Occupational Therapy in Mainstream Primary Schools: An Evaluation of a Pilot Project (Practice Evaluation) (Report‪)‬

Background The Children Act (2004) created a legislative framework to ensure that all services work together to protect children and enable them to reach their potential. Services for children, provided by health, education and social care in the United Kingdom, are being reconfigured as the recommendations of Every Child Matters are implemented (Scottish Executive 2001, Department for Education and Skills [DfES] 2004, Department of Health 2004, Welsh Assembly 2005). Schools must rise to the challenge of being at the 'epicentre' of community health and education resources, with responsibility for supporting children and families 365 days a year (Reid 2005). The Government's stated intention that by 2010 extended schools will offer a range of services, including swift and easy access to specialist support, has prompted therapists to explore new ways of working with schools that deliver flexible and family-orientated services (DfES 2005). There are several examples of successful partnership working between health and education, particularly in relation to promoting communication and the development of language skills in early years. Initiatives such as Sure Start established speech and language therapists as key partners with education. Evaluations of these services have generated greater understanding about the benefits of partnership working, but there is less knowledge about which models of intervention work most effectively (Barber 2002).