and of burnout in our profession.
One of the best workshops I’ve attended in years.
Karen Jacobs International Speaker Tour 2025
OTA’s International Speaker Tour 2025 brought world-renowned scholar Dr Karen Jacobs to Sydney and Brisbane for her two-day immersive workshop: Transforming Occupational Therapy Through Artificial Intelligence.
The events, held in June and July, explored how AI can be integrated into occupational therapy safely, ethically, and effectively.
The sessions covered AI-enhanced assessments, predictive analytics, data privacy, and strategies for ethical AI adoption.
With 593 abstracts submitted, the program reflected the depth and diversity of occupational therapy practice.
Nearly 250 people attended our Gala Dinner – a highlight of the Conference.
We also launched OTA’s Capability Frameworks for Assistive Technology and Environmental and Home Modifications to support confident, consistent practice, and from innovation to inclusion, we celebrated our profession’s impact and future.
Celebrating OT Week 2025 27 October – 2 November
2025 World OT Day Monday 27 October
OT Week is our biggest annual celebration of the extraordinary impact occupational therapists make every day. It’s a chance for us to come together as a profession, share our stories, and showcase the life-changing work OTs do across all life stages and health settings.
Participants reported leaving feeling both inspired and empowered, praising the workshops’ interactivity, practical application, and Karen’s engaging facilitation style.
Karen’s delivery as outstanding
The tour delivered cuttingedge content and a highly valued professional learning experience for occupational therapists across Australia.
This year’s theme, Occupational Therapy in Action, invites us to highlight the creativity, problemsolving, and compassion at the heart of OT practice. Whether you work in aged care, mental health, paediatrics, rehabilitation, disability, or beyond – OT Week is about recognising the difference OTs make in helping people live with independence, dignity, and participation.
Get involved! Explore ways to be part of the celebrations, with merchandise, free downloadable resources, and more.
Scan the QR code to find out more about OT Week!
CPD Empower: Learning created for OTs by OTs
CPD Empower brings occupational therapists together for high-impact, face-to-face learning that’s immersive, practical, and genuinely rewarding. Choose your stream, sharpen your skills, and connect with peers who are just as committed to advancing their practice.
CPD Empower is OTA’s national CPD event series offering in-depth, OT-specific workshops across key areas of practice. Designed for both experienced clinicians and those ready to stretch themselves, each workshop stream delivers high-quality immersive learning, expert facilitation, and practical insights you can take straight back into your work.
When you register, you choose one CPD Empower Workshop Stream, allowing you to focus your time and attention on a specialist topic that aligns with your goals. You’ll stay with this Stream throughout the event, giving you the space to dive deeper, sharpen your skills, and connect meaningfully with peers and presenters. Shared breaks offer further opportunities to engage with OTs from other streams, swap ideas, and build your professional network.
With events coming to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, CPD Empower is designed to make your time away from work count – whether you’re building foundational confidence or advancing your specialised expertise. You’ll earn interactive CPD hours, access practical resources, and return to work energised, equipped, and inspired.
What’s included:
We have curated a truly unique CPD experience, with opportunities to enjoy meaningful connections with peers and presenters at every turn.
• A shared plenary session with attendees from all workshop streams
• A single, focused workshop stream that allows you to dive deep into a specialist topic aligned with your professional goals
• Reconnect and refuel together with freshly catered morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
• A ‘Power Hour’ networking event with drinks, canapés and the chance to connect with fellow attendees and presenters across all streams
• Opportunities throughout the event to build your professional network and connect with like-minded OTs
As occupational therapists, we’re deeply committed to making a difference in people’s lives – but it’s just as important that we continue to invest in our own growth.
I know how hard it can be to step away from the demands of work and clients. But every time I do, I’m reminded of just how valuable it is – not only for staying current in our field, but for reigniting that sense of purpose and professional pride that brought many of us to the profession.
In a profession as broad and evolving as ours, CPD isn’t just about compliance. It’s about staying sharp, challenged, and inspired.
It’s about strengthening our ability to respond to changing policies, emerging practice areas, and the real-life complexity of client needs.
Many OTs tell us they’re looking for more from their CPD: more relevance, more depth, more inspiration – that’s exactly why we developed CPD Empower.
Michelle Oliver Chief Occupational Therapist OTA
Mark your calendars
Choose your CPD location and your Workshop Stream for tailored, empowered learning.
Scan QR code for further information.
CPD Empower Sydney
30–31 October 2025
Choose your stream
Stream 1: Connect, Play and Learn: Using the PAIR Model to Integrate Relational Approaches in Early Childhood Intervention
Presented by Dr Jacqui Barfoot
This workshop will equip you with a practical, evidence-informed framework that focuses on strengthening parent-child interactions and embedding relational practices into therapy sessions.
Stream 2: Foundation Coach Approach Training Program
Presented by Jacqui Snider
Whether you’re a therapist working with families, or in a leadership role, you will gain tools to embed coaching into everyday routines and foster confident, capable families and teams.
Stream 3: The OT’s Guide to Navigating the NDIS
Presented by Sarah Collison
This workshop will equip you with the foundational knowledge and clinical confidence to deliver effective, scheme-aligned services under the NDIS, combining policy insight with real-world application.
Networking Celebration for OT Week
Thursday 30 October from 5.00pm (AEDT) – To celebrate OT Week, CPD Empower in Sydney will conclude with a special networking event acknowledging OTs in action and the meaningful impact of their work across Australia.
CPD Empower
Melbourne
26–27 March 2026
Choose your stream
CPD Empower Brisbane
20 November 2025
Choose your stream
Stream 1: Relational OT Practice – Infant Mental Health and the Parent-Child Connection
Presented by Chris Hodges and Catherine Daly
This workshop will equip you to apply infant mental health principles in everyday practice, focusing on the parent–child relationship and how attachment, co-regulation and reflective functioning inform assessment and intervention.
Stream 2: Powering Up Your People –Recruitment, Culture & Retention for OT Business Owners
Presented by Cathy Love and Layland Webb
This workshop is designed specifically for OT business owners facing the pressure of recruitment and retention in private practice. You’ll leave with a strategic, practical roadmap for building a loyal, high-performing workforce.
Stream 3: Understanding Pain – A Regulation and Sensory-Informed Approach to Pain in OT
Presented by Fiona Thomas and Dr Cate Sinclair
This practical, face-to-face workshop is designed for all career stages and across diverse practice areas, offering a fresh lens on understanding pain and the self in a complex sensory world.
Stream 4: Assistance Animals in Occupational Therapy Practice
Presented by Dr Jess Hill
This workshop will support you to grow your knowledge and skills in assistance animals, exploring key legislation, clinical reasoning, ethical considerations, current research, assessment processes, documentation, and collaborative practices.
Stream 1: Connect Play Learn –Using the PAIR Model to Integrate Relational Approaches in Early Childhood Intervention
Stream 2: Feeding Assessment and Intervention with Children
Stream 3: Understanding Child Development & Assessment Fundamentals for 0–5 years
Stream 4: Supporting Adolescents, Teenagers and their Families Through Puberty and Beyond
The coaching mindset: Building connection for sustainable change
With more than 30 years of experience as a paediatric occupational therapist, accredited ICF coach, and workplace culture coach, Jacqui Snider is passionate about the transformative power of coaching. She shares her valuable insights on how coaching can strengthen families, improve outcomes, and reshape workplace culture.
Why should occupational therapists consider embedding a coaching mindset into their practice?
You will be amazed at the difference it can make!
