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Developmental Occupational Therapy(WA), known as DOT(WA) is a voluntary organisation that provides support to occupational therapists who work with children within Western Australia.

Occupational therapists assist children to take part in everyday activities at home, day care or elsewhere by building up the child’s skills and considering modifications to the child’s environment. Occupational therapists can target play skills, physical skills, sensory/ behaviour issues and daily living tasks such as feeding and dressing.

DOT(WA) supports occupational therapists and occupational therapy students to network with their colleagues, share resources and information, and access high quality training events. We hold monthly meetings which can be accessed by video-conference. The monthly meetings include professional development specifically relevant to occupational therapists working with children.

DOT(WA) provides a free library for members. We have developed resources for professionals and parents/ caregivers including the “Play and Early Learning Handouts” and “Early Skills for Living and Learning“, which are simple, photo based handouts that can be used with families from a range of cultural backgrounds. We have also published clinical guidelines for occupational therapists in the area of Motor Dysgraphia and Developmental Coordination Disorder. DOT(WA) also issues a regular newsletter with updates on upcoming professional development, job advertisements and current research findings. DOT(WA) offers grants to members to support research projects and innovative clinical practice.

The objectives of our association are to:

• To advance the professionalism and status of occupational therapists working with children in Western Australia (WA)
• To provide high quality, regular and accessible professional development opportunities for occupational therapists and student occupational therapists throughout WA
• To provide a forum for the sharing of resources, information and knowledge between occupational therapists practicing in WA
• To represent occupational therapists working with children within WA in political and social debate
• To support opportunities for research in the field of paediatric occupational therapy
• To support occupational therapists practising in rural and remote areas of WA all of the above

Please see the RULES OF ASSOCIATION, which directs the operation of our organisation.