Workplace assessments
An on-site visit to look at the job, the workstation and the physical and mental demands of a shift, with recommendations an employer can act on.
Return to work supportPrivate OT for families and workers in Washington
Occupational therapy for children, working-age adults and older relatives in Washington, Tyne and Wear, with visits to homes, schools and workplaces across the town's villages and video sessions where they make sense.
- Children's OT at home or school
- Workplace and return-to-work visits
- Every Washington village covered
- Video follow-up available
Request a quote
Tell us a little about what you need and we will be in touch to discuss the next steps.
Our service
Occupational therapy services in Washington from Private Occupational Therapy
Children's occupational therapy, school and EHCP assessments, return-to-work support and home adaptations advice are the main services offered to families, employees and older residents of Washington.
An occupational therapist travels from Newcastle upon Tyne to the family home, the child's school or the workplace, and some reviews take place by video. The work runs in a set order: an initial conversation, an assessment, a written report with recommendations, then therapy sessions or follow-up if they are needed.
What happens when you book
- Your goals discussed before anything else
- A quote agreed before work starts
- A written report you can share
- Practical, specific recommendations
- Reviews measured against agreed goals
- Contact with school or employer if you consent
Children and young people
Is your child struggling at school or at home?
Many Washington parents first think about occupational therapy when they or a teacher notice that handwriting, dressing, mealtimes or a noisy classroom seem much harder for their child than for classmates.
Paediatric occupational therapy starts with an assessment of how the child plays, moves, concentrates and looks after themselves, ideally in the places where the trouble shows up. With the school's agreement, Private Occupational Therapy can observe in a primary or secondary classroom, talk with the SENCO and then work with the family on a programme for home. For children with sensory differences, autism or coordination difficulties, the report explains what is happening in plain language and what is likely to help day to day.
Common reasons parents get in touch
- Slow or untidy handwriting
- Trouble with buttons, laces or cutlery
- Upset by noise, clothing or crowds
- Frequent trips and bumps
- Difficulty sitting still in class
- Needing evidence for an EHCP request
Working adults
Back to work after injury or illness
The town's industrial estates and business parks, several of them close to the A1231 and the A19, employ people in manufacturing, distribution and logistics, alongside office, retail and public-sector roles. Occupational therapy helps employees and employers plan a safe, sustainable return.
Phased returns
Practical advice on graded hours, pacing and duties after surgery, a back injury, a long-term condition or a period off with poor mental health.
Employer and HR referrals
Managers can commission an assessment for a member of staff, with the employee's consent and involvement at every stage.
Stress, anxiety and fatigue
Help with routines, energy management and confidence where mental health or fatigue is affecting work.
Mental health OTHow the new town layout shapes home visits
Washington was designated a new town in 1964 and built as a set of residential villages, each with its own name, linked by main roads and roundabouts. Appointments are planned village by village, so a home visit in Oxclose or Albany is as simple to arrange as one in Concord or Columbia. The historic core around Washington Village and the Old Hall is far older than the new town that grew up around it.
New-town houses and flats
Much of the housing dates from the late 1960s onwards: semi-detached and terraced family homes, low-rise flats, bungalows and more recent private estates. Many have a straight staircase and a compact upstairs bathroom, so an assessment often focuses on getting in and out of the bath, rails on the stairs and managing the step at the front door.
Older village properties
In the conservation area around the old village, period buildings can have uneven floors, steeper stairs and outside steps, and some changes need careful thought. Home adaptations advice sets out what the person needs and the realistic options, in a report you can share with family, a landlord or the council.
Help for older relatives and adults with long-term conditions
Plenty of Washington homes are lived in by people who have been there for many years, and it is often a son or daughter who gets in touch when a parent starts to struggle with the stairs or the bath, has a fall, or seems less confident going out alone. A falls prevention visit looks at how the person moves around the house, gets in and out of chairs and manages outside, then recommends equipment, small changes and routines that relatives can help with.
Adults living with arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's or the after-effects of a stroke can also have home-based therapy aimed at keeping up the tasks they value, from cooking a meal to getting to the shops at the Galleries. Private Occupational Therapy agrees the goals with the person first, and family members can join the sessions if that helps.
Coverage
Which villages are covered?
Home and school visits can be arranged anywhere in Washington, including the villages below, and travel from Newcastle is built into the quote.
- Albany
- Barmston
- Biddick
- Columbia
- Concord
- Donwell
- Fatfield
- Glebe
- Oxclose
- Sulgrave
- Usworth
- Washington Village
Neighbouring Sunderland and Chester-le-Street have their own pages, and the full list of locations is on the areas served page.
EHCPs, grants and the City of Sunderland
Washington sits inside the City of Sunderland, so Sunderland City Council is the local authority for Education, Health and Care Plans, adult social care and Disabled Facilities Grants. An independent assessment does not replace the council's own process. What it can do is help a family understand a child's needs before an EHCP request, or show clearly which adaptation an older relative needs ahead of a grant application. Procedures change from time to time, so confirm the current route with the council.
Families usually fund therapy themselves, although employers, insurers, solicitors, schools and personal budgets pay for occupational therapy in some situations. The fees and funding page sets out the questions worth asking before you commit.
Arrange occupational therapy in Washington
Send a few details about the person you are enquiring for and the help they need, and Private Occupational Therapy will reply with the options and a quote.