Over the years, I’ve seen the evolution of best practice in paediatric therapy. When I first started, intervention was aligned with a medical model approach. Therapy was mostly child focused, and whilst parents were not encouraged to be in the sessions, they were asked to do ‘homework’ for practice. Commonly, not much happened between sessions meaning that progress was often very slow.
Coaching facilitates parent and carer engagement, empowering them to become active partners in the therapy process. It’s not about telling people what to do – it’s about inviting them in, building trust, and creating shared ownership for the outcomes we are seeking.
What disciplines or frameworks do you draw on in your approach to coaching?
I am passionate about learning and have studied the topic of coaching widely. I have explored models of coaching in early childhood, the neuroscience of coaching, narrative coaching, and systemic team coaching. I love gathering gems from these different trainings and weaving them together into a program that helps people build powerful partnerships and are effective in successfully shifting people’s mindsets for sustainable change.
Families can see occupational therapists as the ‘fixer’. How does a coaching mindset reframe that expectation?
One of the hardest shifts is moving away from the idea that we’re there to ‘fix’. Families often see us as the experts who hold all the answers, but if we simply step in and fix, we can unintentionally disempower. The real challenge and the real opportunity is: how do we share our expert knowledge and information with others without telling them what to do? That’s where coaching comes in. It gives us the tools to share our valuable knowledge and insights in a way that empowers, engages, and gets people on board.
How can OTs use a coaching mindset to build more cohesive teams?
The principles are the same for both individuals and teams. Good coaching conversations build trust, and invites team members into shared understanding, shared learning, and ownership of the team goals. In high functioning teams, that means clear, open, honest communication, that builds cohesion and effective team collaboration.
To me, coaching is essentially advanced communication and collaboration skills that help one stay open to what they don’t know, listen to connect, and ask more powerful questions, that builds cultures where individuals feel heard, valued and trusted.
What are three simple coaching strategies OTs can start using straight away?
1. Listen for the essence of what someone is saying, as well as what is not being said.
2. Lead with curiosity – instead of jumping in with solutions, ask questions to discover what you do not know!
3. Use neuroscience insights – understanding why people behave the way they do and what stops them getting people on board with their intervention.
Mark your calendars
Thursday 30 – Friday 31 October 2025
Jacqui Snider will be presenting the two-day CPD Empower Foundation Coach Approach Training Program Workshop Stream in Sydney. The in-depth and immersive Workshop will equip OTs with the skills and tools to embed coaching into everyday routines and foster confident, capable families and teams.
Scribe
CPD calendar
Our evidence-based workshops and webinars will empower you with the skills and knowledge to excel in your practice.
Online Workshop
Therapeutic goal setting
Wed 8 Oct
10am–11:30am AEDT
Online Workshop
Managing complaints and incidents under the NDIS
Wed 8 Oct
12noon–1:30pm AEDT
F2F Workshop
Melbourne
OT with children: Principles of assessment & intervention
Wed 9 Oct–Fri 11 Oct (3 days) 9am–5pm AEDT
Online Workshop
Elevate your OT practice with generative AI: Intermediate workshop
Wed 14 Oct 4pm–6pm AEDT
Wed 22 Oct 12noon–2pm AEDT Online Workshop
Continence management across the lifespan: The OT role
We’re always adding new CPD options to meet your learning needs.
Getting started with generative AI: A beginner's guide for OTs
Fri 24 Oct 1pm–2:30pm AEDT Online Workshop
F2F Workshop
Sydney
CPD Empower
Thu 30 & Fri 31 Oct 9am–5pm AEDT
Online Workshop
Getting travel and transport right in the NDIS
Wed 5 Nov
12noon–1:30pm AEDT
Online Workshop
Mastering generative AI: Advanced tools and techniques for OTs
Online and on-demand CPD that’s ready when you are!
We all know CPD is important, but it can be tricky to find the time. And, to meet Ahpra registration requirements, all OTs must complete at least 20 hours of CPD each year by 30 November.
OTA’s CPD library o ers more than 50 online self-paced learning modules and recordings across a wide range of practice areas. With 12 weeks' access after purchase, you choose the time that suits you.
Need some inspiration?
Here are our top 10 CPD Library options that occupational therapists love!
01 Functional cognition explained
02 Talking toileting series one
03 Sensory approaches in OT clinical practice
04 Assessment and diagnosis of Autism in Australia: Short course
05 Occupational therapy essentials when assessing functional cognition in older adults
06 Palliative care e-learning modules
07 Functional assessment & NDIS
08 Burnout and compassion fatigue
09 Empathy and emotional mastery
10 Cellulitis: What can OTs do?
Scan the QR code to view the full range for flexible, self-paced, high quality CPD that’s right for you.
Practice Essentials: The learning that lifts your practice
Did you know that three new Practice Essentials learning programs are now available, designed to help occupational therapists strengthen their skills in core practice areas such as aged care, paediatrics, and pain?
These flexible, self-paced modules translate professional expectations into real-world learning.
Scan the QR code to find out more or read article in this issue of Connections.
Tina Champagne Webinars
Now available as a full suite of seven e-learning modules, OTA’s CPD program with Tina Champagne covers sensory modulation, trauma-informed care, and practical strategies for practice.
These evidence-based modules provide tools you can apply immediately, helping you strengthen skills, boost confidence, and deliver neuroa rming, person-centred care across diverse settings.
Scan the QR code to learn more.
Stronger foundations, smarter practice: OTA’s Practice Essentials
Ailsa Leslie | Head of Professional Practice at OTA
In my 25+ years as an occupational therapist, I’ve seen firsthand how foundational skills are critical to shape confident, effective practitioners.
That’s why I was so pleased to share the recent launch of three new OTA Practice Essentials programs covering pain, working with older people, and working with children, young people and families.
Practice Essentials is a new suite of learning resources created to empower you with practical foundational knowledge and skills you can confidently apply in your practice.
What makes Practice Essentials special is its focus on translating the capability frameworks into practical learning that you can apply confidently in real-world settings – supporting you to practice safely, ethically, and effectively.
The Practice Essentials e-learning modules set a clear benchmark for foundational skills, giving early career therapists, those stepping back into the field after an extended break, or anyone moving into a new practice area the confidence to develop their skills comprehensively through quality learning tools.
Our latest modules cover both the theory and practical skills needed for clinicians supporting children, young people, and families; older adults; and people with pain. They complement our existing Mental Health modules, meaning we now offer even broader support across key areas of occupational therapy practice.
We didn’t take this work lightly – each module was developed through close collaboration with leading universities, academics, and experienced occupational therapists to make sure the content is evidence-based, relevant and practical.
And because we know flexibility is important, the modules are self-paced and delivered online. You can tailor your learning experience by choosing individual modules aligned with specific domains of the capability frameworks or opt to purchase the full program for comprehensive learning and development in each of the practice areas.
Practice Essentials is not just about supporting individual therapists – these modules are also a valuable ready-made resource for employers and organisations onboarding new graduates and foundational practitioners.
They provide structured, ready-to-use content that complements existing induction and training programs, helping teams build strong foundational skills with ease.
At its core, while our capability frameworks lay out the capabilities expected of occupational therapists, Practice Essentials brings the frameworks to life – offering a practical guide that helps foundational practitioners develop the real-world knowledge, skills and values they need to work confidently and competently in their chosen fields.
I’m proud to have been part of this work, and I can’t wait to see how Practice Essentials helps occupational therapists, and their businesses and organisations to grow, thrive, and make a real difference in the work they do every day.
