Presented by BBIS OT Mariana Teixeira

Sensory regulation is integral to our pupils' learning and a commonly requested area for Occupational Therapy advice and support across the Bi-Borough. Many students need help with regulating their energy levels throughout the school and can find the abundance of sensory input within the school environment overwhelming. Others may find the sensory input is not enough to manage their brain and body needs and miss sensory input throughout their day. Not all pupils with sensory processing challenges are known to the Occupational Therapy services, or they may not meet the threshold for specialist input. Therefore, our SEN OT team is providing an in-person training course to support teachers and support school staff to understand sensory processing and sensory regulation. We will identify sensory processing challenges and define sensory regulation and explore the impact these can have on learning and general everyday engagement and participation. We will also explore sensory aids and impart our expert knowledge on how to implement effective sensory strategies in the school day, exploring cost-effective and everyday resources you will commonly find within the school and class environment. During the session, we will explore the 8 senses of our body, sensory processing and sensory processing challenges, commonly observed adverse responses to sensory input, sensory regulation and energy levels as well as practical strategies to support pupils in their regulation journey. Our Paediatric Occupational Therapists will be available to answer specific questions about sensory processing and regulation and help navigate current challenges within your classroom and school environments with their expert Occupational Therapy knowledge in the area of sensory processing and regulation.