Occupational therapy supports people to achieve participation in the activities they find meaningful. These activities include taking care of yourself/others, work/school, study volunteering, and hobbies / social engagement. Occupational therapy involves assessment to understand what activities you or your child can currently participate in, what activities you or your child would like to participate in, any current barriers and goals. Occupational therapy services can then offer advice/techniques about how to do achieve your goals efficiently and safely.

The Living Well Occupational Therapy Student Clinic provides services for a range of clients. Clients will be able to access the clinic through self referral, referral from community partner, and healthcare providers following a review of the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the clinic type they are interested in participating in.

Students will be providing services under the supervision of an AHPRA registered Occupational therapist.

The Living Well – Paediatrics clinic provides occupational therapy assessment, intervention, consultancy, and education for children, parents, and educators in childcare, kindergarten, and transition-to-prep settings. Our focus is on identifying developmental delays in children aged 3 to 7 years, with follow-up advice and evidence-based, client-centred intervention strategies.

The program runs over 8 weeks and includes an initial intake session, assessment, and weekly individual therapy appointments. At the conclusion of the program, families will receive a summary report and recommendations, including onward referrals if required.

Eligibility Criteria:
To participate in this program, children must:
•    Be aged between 3 and 7 years
•    Not currently accessing occupational therapy services
•    Not be a participant of the NDIS
•    Have no known diagnosis
•    Be able to attend the majority of the 8 weekly sessions

Please note, appointment availability is limited, and after-school appointments are not available at this time.

All clinic-based sessions are held at the UniSC Clinic, Sunshine Coast Campus, and must be attended by a parent or guardian.

For participants receiving services at one of our partner Early Learning Centre (ELC) locations, parents/guardians may choose to attend in person or receive communication following each session.

You can request services at the UniSC Living Well Paediatric Clinic by completing the Paediatrics request form.

The UniSC Occupational Therapy Student Clinics will soon offer programs to support individuals to maintain physical, mental, and social wellbeing in older age, fostering independence and quality of life. These programs will provide individualised assessment and intervention tailored to client needs, combined with group-based education and support.

How to Access Services
The Living Well Healthy Ageing is not currently available. However once the service commences, you will be able to request services by completing the Adult request form.

Your occupational therapy program will typically involve an initial meeting with your occupational therapy student followed by 4-6 weekly group or individual therapy sessions. The entire program will be conducted within a 9 week time frame.

Occupational therapy assessments are conducted to determine your current level of function (involving identifying physical and cognitive areas of strength and weakness) within the identified aspects of your daily life that you are finding difficult. Each Occupational Therapy clinic model will focus on a specified condition and area of function in daily life and lifestyle tasks including activities of daily living, leisure activities, productivity and work.

Through the assessment process, the occupational therapist will discuss your current and desired lifestyle including ability to achieve daily tasks, social supports, leisure and work/school. Our clinician will seek to understand your quality of life goals and aim to develop recommendations to improve your identified difficulties and achieve maximum independence and/or participation in your chosen life skill or task.

The therapy sessions will involve group and/or individual intervention. At the end of the therapy block, you will be offered a final individual re-assessment and future planning session. You may stop your program at any time. However, should you wish to stop your program, we recommend discussing this decision with your student therapist if possible.

Services are provided by students undertaking a 10 week clinical placement in 3rd and 4th years of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) program. All students work in the UniSC Living Well Occupational Therapy Clinic under the supervision of experienced AHPRA registered occupational therapists.

All appointments at the UniSC Living Well Occupational Therapy Student Clinic are offered free of charge.

Appointments will be offered either at outreach partner sites or at the onsite UniSC Clinic (Sunshine Coast Campus). When you are offered an appointment you will be advised of the available options for location to attend your clinic appointment.

The UniSC Clinic is located on Ground Floor of Building J at the Sunshine Coast Campus of the University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs. When appointments are confirmed, the UniSC Clinic Administration Team will arrange parking for you.

Visit UniSC Public Transport to plan your journey.

You can request services at the UniSC Living Well Occupational Therapy Student Clinic by completing the following forms: 

• Paediatrics request form
• Adult request form (coming soon)