Ailsa Leslie is a senior occupational therapist with 25+ years’ experience in paediatric practice, complex assistive technology, private consulting, leadership and service management.
She is passionate about knowledge translation and championing the unique and valuable role of occupational therapy.
Practice Essentials
Building capability and confidence in your practice
Scan QR code to learn about OTA’s Practice Essentials
Experience isn’t always enough. In high-stakes practice areas like mental health, paediatrics, aged care and pain, OTs need more than time on the job – they need the specific capabilities that align with current professional standards. OTA’s Practice Essentials modules are designed to ensure you’re practising with clarity, confidence, and credibility. Developed with leading educators and aligned to OTA’s capability frameworks, they offer structured, evidence-based learning for OTs who are early in their careers, returning to practice, consolidating their skills, or transitioning into a new area. Complete the full suite to build comprehensive, profession-aligned capability, or choose individual modules to target specific capability gaps. Self-paced and fully online, Practice Essentials modules translate expectations into real-world learning you can apply.
Working with children, young people, and families
This comprehensive five-module program equips occupational therapists with essential knowledge and skills for contemporary paediatric practice. Covering practice principles, assessment, intervention planning, interprofessional approaches, and professional responsibilities, this program supports safe, effective, and child and familycentred practice across diverse paediatric settings.
Working with older adults
This comprehensive program equips occupational therapists with the core capabilities needed to develop clinical confidence for working with older people. Modules cover knowledge of aged care systems, common conditions associated with aging, assessment and goal setting, occupation-focussed interventions, and working in aged care environments.
Working with people with mental health needs
This program provides a comprehensive e-learning pathway, covering all key foundational capabilities for occupational therapists focusing their scope of practice on mental health.
This comprehensive program of seven self-directed Mental Health Foundations Modules will support practitioners in their pathway to OTA Mental Health Endorsement.
Working with people with pain
Working with individuals experiencing pain requires a nuanced, person-centred approach.
This three-module program supports occupational therapists to deepen their understanding of pain and how to approach it effectively within the occupational therapy scope of practice.
Save time navigating countless CPD
options
With OTA’s Practice Essentials, you can be confident in a high-quality, comprehensive and evidence-based learning experience that delivers practical knowledge and skills ready to be applied in your everyday practice.
We know your CPD budget is valuable and you want the most from it
Practice Essentials provide targeted, high-quality learning that maximises your investment and supports your professional growth.
Spring advocacy update
Our advocacy focus
• Fair and sustainable NDIS pricing
• Inclusion of occupational therapists in the design and development of foundational supports
• Improving workforce retention in Tasmania
What we’ve achieved
• Equitable and sustainable OT service model under TAC
• Expansion of Commonwealth Prac Payment to include OT students
• Recognition of OT’s role in aged care reforms
• Recognition of OT’s role in psychological injury assessment and management
Through sustained advocacy, OTA has helped bring OTs into the national conversation to drive system-level changes:
• NDIS pricing on the political agenda –Our member survey and 16,000+ petition drove national media coverage, including an op-ed by Jacqui Lambie, helping to make fair and sustainable NDIS pricing a priority for government.
• Stronger foundations for children –OTA’s input has been reflected in the new Autism CRC National Framework, which focuses on children’s functional strengths and support needs.
Direct impact for OTs
• Time to get aged care reforms right – The deferral of the new Aged Care Act provides a critical window for allied health voices, including OTs, to shape the system.
• National recognition of OT in compensation schemes – WA WorkCover has introduced a new comprehensive report item, reflecting our advocacy for the unique expertise of OTs in recovery and return-to-work.
Our collective efforts are also translating into better recognition and conditions for the profession:
• Improved career pathways – Momentum is building on paid student placements, with OTA participating in joint action with other Allied Health Peaks and independent Senators to advocate.
Our submissions
• More visible professional voice – Engagement with state and federal governments, media, and other peak bodies is raising awareness of the OT role across aged care, mental health, and the NDIS.
OTA made 10 submissions across four key sectors in the areas of state-based compensation schemes, foundational supports, primary health, and mental health, including:
• the Final Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement
• the Select Committee on Foundational Supports Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales
Advocacy in action
Standing up for fair recognition: WorkCover WA fees
From OTA’s Policy and Advocacy team
Advocacy often takes persistence and time. Outcomes don’t happen overnight – they’re the result of careful evidence gathering, member input and sustained engagement with decision-makers.
When WorkCover WA proposed major changes to the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act fee schedule in late 2023, many of the proposed cuts would have made it harder for OTs to continue supporting injured workers – especially in rural and remote areas.
OTA acted quickly. We analysed the proposals, sought member input and lodged a submission highlighting how the cuts would undermine service delivery. We also wrote to the Minister for Industrial Relations and met with WorkCover WA’s leadership to argue for fairer recognition of OT expertise.
Thanks to strong member input, we achieved an early win: the extended consultation item for appointments over 60 minutes was retained, preventing a significant reduction in fees for longer consults.
Progress through persistence
After the fee order changes took effect in July 2024, OTA kept working with members to push for further change. Together, we:
• Gathered evidence from surveys and member feedback on the impact of reduced travel and report fees.
• Drew on the expertise of the Western Australian State and Territory Advisory Council (STAC) and WA members, who helped refine OTA’s arguments.
• Worked closely with STAC Chair Chris Pearce, who collated examples of comprehensive reports prepared by OTs.
• Engaged directly with WorkCover WA’s CEO and senior staff to present solutions, including a dedicated comprehensive report item and a worksite/home visit item. This sustained, evidence-based approach paid off. We recently secured a new comprehensive report item for OTs from 1 November 2025, billed at the same hourly rate as physiotherapists.
OT reports can take hours to complete and require a high level of skill. The flat $111 fee doesn’t reflect the time or complexity involved, which impacts service quality.
– WA OTA member
How you can be part of advocacy
OTA’s advocacy is strongest when shaped by members’ experience. You can help by:
• Sharing your expertise – respond to surveys, attend forums, and provide case examples
• Staying informed – read OTA newsletters and updates so you know when issues arise
• Speaking up – join campaigns, write to decisionmakers or meet local MPs
• Taking leadership roles – nominate for Advisory Councils or working groups.
Every contribution, big or small, strengthens our case for change.
Contact us at policy@otaus.com.au
Learn more about OTA’s works with government, industry and members to raise awareness, drive action, and effect positive change on issues important to the occupational therapy profession.
Scan the QR Code to learn more:
WFOT update
Associate Professor Emma George | OTA WFOT Delegate
World Federation of Occupational Therapy news
While WFOT delegates from around the world gear up for our next face-to-face General Assembly, we have been busy on other WFOT matters. Following an e-vote, an updated definition of occupational therapy has been approved.
Voting members who participated included WFOT representatives from 51 nations including Australia.
Occupational therapy promotes health and wellbeing by supporting participation in meaningful occupations that people want, need, or are expected to do.
- WFOT, 2025
We also welcomed in two new full members into the Federation. Congratulations to the Armenian Ergotherapists Association and the Association Tunisienne d’Ergothérapie, both of whom become full members in 2025, after being associate members since 2012.
WFOT Congress 2026
OTA members may have noticed excitement brewing for the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Congress in Bangkok, 9-12 February 2026, with the theme of ‘Inspiring Change, Innovating Futures’.
The Congress is a very special event because it is only held every four years, moving to new regions and host cities around the globe.
