Information About Our Adult DCD Assessments
Our adult DCD assessments are completed jointly by a doctor and occupational therapist, working together in one coordinated session. This joined-up approach allows us to explore medical, functional, and emotional perspectives side by side.
Assessments are appropriate for individuals who:
- Have never been formally diagnosed in childhood
- Continue to experience coordination-related challenges in adulthood
- Are seeking clarity, support, or workplace/educational adjustments
The Goal of an Adult DCD Assessment
- Confirm or rule out a diagnosis of DCD where lifelong coordination difficulties are suspected
- Clarify how motor coordination affects daily living, employment, education, and wellbeing
- Guide recommendations for support, workplace or educational adjustments.
- Enhance self-understanding and support the development of self-management strategies
What Does the Assessment Involve?
Before the Session
- We will send you structured questionnaires to complete to gain information about you daily living skills, leisure, fatigue, and past medical history
- Review of any existing reports or relevant history you provide
During the Session (Approx. 2 Hours)
- A detailed developmental and medical history with a doctor to confirm early onset
- Standardised motor assessments (for ages 18–25) or informal functional assessments (for over 25s)
- Completion of practical tasks to explore coordination, motor planning, and everyday functional skills — we recommend that you wear comfortable clothes and well-fitting shoes
- A reflective discussion with you to explore how coordination differences affect your daily life and to consider next steps together
After the Session
- You will receive a detailed report summarising the assessment findings, including your coordination profile, strengths, and areas of difficulty
- The report includes tailored recommendations for workplace or educational adjustments, therapy options, and strategies to support everyday functioning
- This report can be shared with employers, educators, or healthcare professionals to help advocate for appropriate support
Who is this assessment appropriate for?
We assess adults aged 18 years and above. For individuals aged 18–25, we use standardised motor assessments in line with recommended tools available for this age range to compare skills to expected norms. For adults above this age, we use informal assessments to explore coordination in real-world contexts, reflecting current best practice.
A diagnosis in adulthood requires evidence that:
- Coordination difficulties began in childhood (even if not previously diagnosed)
- These difficulties continue to affect daily functioning in work, education, or home life
- Adults do not have any other significant condition e.g. cerebral palsy, stroke that coordination challenges can be attributed to.
How Can an Adult DCD Assessment Help?
A clear understanding of your coordination profile can:
- Provide clarity and validation for lifelong challenges
- Support applications for reasonable adjustments in the workplace or education (e.g. under the Equality Act 2010)
- Guide referral to occupational therapy, physiotherapy, or coaching to develop practical strategies
- Support mental wellbeing by reducing frustration and improving self-awareness
- Help you build on your strengths — such as creativity, problem-solving, and communication skills
The focus is not just on diagnosis, but on helping you function confidently and independently in everyday life — in whatever you love to do.
- Concern about worsening self esteem – child seeing themselves as ‘stupid’ or seemingly giving up as not succeeding/being told off a lot.
- Behavioural problems at home and/or at school.
- Concerns about slow academic progress at school.
- Difficulties managing social relationships.
- Showing signs of anxiety about attending school or school avoidance.
- Family functioning is being significantly impacted by behaviours at home.
- We will ask you and your child’s school (and your teenager if they are over 12), to complete questionnaires.
- The clinical team will review any relevant reports you provide from professionals that have seen your child eg speech therapist, educational psychologist etc.
This will be approximately 3 hours face to face in our Wallingford clinic:
- One of our psychologists will guide your child through a cognitive assessment lasting approximately 1 hour.
- Observation of your child’s behaviour and a full history taken from you about your child’s health, development and current concerns
- Growth assessment and physical examination of your child where applicable
- Detailed verbal feedback is given on the day (usually to parents first) with the results of the assessment and a clear follow up plan, with advice about medication that may be appropriate for your child.
- If desired a medication plan can be set up after a full discussion regarding the risks and benefits.
Adult understanding sensory needs assessment.
What Is Sensory Processing?
Sensory processing refers to how the nervous system receives, organises, and responds to input from the body and environment. This includes sensations such as touch, sound, movement, balance, temperature, and internal signals like hunger or pain. These sensory experiences shape how we regulate emotions, maintain focus, interact with others, and participate in everyday life.
Sensory processing differences don’t disappear with age — they evolve. While sensory challenges in children are well recognised, there’s growing awareness that adults can experience similar difficulties, often with significant impact on daily life. Whether at home, at work, or during leisure time, sensory integration shapes how we engage, regulate, and connect.
For some, these patterns have been present since childhood. For others, they may come to the forefront following major life events — such as illness, periods of stress, or roles involving intense sensory demands, including military or emergency services work. Increasingly, parents who’ve supported their children’s sensory needs begin to recognise familiar traits in themselves.
