Introduction to Universal Sensory Advice for parents and professionals

The Occupational Therapy service has developed a Universal Sensory offer with information and advice designed to help you, or professionals working with your child, understand how they may experience the world through their senses, and how to support them.

This advice is relevant to all children and young people who are experiencing differences in sensory processing which impact their everyday activities or routines and does not require a referral to the service.

There are two pathways. Both pathways provide ideas and strategies that typically support children with sensory processing differences.  Each pathway contains training links, and resources to help implement the advice.

The home pathway looks at sensory processing in the home environment and considers the impact of sensory challenges on typical occupations that are performed in the home environment, such as bathing, dressing and brushing teeth. The home pathway is designed to be worked through by parents.

There is also a school pathway which looks at ways to support engagement and participation in education settings. The school pathway is designed to be work through by teachers and supporting staff at school.  

We ask you to prioritise areas of need, and implement 1 – 3 strategies at a time, trialling them consistently for   at least 2 – 3 months, to evaluate their effectiveness. It is recommended that parents let professionals working with their child know (and vice versa) that there is some information and resources for them available, if they are not already aware of this.