It’s a time for celebrating our profession, our achievements and our connections. The Congress represents an exceptional opportunity to explore the latest advancements, exchange ideas, and foster international collaboration.
We’re expecting a strong Australian presence at the WFOT Congress in 2026, and it’s been wonderful to see so many OTA members sharing the news of their abstracts being accepted for oral presentations and posters.
We congratulate Prof Elspeth Froude from the Australian Catholic University who has been announced as the first keynote speaker, and we look forward to hearing more about her experience spanning education, research and clinical practice. There is still time to register for the event.
Scan the QR code to find out more about the 2026 WFOT Congress or to register.
World Occupational Therapy Day 2025
Occupational Therapy in Action is the theme for World Occupational Therapy Day on Monday 27 October 2025.
The theme highlights the active efforts of occupational therapists across the world to engage people in meaningful activities and participation. WFOT encourages use of this theme throughout the year to illustrate the important contributions of occupational therapy to health and wellbeing by promoting active involvement of people in the activities that they want, need or are expected to do. You can use promotional products available in many translations, which will be available through the WFOT website.
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Relational OT: The parent-child connection in infant mental health
Catherine Daly | Mental Health Occupational Therapist
Catherine Daly has worked extensively with infants, children and families requiring assessment and intervention for psychosocial, mental health and developmental difficulties.
You’ve described relational OT practice as a potential missing piece of the puzzle for clinicians. Why is this approach so effective and rewarding?
Relationships and connections are key to development, health and wellbeing, and are a core part of the way that we work as occupational therapists.
By working with parents and caregivers – looking at their sensitivity and responsiveness to their child’s physical, mental health and developmental needs –we’re addressing both the infants and the parents’ mental health and wellbeing.
For occupational therapists, embracing relational OT practice can provide a missing piece of the puzzle in paediatric and mental health practice.
What’s driving the increased focus on relational occupational therapy?
We know from the growing evidence that interventions are more effective when we consider the family context in which development occurs, and we work with the family or caregiving systems.
Relational OT practices in infant mental health can provide OTs with a framework to understand the unfolding of development within the context of relationship and the family system. For instance, in this approach OTs support regulation from a relational context, providing a sense of safety that emerges from being held in mind and through co-regulation with another. This way of working can not only support the health and wellbeing of the child but also that of the parent.
Often the systems we work within can be limiting. That’s where we need to think more creatively about how we apply our core values, so we can deliver the outcomes we know will make the biggest difference for children and families.
What can this look like in practice?
A parent may seek OT support due to concerns about their child’s social-emotional development. They may report difficulty in feeling connected with their child.
I would listen to their story, observe parent-child play, and explore underlying dynamics – including how the parent’s own childhood narrative may shape the relationship. Therapy may look ‘messy’ as we explore and are guided by both parent and child to understand and nurture their unique ‘goodness of fit’.
What practical tips can OTs use to embed this approach in their work?
Adopt a reflective stance in practice. To understand the struggle from the clients’ perspective we need to notice our feelings as they tell their story. This can help us pull back from getting tangled into their struggle, and holding a reflective stance as we work with the family.
Pay attention to therapeutic process. When you feel lost in the therapeutic milieu, slow down and be curious.
Become familiar with the feeling of discomfort. We need to feel confident that it is okay to sit with our clients in their uncomfortable feelings, without rushing in to provide a solution quickly.
Engage in reflective supervision. Reflective supervision helps you clarify your scope and understand your ‘blind spots’ from a therapeutic perspective.
And finally, share time and insights with other OTs. People are doing amazing things clinically within their scope of practice – I find it fascinating. There’s so much we can offer as OTs, yet much of our practice remains unseen. Sharing that is incredibly empowering.
Mark your calendars
Catherine is a co-presenter with Chris Hodges at CPD Empower’s Brisbane 20 November Workshop Stream Relational OT practice: Infant mental health and the parent-child connection.
Christine and Caleb
Caleb is 19 years old and completing a Certificate II in Work Education. He has ASD and has been working with occupational therapist Christine Siddle, owner of Kid-Eze Therapy Services in Victoria, since preschool. We hear from Lisa, mum of Caleb, about her family’s experience.
What are some activities that are important to Caleb?
Caleb enjoys talking about the latest movies and TV shows, collecting Beyblades, and playing games on the Switch. He also goes to the gym and plays Dungeons & Dragons with a group of like-minded friends.
What’s a goal Caleb is working on now?
Right now, we’re focusing on time management and organisational skills for daily life — for example, planning and scheduling activities within an appropriate timeframe. Caleb is making progress by practising with analogue time.
How has it made a difference in Caleb’s life?
Occupational therapy has helped my son engage more in society and build social awareness, recognising that everyone is different.
What were your expectations when you first started working with an occupational therapist?
I was hoping for support to help my son with developmental milestones, including gross and fine motor skills, social skills and self-help skills.
How would you describe the role of occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy supports people of any age, physically, socially and emotionally, to help them achieve their best.
Describe your occupational therapist in three words.
Competent, patient, kind — and professional (that’s four!).
Occupational Therapy Australia Awards 2025
Fellows of the Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy
The Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy was established to recognise scholars and enhance research capacity building in the profession. Admission as a Fellow is a prestigious honour recognising research and scholarship of the individual to be complex, context bound, social phenomena, which benefits the profession.
The award of Fellows acknowledges significant contributions to the development of the body of knowledge for the profession.
At our 31st National Conference & Exhibition (OTAUS2025) in June, we welcomed three new Fellows to the Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy. Congratulations to Carol McKinstry, Nicola Hancock, and Libby Callaway.
Professor Carol McKinstry has made a substantial and sustained contribution to occupational therapy knowledge and practice, particularly in rural health, workforce challenges, mental health and the preparation of future health professionals. Professor McKinstry has published 89 peer-reviewed journal articles, 6 book chapters and has obtained over $8.8 million in research funding. Her publications have been cited over 2,500 times. She was on the National Conference Scientific Committee in 2019 and 2021 and was on the Editorial Board of the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal from 2011 to 2023, and an assistant editor in the later years.
Professor Nicola Hancock’s collective body of research aligns with a central occupational therapy aim - maximising participation and inclusion of all. Nicola explores and tests programs, interventions and approaches designed to enhance participation and inclusion of people living with mental distress or psychosocial disability. Her focus on participation extends to her use of participatory research methodologies. The self-report mental health recovery measure she developed is being used in research and practice across 26 countries and has been translated into 18 languages. She has published over 70 research manuscripts in high impact occupational therapy and mental health journals, and has attracted over $6.5 Million in research funding.
Associate Professor Libby Callaway has worked in policy, research and practice for over thirty years in Australia and the USA. Libby currently works across the Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre and Occupational Therapy Department at Monash University, as well as clinically in her community-based private practice, Neuroskills. Libby recently completed a 5-year term as the voluntary President of the Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association (ARATA and continues volunteering as a general member. She is also a voluntary Director of the Homer Hack, a charity focused on rare gene variants and their impact on human functioning.
The new Fellows join those inducted since the inaugural round in 2017, including:
Kate Laver
Rachael McDonald
Jacki Liddle
Stacey George
Reinie Cordier
Pamela Meredith
Iona Novak
Mandy Stanley
Sally Bennett
Helen Bourke-Taylor
Jodie Copley
Louise Gustafsson
Christine Imms
Karen Liu
Ted Brown
Anita Bundy
Leeanne Carey
Lindy Clemson
Anne Cusick
Jennifer Fleming
Tammy Hoffman
Natasha Lannin
Lynette MacKenzie
Annie McCluskey
Jenny Strong
Carolyn Unsworth
Gail Whiteford
Jenny Ziviani
Sylvia Rodger
(in memoriam)
Sylvia Docker Lectureship
Congratulations to Professor Mandy Stanley, recipient of the prestigious Sylvia Docker Lectureship for 2025. Professor Stanley presented the Sylvia Docker Lecture, Connection and Collaboration Through Occupation, at the OTA 31st National Conference and Exhibition in Adelaide as a keynote speaker.
