The team is made up of allied health professionals who are specialised in working with children, they include:
Allied Health Assistants/ Kaiāwhina
We work under the guidance and direction of an Allied Health Professional (the professions listed below). We carry out the programmes and activities set by the Allied Health Professionals. Our involvement gives your child/tamaiti more frequent input and extra support to develop and reach their goals.
Autism Coordinator / Kaiawhina Takiwātanga
Provides information about assessment and support pathways for children/tamariki with neuro-diverse concerns. The Co-ordinator will support tamariki and their families/whānau through an assessment process and provide support should there be an Autism diagnosis. We will help identify what your child/tamaiti might need and then link you with appropriate community support agencies. We will also provide you with information about Autism when needed.
Occupational Therapist / Kaiwhakaora Ngangahau
Kaiwhakaora Ngangahau work with children/tamariki who have difficulties with practical skills that are necessary for them to manage in their everyday life. Following assessment our intervention is guided by the goals you and your child/tamaiti identify. This intervention may include applications for equipment and/or housing modifications. The Occupational Therapist will support you to enable your tamaiti to be as independent as possible and for you and your whanau to maximise their opportunities to develop in these following areas:
- Functional abilities e.g., dressing, eating, toileting, sleeping
- Play skills
- Fine motor skills
Physiotherapist / Haumanu Korikori
We look at how physical skills impact the lives of children/tamariki. Our goal is to support you in your ambitions to help your child live life to their fullest potential.
We aim to improve the quality of life of children/tamariki and young people/rangatahi by promoting independence and encouraging physical fitness and wellbeing. Our intervention is guided by the goals you and your child/tamaiti identify. Where needed we will also access equipment through Whaikaha funding to assist with mobility and positioning. We also run weekly pool sessions for small groups of tamariki.
Social Worker / Kaimahi Toko i te Ora
The child/tamaiti and their whānau/family are the centre of any discussion and decision making around choices of health, therapies, education, and well-being. We work with children/tamariki and their whanau from a strengths-based approach by empowering them to see their own strengths and build upon them so they can overcome the challenges they are facing in their lives. The practical support we provide may be:
- advocating for a tamaiti/whānau,
- linking into community resources and networking with other organisations,
- accessing benefit entitlements.
- working with parents on day-to-day issues that are impacting on whānau dynamics.
Together we will work through the challenges of living with a tamaiti with a high health need or disability and the impact this can have on the whānau.
Speech Language Therapist / Kaiwhakatikatika Reo Kōrero
Where there are speech and language concerns in tamariki (0-3 years) We will assess to find their current skills and work with the tamaiti and their family to develop these skills.
We address feeding and swallowing concerns in children (0-16 years), and with developmental or ongoing disability needs. If your child is referred to us, we will complete an assessment to find out if their swallowing skills are safe and effective and provide support to keep them safe.
Programmes:
All the programmes listed below are run when there are enough children for a group to occur otherwise sessions are on an individual basis.
- Hydrotherapy
- Bike Park – warmer months only
- Music and Movement group