Research programme: Children and young people's occupations
Dr Carolyn Dunford,
Head of Research at The Children’s trust, Tadworth will be
leading the research programme for children and young people's
occupations. This research programme aims to grow an
international occupational therapy networks by identifying active
researchers in the field to enable collaboration and support. This
will facilitate building an evidence base in child and adolescent
mental health. This research programme will be formally launched
this year.
Challenges and
choices: a manifesto for research into children and young people's
occupations.
We invite all others who support this
manifesto to make this vision of evidence based practice in
occupational therapy for children and young people a reality. In
order to express your support sign up here and we will commit to
organise an event if there is enough interest.
Children and young people’s occupations
Children and young people’s occupations are
significantly influenced by their environment, affective, cognitive
and physical abilities as well as their chronological age and
developmental level. Developmental norms are available from a range
of sources to guide occupational therapists about typical
occupations at specified ages. However, there is still much to
learn about the development of children and young people’s
occupation and the impact that mental health issues may have on the
development of health promoting occupations. To see more about
self-care, productivity and play and leisure occupations
click here.
Carolyn is a PhD supervisor, read her
profile.