Since 1964, the Sylvia Docker Lectureship has honoured occupational therapists who have shaped the profession through practice, research and education. Named for Miss Sylvia Docker, who founded Australia’s first OT training school in 1941, it also commemorates the 1945 foundation of the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists and is presented biennially at OTA’s National Conferences.
Professor Stanley is an Honorary Professor at Edith Cowan University, holds an adjunct position at the University of South Australia, is a Fellow of the Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy, and is widely recognised for her expertise in qualitative research methodologies, occupational science, and OT education. She has helped shape the Journal of Occupational Science for nearly 30 years, published over 120 journal articles and book chapters, attracted more than $7 million in research funding, mentored many emerging OT students, and collaborated with researchers around the world.
OTA Research Foundation DGR Grant
The Occupational Therapy Australia Research Foundation (OTARF) DGR Grant aims to stimulate new research knowledge and support the career development and capacity of researchers, particularly emerging researchers. Congratulations to Dr Sally Day, and Ms Lisa Licciardi, recipients of the 2025 OTARF Grant.
Dr Sally Day is an occupational therapy lecturer at the University of Sydney. She completed her PhD in 2024 and has extensive clinical experience working in health and aged care. Her research interests include dementia, supporting diverse groups and pragmatic implementation of research. Dr Day plans to dedicate her OTARF grant funding towards expanding the applicable evidence for occupational therapy interventions for people with dementia.
OT School of Victoria Clinical Award
Ms Lisa Licciardi is an occupational therapist and part-time Research Fellow at the Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre at Monash University, where she is also completing her PhD in the Department of Occupational Therapy. She will dedicate her OTARF grant funding to doctoral research exploring the lived experience and role of occupational therapy from the perspective of adults with Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms.
The OT School of Victoria Clinical Award is a national clinical award from the Occupational Therapy Trust Fund, which aims to promote advancement in clinical practice by supporting OTA members to engage in clinical based projects or studies.
Congratulations to Zoe Delios and Susan Winnall, joint recipients of the 2025 award, who will fund their project ‘A Systematic Review: Visual Perceptual Assessments for Stroke – Are They Comprehensive?’.
Zoe Delios is a senior occupational therapist at Fiona Stanley Hospital’s State Rehabilitation Service in Western Australia. With six years’ experience and a special interest in neurology, she works across acute, sub-acute and rehabilitation settings, supporting people on the neurology rehabilitation ward.
Susan Winnall is the Clinical Lead for the State Rehabilitation Service – Neurology Cluster at Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospital Group. With 28 years of experience in stroke and neurology, she has created and led training in stroke and ABI rehabilitation across WA.
Occupational Therapy Australia Research Awards
OTA’s Research Awards acknowledge a member’s contribution towards the advancement of the research base of occupational therapy in four categories: Early Career Researcher, Mid Career Researcher, Clinical Researcher, and Research Team.
We were pleased to announce the 2025 Research Awards recipients at OTAUS2025. Congratulations to Dr. Miia Rahja, and the Flinders University Occupational Therapy Research Team (made up of Professor Kate Laver, Professor Stacey George, Dr Miia Rahja, Dr Suzanne Dawson, Dr Heather Block, and Dr Ali Dymmott).
Early Career Researcher Award
Dr Miia Rahja is an emerging leader in occupational therapy clinical research, specialising in aged care and dementia. Her work focusses on improving care quality and outcomes for older adults, particularly people living with dementia and their families. Miia has demonstrated the feasibility and impact of implementing evidence-based dementia care programs across Australia’s diverse healthcare systems, spanning government and non-government organisations, private therapy services, in both community and residential aged care settings. Dr Rahja was also a recipient of the Research Team Award.
Research Team Award
Flinders University Occupational Therapy Research Team
The Flinders University Occupational Therapy Research Team is a multidisciplinary group dedicated to enhancing independence, participation, and quality of life for older people and individuals with disabilities, dementia, mental health, and acquired brain injuries through innovative, evidence-based research and practice.
The team leads and conducts clinical trials and applied research in rehabilitation, mobility, and community participation, with a strong focus on implementation and knowledge translation to ensure evidence-based practices are embedded in real-world health and aged care settings, while also building workforce capacity, particularly in rural and allied health contexts.
Professor Kate Laver specialises in co-designing, developing, and evaluating rehabilitation interventions and new models of care, with extensive expertise in dementia care, has led research trials and developed national clinical practice guidelines.
Professor Stacey George, a driver-trained occupational therapist, conducts research into interprofessional rehabilitation practices and has led randomised controlled trials on vision, driving, and community mobility.
Dr Suzanne Dawson brings over 30 years of senior clinical experience in mental health services in the UK and Australia, focusing on implementing and evaluating psychosocial practices and applied knowledge translation in clinical and aged care.
Dr Heather Block conducts research into health systems, healthy ageing, dementia, frailty, and rehabilitation, building on her experience supporting adults recovering from acquired brain injuries.
Dr Ali Dymmott, an Academic Lead in rural allied health, completed her PhD on rural workforce strategies and continues to research rural allied health and healthy ageing. She also teaches allied health undergraduate and masters courses.
Dr Miia Rahja was also a recipient of the Early Career Researcher Award.
L–R: Priscilla Ennals, Dr Miia Rahja, Professor Stacey George, Dr Heather Block, Dr Ali Dymmott, Professor Kate Laver
2025 Elspeth Pearson Award
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2025 Elspeth Pearson Award. Since 2016, the Award has supported 32 emerging occupational therapists and final-year students to expand their skills and expertise through professional development. With 2025 marking the final year of the Awards, a special tribute and heartfelt thanks go to the Elspeth Pearson family and estate, particularly Alan Pearson, Sandy Nicholson, and all representatives who served on the Steering Committee, for their dedication and stewardship over the past 10 years.
Grace Elliott is in her second year of practice as a graduate occupational therapist. Inspired by her rural upbringing, she is passionate about supporting bush communities and has undertaken a range of regional placements. With her funding, she aims to deepen her understanding of how occupational therapy can support infant development.
Jesse Charteris is a dedicated and evidenceinformed new graduate occupational therapist currently working in supporting and improving the occupational performance and outcomes of children aged 2-9 years with autism spectrum disorder and global developmental delay. Jesse used her funding to support her attendance at OTAUS2025 to present her e-Poster Display.
Josephine Rogers is an occupational therapist focusing her practice on supporting school-aged children. In her current school-based role, she works with students aged 5–18 who present with complex behavioural, emotional, and developmental challenges, many from low socioeconomic backgrounds. With her funding, Josephine is completing professional development in the CO-OP Approach and DIR courses.
Lola Hammond is a final-year OT student who has completed placements in paediatrics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island healthcare, inpatient rehabilitation, and acute hospital environments and has worked as an Allied Health Assistant at a community private practice. Lola used her funding to support her attendance at OTAUS2025, to present her e-Poster Display.
Vanessa Commons is a recently graduated occupational therapist who also worked as an intern and Positive Behaviour Support Specialist while studying. She is collaborating with her supervisors on a project exploring the experiences of graduate occupational therapists and burnout. Her passion for holistic wellbeing has inspired her to use her funding to undertake training in Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga.
Previous recipients of this Elspeth Pearson Award:
Sheridan Tanner
Selah Dimech
Shane Fenwick
Jacqueline Rota
Kiara Moodley
Ferris Wong
Emiliana Guerra
Betty Lin
Rana Morgan
Megan Simon
Abbey Walker
Jemma Wotton
Stephanie Porter
Alice O’Connell-Debais
Cameron Brinsmead
Samantha Taylor
Mikaela Foy
Claire Dickson
Anthea Jarvis
Alison Hartigan
Thi Hoang Yen Le
Sue Maney
Nataya Brandjerdporn
Lisa Lloyd
Amy Elson
Elizabeth Ainsworth
Emma Schneider
2026 Awards & Grants
The next round of awards, grants and opportunities to showcase occupational therapy excellence will open for applications in October–November 2025.
In 2026, we have the following awards open for applications:
• Occupational Therapy Australia Oration (OTX 2026)
• Occupational Therapy Australia Research Foundation Deductible Gift Recipient (OTARF DGR) Grant
• OT School of Victoria Clinical Award
• Judith Marsham Farrell Research Grant
Stay in the loop – register to get updates on upcoming 2026 awards and grants.
Bridging the pelvic health gap for women in Australia
Hollie Swanton | Occupational Therapist
Janelle Gullan | Occupational Therapist
In Australia, pelvic health conditions such as incontinence, endometriosis and pelvic pain affect a significant portion of the population, with women disproportionately impacted. A recent surge in funding announcements in this area signals a critical turning point in recognition for women’s health.
However, many women delay or avoid seeking support, citing embarrassment, lack of information, and limited access to appropriate care. This gap between what women experience and the care they receive, presents a compelling opportunity for occupational therapists to influence systems and health change for women in our communities.
Pelvic health in Australia
Pelvic health conditions, including endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, and pelvic floor trauma, are common in women and profoundly impact daily function, identity, and quality of life. For women, pelvic pain is widespread with nearly half of Australian women reporting pelvic pain in the past five years.
1 in 3 women experience
urinary incontinence
1 in 10 women experience
faecal incontinence
1 in 12 women experience
pelvic organ prolapse (POP)
1 in 5 women experience
pain during sexual intercourse
Pelvic floor dysfunction reaches ‘epidemic proportions’ in later life with 46% of women with reported dysfunction. Despite the frequency and impact, pelvic health challenges for women often remain under recognised, untreated, and hidden in both public discourse and healthcare delivery.
Pelvic health on the national agenda
During 2025, Australia has seen a surge in announcements of investment in women’s health, and in particular aspects relevant to pelvic health:
• The Endometriosis Progress Report (2024) allocated $87 million towards research, clinical care, and education.
• The Federal Government expanded Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinics (EPPCs) from 22 to 33 clinics nationally, integrating these into primary health care networks.
• The Ainsworth Endometriosis Research Institute (AERI) at UNSW was established with a landmark $50 million donation, representing the largest global investment in endometriosis research.
• Australia hosted the 2025 World Congress on Endometriosis, facilitating international collaboration, where UK occupational therapist Samantha Tavendar presented a research poster.
• A Menopause Centre of Excellence is in development, alongside extended Medicare-funded GP consultations for complex women’s health needs.
• The National Women’s Health Advisory Council was launched to oversee cross-sector reform.
Despite the welcomed increase in opportunities for women to access mainstream health support and research focus, occupational therapy remains largely unrecognised. This gap presents both a risk and an opportunity for our profession to contribute meaningfully by supporting function, routines, and quality of life amidst evolving research and service delivery in pelvic health.
The rollout of the pelvic pain clinics may see opportunities for occupational therapists to link in with their local primary health networks.
However, progression for Australian occupational therapists and consumers is limited by few local training pathways, unclear professional scope and recognition, minimal public and interdisciplinary awareness, lack of funding, and few embedded occupational therapy positions within pelvic health teams. While many offerings sit within private practice or larger specialised hospital/metropolitan teams, OTs are increasingly drawing on both local and international training pathways led by OTs. This reflects the current reality that Australian OTs often look to more established overseas colleagues for advanced training and guidance in pelvic health.
Internationally, the field of pelvic health within occupational therapy is growing, supported by the development of clinical frameworks, position statements, certification pathways, and an expanding body of research.
An invitation to occupational therapists
Occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to support women experiencing pelvic health concerns through our deep expertise in occupational participation, body-based awareness, sensory and interoceptive approaches, and understanding of sociocultural influences on health.
Drawing on established frameworks and models, and backed by international precedence, we can explore how performance capacity and environmental factors interact to shape occupational engagement, particularly when pelvic health challenges disrupt essential roles and routines such as caregiving, intimacy, self-care, work, and rest. Further, life stage models offer a valuable lens for understanding how pelvic health concerns may evolve across a woman’s lifespan and influence her meaningful participation within cultural and social contexts. These challenges often intersect with trauma histories, gendered expectations, chronic pain, menstruation, and life transitions such as motherhood, menopause, and disability. Many occupational therapists already encounter these complex issues, in diverse settings including acute and primary care settings, mental health, disability, perinatal care, and community practice.
By applying full scope of our models, occupational therapists can make the invisible visible, highlighting and navigating systemic, personal, and environmental barriers to enable participation and occupational engagement.
Most occupations require a functional pelvis. Occupational therapists can help bridge the gap in pelvic health by bringing our unique lens to an often overlooked area of care. We are already supporting clients to navigate the occupational impacts of pelvic health issues-whether in mental health, disability, women’s health, community, or perinatal settings – yet our role remains undervalued and underutilised within formal care pathways.
In Australia, Dr. Hannah Slootjes’ occupational therapy textbook Enhancing Women’s Wellbeing During Matrescence and Perinatal Transitions (2025) features a dedicated chapter on pelvic health, representing a significant academic milestone.
Through a focus on occupational participation, justice, and contextual factors, we help address not just symptoms, but how pelvic health concerns shape a person’s daily life, identity, and wellbeing.
In the Australian context, it is time to strengthen and support occupational therapy’s contribution to pelvic health. Whether by listening and asking differently, expanding training, engaging in supervision, or advocating for our inclusion in multidisciplinary teams, we each have a role to play in building this bridge - for our profession, and for the people we serve.
This article reflects our clinical perspectives of service provision to women or AFAB populations, however pelvic health concerns are a population wide issue. Infants, children, adolescents, trans and gender-diverse people, and men/ AMAB all experience occupational disruption from pelvic health issues, however women are disproportionately represented.
Scan the QR code to view article references
Hollie and Janelle are occupational therapists working in private practice in women’s and maternal health.
They are both members of OTA’s Women’s Health Interest Group.
Scan the QR code for more information on how to join OTA Interest Groups
The OT rotation
As OTA’s Conference Events Manager, Kelly Kayne plans conferences tailored for occupational therapists, offering opportunities for learning, professional development and networking. Her work creates spaces for OTs to connect, grow their practice and celebrate their profession.
Kelly shares her current favourites in books, shows, podcasts and more!
What’s on your reading list?
I’m really into audiobooks currently, with no fixed genre. I have ‘read’ 137 books so far this year. The latest being a very fun series by Hannah Nicole Maeher called Assistant to the Villain. A witty, and sweet reminder that people really aren’t all bad – or all good.
Hobby or activity you’re into right now?
Doing online puzzles, playing a Dungeons & Dragons campaign with my friends. I also have a dog and three cats, watching them grow and spending time with them gives me so much joy.
Best thing you’ve watched recently?
I’ve been watching a reno series on YouTube, following a young couple rebuilding their previously abandoned mid-century home in Canada. Think The Block – without the reality TV drama!
Music on repeat or a podcast you’re hooked on?
Anything by T-Swift! I’m also hooked on You’re Wrong About, If Books could Kill and Maintenance Phase podcasts, which all feature an ex-journalist Michael Hobbes – they do a great job of offering a way to view news, history and books in a different perspective to popular culture.
Member spotlight
Laura Simmons Occupational Therapist and Founder and CEO of Theratrak
Laura Simmons is a passionate paediatric occupational therapist, helping families and working with children living with range of disabilities. She has worked in the private health sector for more than 10 years and is Founder and CEO of Theratrak, creating innovative technology solutions targeting the ongoing care of participants outside of direct therapy.
What or who inspired you to become an OT, and how has it shaped who you are today?
I discovered occupational therapy at a university job fair and was drawn to its problem-solving nature. My passion for paediatrics grew throughout the degree, as I was fortunate enough to secure work placements in mental health, school, and community settings. This is where I saw the power of early intervention and OT in the community, and I never looked back.
How do you stay inspired and continue to grow in your career as an OT?
Stay curious! Connecting and learning from other OTs that are doing amazing things. I am always interested in meeting and learning from other innovative OTs around the world. I love discovering the positive social purpose behind their innovations. Theratrak plays a crucial role in this, supporting me to engage with a world outside of traditional OT. I believe this constantly challenges me to learn and adapt to the ever-evolving world of healthcare.
How do you inspire and lead your team to create a positive impact, and what leadership qualities do you think are most important for success?
I’m in a unique OT position, as, alongside working as an OT, I created Theratrak, a digital therapy solution. I aim to inspire my team by fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, enabling us to create a meaningful and positive impact through technology. I believe the most important leadership qualities are vision, collaboration, adaptability, and empathy.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a new graduate OT?
Be open to learning and adapting. The world of healthcare is going through an amazing evolution, and what was once therapy may look very different in the coming years. Embrace innovation, be adaptable. Your OT journey may take you beyond traditional roles, and that’s perfectly okay. Leverage the incredible network of OTs around you; it’s a powerful
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Understanding professional indemnity and retirement: The importance of run-off cover
If you run a professional advice-based business and hold Professional Indemnity Insurance, you might receive claims or complaints after you retire or leave the profession as a result of the advice you provided while you were running your business.
For these claims to be covered, you will be required to hold a current policy at the time the claim is made, and this is where run-off cover comes in. So, what is run-off cover and how does it work? Let’s look below.
What is run-off cover?
Professional Indemnity Insurance is designed to help cover you and your business if a client alleges your advice or service caused them a financial loss and takes legal action against you. It can help cover your legal fees as well as compensation you might be required to pay. Allegations of professional negligence of this nature can come about while you’re still practising but can also occur many years after the advice was provided. Run-off cover continues to provide cover for allegations of professional negligence after you’re no longer practicing or have retired. In most cases it is not automatically included under Professional Indemnity policies – it needs to be applied for, and an additional premium may apply. Although in some cases for example if you have insurance through a scheme there may be complimentary run-off cover, however even if there is, typically you do still need to apply for the run-off cover before your current policy ceases.
Run-off cover under Professional Indemnity Insurance
Run-off cover is only applicable under some forms of insurance, and Professional Indemnity Insurance is one of them. It applies primarily to policies which are on a ‘claims-made’ basis, which means that for a claim to be submitted, the policy must be active at the time a claim is being made. Another example of policies which are claims-made is Management Liability. This is different to other insurance policies (such as Public Liability Insurance), which are occurrence based. Under occurrence-based policies, a policy only needs to be active at the time an incident occurs.
What does ‘claims-made’ basis mean?
A claims-made policy responds to claims that are made against you and notified to the Insurer while the policy is in force (during the policy period), regardless of when the incident that gave rise to the claim took place. So, for example the incident may have occurred 5 years ago, but if your client takes legal action today, it is the policy that is in place today that can respond to the claim, as long as the services were provided after the commencement of the retroactive date.
If your Professional Indemnity policy is a claims-made policy, then it will usually include a retroactive date. Only incidents occurring after this date will be covered by the policy. On the other hand, claims for incidents occurring before the retroactive date will not be covered. If your policy has an unlimited retroactive date, it means your policy can provide cover for a claim regardless of when the alleged incident of professional negligence occurred, including if the relevant professional services were conducted before the commencement of the current policy period.
The claims-made basis of Professional Indemnity insurance means it is very important that you promptly notify your insurer or broker of any circumstances which may give rise to a claim, or any claim itself as soon as practical, before your policy renews or expires. For example, if a client makes a threat they will take legal action, your Broker should be notified, rather than wait until a formal claim is made. If your client does decide to take legal action against you at a later date, you may not be indemnified if the Insurer wasn’t notified when you become aware of the incident.
Did you know?
As OTA’s preferred insurance broker, AON work with OTA and insurers to create insurance cover tailored for the risks commonly found in occupational therapy. Plus, OTA members can access exclusive savings.
Scan the QR code to learn more
Why is run-off cover important?
Run-off cover exists due to the complex nature of providing professional advice or service – sometimes the advice you provide can have long lasting implications. When you’re in the business of providing advice, clients can take legal action against you if they believe you were negligent and as a result your client alleges your service or advice caused them some form of loss. However, this can manifest differently depending on the specific situation. Not all claims are as a result of civil action, in some cases you may be required to respond to an investigation or official complaint made to a regulatory body in relation to your insured professional service, in this case, you may require legal advice and assistance and still incur legal fees in having to respond to the regulatory body. An allegation can come about unexpectedly, and you might find yourself quickly overwhelmed with legal fees to defend yourself. Even when you leave a profession or retire, claims can still be made against you for services you provided when you were working.
Therefore, run-off cover is important to keep in place, as it’s intended to provide cover for claims which arise after you’re no longer practising or retire.
How to organise run-off cover
What if I’m just taking a break?
If you are taking a break from your profession and unsure whether you will continue in the future, it is important to still keep your Professional Indemnity policy active due to the ‘claims-made’ nature of the policy, ensuring you have an active policy to respond to insured incidents / claims that may arise regarding your professional services (subject to the retroactive date and unknown circumstances).
If you decide to come out of retirement and continue the same profession, you will need to contact your Broker to discuss your options prior to commencing your services. Run-off cover can only respond to claims if the professional services were provided before the commencement date of the run-off cover, so if you re-enter the profession you will need to ensure your policy is no longer in run-off to ensure you have an active policy that can respond to claims when you resume your professional services.
When you know you’re going to retire or leave the profession, contact your Broker prior to ceasing your professional services and discuss the process with them. It’s important that you know what you need to do to arrange a run-off cover and allow enough time to have everything in place.
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When compliance hurts: Rethinking occupational therapy for children with PDA
If you’re an occupational therapist supporting neurodivergent children, chances are you’ve worked with at least one child who doesn’t respond to even the most flexible, strengths-based approach. A child who avoids tasks that seem simple. Who shuts down, argues, or explodes in the face of everyday demands – whether that’s brushing teeth, joining a game, or even answering a question.
You might have wondered: Is this autism? Anxiety? Trauma? ODD? Something else?
For a growing number of children, the answer may lie in a PDA profile. Originally termed Pathological Demand Avoidance, many within the community now prefer language such as Pervasive Drive for Autonomy to more accurately and respectfully reflect the child’s experience. It’s a descriptive profile often seen within the autism spectrum (though not exclusive to it), marked by a nervous system that reacts to everyday demands as threats to autonomy and safety (Duncan et al, 2011; Egan et al, 2019). For OTs, this fundamentally challenges how we assess, plan, and deliver therapy.
Why PDA matters in practice
Demand avoidance in PDA is not a behavioural choice, nor a wilful refusal. It’s a nervous system response - a full-body signal that says this doesn’t feel safe. Even soft prompts like “Want to come at the table with me?” can register as coercive, triggering flight, fight, shutdown, or masking.
Our profession is grounded in supporting participation through just-right challenges, structured routines, and scaffolded skill development. But for PDAers, even low-level expectations can activate a survival response. The more we push through, the more we escalate.
If we want to support functional skills, we need to start with regulation, connection, and safety.
When traditional occupational therapy models miss the mark
Much of our training leans on structured engagement: visual schedules, behavioural reinforcement, emotion programs, and routine-based interventions. But for children with PDA, these models can feel like subtle (or notso-subtle) demands.
Even emotional regulation frameworks like Zones of Regulation or The Alert Program® can become coercive when they’re not adapted. When regulation is taught as a prerequisite to participation - rather than emerging from felt safety and co-regulation -children may engage on the surface while burning out beneath. Some of these children will mask through sessions. Others refuse altogether. Some may become explosive. Either way, families are left without support and therapists are left feeling stuck.
Understanding the nervous system and creating safety first
A neurodiversity-affirming occupational therapy lens starts by understanding demand avoidance as communication. The child is not resisting us; they are protecting themselves from an experience their nervous system perceives as unsafe, overwhelming, or unpredictable.
Instead of asking, How do I get this child to comply?, we ask:
• What is the child protecting themselves from?
• What are the cues of threat in this moment?
• How can I increase a felt sense of safety and reduce the need for self-protection?
Threat responses are not a clinical obstacle – they’re a roadmap.
What this looks like in occupational therapy practice
Rethinking assessment: Use narrative interviews, functional observations, and collaborative formulation. Focus less on what a child can do in a clinic setting, and more on under what conditions they can engage. Standardised assessments are inherently demand-based and they rely on sustained attention, transitions, unfamiliar adult interaction, and structured responses. For many PDAers, these are not just difficult, they’re dysregulating. We risk misinterpreting threat responses as skill deficits.
Pacing the relationship: We cannot skip the work of becoming a safe, consistent presence. For many PDAers, this means slow, relational, child-led sessions, sometimes for weeks. A child needs to know that we understand their nervous system and won’t push past its signals.
Reducing perceived demands: Language matters. Shift to declarative statements (“I’m going to draw some silly faces”) rather than instructions (“Let’s draw now”) (Murphy, 2020). Use indirect communication, playful delivery, or even puppets or toys as proxies (yes, a bird puppet inviting the child to practice shoelaces might be more welcome than you asking directly).
Embedding co-regulation: Our own regulation sets the tone. Slow your pace, soften your voice, ground your body. Limbic resonance tells the child’s nervous system if we’re safe. If a rupture occurs, and it will, own it. Apologise. Reflect. Invite the child to share what might help next time. This models emotional safety far more powerfully than any tool or program.
Child-led goal setting: Let go of performance-based outcomes. Instead, use the child’s motivation, interests, and curiosity to co-create goals. A child who feels safe enough to suggest their own ideas is already moving towards engagement.
Working with families
Families of children with a PDA profile are often exhausted, dismissed, and navigating systems that don’t get it. As OTs, our role begins with empathy – not behaviour advice. These parents need to feel heard, not judged. Start by listening. Acknowledge what they’ve tried and what they know about their child. From there, we can gently share how PDA affects regulation and explore ways to reduce everyday demands. Helping families move from confusion to confidence is one of the most meaningful things we do.
Final thoughts: Holding space, not control
Supporting children with PDA means sitting with discomfort. We won’t always know what to do. We won’t get it right every time. But when we lead with curiosity, respect a child’s autonomy, and honour what their nervous system is telling us, we start to earn their trust.
And that trust? That’s where real occupational therapy begins.
About the author
Michelle Newby is an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience supporting children and families across the globe and is the founder of Stepping Stones Therapy for Children, a private paediatric OT practice in Newcastle, NSW. As a researcher, educator, and mentor, she is passionate about bridging the gap between research and practice and equipping occupational therapists with the knowledge and skills to support children with complex neurodevelopmental needs.
Protecting your practice and OT career
Spotlight on independent contractor agreements, employment contracts and compliance with employment laws.
Whether you’re a practice owner or employed as an occupational therapist, one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of your professional life is understanding the fine print of employment contracts.
Independent contractor agreements
Practice owners must ensure all independent contractor agreements are genuine.
Under the Closing Loopholes Act 2024, incorrectly classifying an employee as a contractor can result in serious penalties for sham contracting, including fines of up to $99,900 per contravention for practices with fewer than 15 employees, and up to $495,000 per contravention for practices with 15 or more employees. Even if an agreement says “contractor,” the Fair Work Commission will look at how the relationship operates in practice. If it looks and feels like employment, it likely is.
To protect your practice, review your independent contractors’ working arrangements regularly and seek professional advice to ensure compliance with the latest workplace laws.
Restraint of trade clauses
Restraint of trade clauses in both employment and independent contractor agreements are another critical area for practice owners to get right. These clauses are designed to protect the practice owner’s legitimate business interests, such as client relationships, when a team member moves on. However, restraints must be reasonable in scope to be enforceable and should be reviewed regularly to stay aligned with business needs. For occupational therapists, understanding what you’re signing is essential, especially around post-employment obligations. Too often, disputes arise when someone resigns and unknowingly breaches a restraint of trade clause by soliciting clients from the previous employer within the period specified in the contract.
Before signing or exiting a contract – key considerations for allied health practitioners:
• Review your agreement thoroughly: Pay close attention to clauses relating to non-solicitation, non-compete, and restraints of trade. These can significantly impact your ability to work with former clients or start a new practice.
• Seek professional advice: If anything in your agreement is unclear, particularly around postemployment restrictions, it’s essential to seek legal or HR advice before making decisions, especially if you’re considering establishing your own practice or contacting former clients.
• Clarify the exit process: A well-managed exit includes:
- Discussing restraint and non-compete obligations
- Identifying who is responsible for communicating the departure to clients and stakeholders
- Agreeing on the handling of client information and ongoing care arrangements, to ensure a respectful and compliant transition
• Plan ahead: Clear expectations, transparent communication, and a structured process can help avoid misunderstandings, minimise legal risk, and maintain goodwill on all sides.
Whether you’re welcoming a new team member or moving on to the next chapter of your career as an occupational therapist, having clear contracts and open conversations supports a smooth, professional transition for everyone involved.
Need advice?
All OTA members receive special member benefits through WorkPlacePLUS for support with HR and IR issues. Our services include:
✓ Development of employment contracts
✓ Independent Contractor vs Employee assessments
✓ Award classification reviews
✓ Performance and change management
✓ Managing Fair Work issues
For more information, contact WorkPlacePLUS on (03) 9492 0958 or visit WorkPlacePLUS.com.au