Typical Signs and Impact
Adults with sensory processing and integration challenges may experience difficulties that affect their ability to participate meaningfully in everyday life. This may influence:
- Emotional regulation and wellbeing — e.g. difficulty winding down, irritability, shutdowns, or sensory overwhelm in busy or unpredictable environments
- Focus, productivity, and work participation — e.g. struggling with open-plan offices, noise sensitivity, or transitions between tasks
- Social interaction and relationships — e.g. masking, avoiding sensory-rich settings, or needing recovery time after social engagement
- Daily routines and self-care — e.g. discomfort with clothing textures, difficulty with mealtimes, or needing structure to manage sensory load
- Access to leisure and community activities — e.g. avoiding travel, events, or unfamiliar environments due to sensory demands
Information About Our Sensory Needs Assessments
Our Adult Sensory Needs Assessment is delivered by an experienced Occupational Therapist with postgraduate training in sensory integration. We use recognised sensory integration frameworks and validated tools to build a detailed profile of your sensory processing strengths and challenges.
While the focus is on sensory needs, we understand that sensory processing influences all areas of occupation. That’s why our assessment explores how these differences impact your participation in work, relationships, self-care, and leisure. Together, we shape practical, strengths-based strategies that reflect your unique sensory profile.
This service is available online (UK residents only) or in person at our Wallingford clinic. It is designed to support reflection, collaboration, and practical planning — helping adults better understand their sensory profile and shape strategies that support everyday life.
What Does the Assessment Involve?
Before the Session
- You’ll receive a set of structured questionnaires and reflective prompts to complete in advance. These help us understand your sensory experiences across different settings and prepare for a focused, personalised session.
- If you have existing reports, notes, or reflections, it can be helpful to share them — especially if they offer insight into your sensory profile, history, or current support needs.
During the Session (approx. 1.5 hours)
- A combination of validated sensory assessments and collaborative discussion
- Exploration of sensory preferences and sensitivities across home, work, and social settings
- Joint reflection to contextualise findings and explore practical take-away advice to support participation and wellbeing
- Time to talk through your experiences in a calm, respectful setting — either online or in person
After the Session
- A full written report outlining your sensory profile, clinical findings, and tailored strategies to support occupational performance across settings
- Recommendations can be shared with employers, healthcare professionals, or used to inform access needs and reasonable adjustments
- A detailed written report with personalised strategies, clinical recommendations, and guidance on reasonable adjustments
Who is this assessment suitable for?
This assessment is suitable for adults who:
- Experience sensory-related challenges in everyday life, including work, home, or social settings
- Are seeking greater self-awareness and practical strategies to support wellbeing
- Have a history of sensory differences or are exploring traits linked to neurodivergence
- Are navigating life transitions, stress, or roles with high sensory demand
Please note: This service is not suitable for adults currently experiencing acute or complex mental health challenges that require specialist input. If you’re unsure whether this assessment is the right fit, we’re happy to talk it through and help you explore appropriate options
Ongoing Occupational Therapy (OT) Sessions – Information for Patients and Families
Occupational Therapy (OT) – Goal-Based Therapy Blocks
Information for Patients and Families
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy (OT) helps individuals build the skills needed for everyday life and meaningful activities — including self-care, learning, work, play, and social participation. OT focuses on enabling people to live as independently and confidently as possible by recognising both their strengths and the challenges that may affect participation.
Occupational Therapy supports children, young people, and adults who experience:
- Motor coordination difficulties (e.g. DCD / Dyspraxia)
- Sensory processing differences
- Fine and gross motor delays
- Difficulties with daily living skills (e.g. dressing, eating, handwriting, organisation)
- Emotional regulation challenges linked to sensory or motor needs
Purpose of Occupational Therapy Blocks
Following an initial assessment, individuals may be offered a block of goal-based OT sessions. These blocks aim to:
- Build specific skills such as movement, self-care, handwriting, or organisation
- Develop strategies to support sensory or motor challenges
- Promote confidence and independence across home, work, and community settings
- Support wellbeing by reducing frustration and improving self-esteem
- Collaborate with families or employers to ensure consistent, practical support
- Where relevant, we can tailor provision to meet Section F of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Each therapy block is tailored to the individual’s goals, abilities, and preferred learning style, using evidence-based approaches. Goals are reviewed at the end of the block to determine next steps.
What Happens During Sessions?
Sessions within a therapy block may include:
- Targeted skill development (e.g. core strength, balance, dexterity)
- Task-specific practice (e.g. handwriting, using cutlery, dressing, workplace tasks)
- Sensory-based activities to support regulation and attention
- Strategy work with parents or employers
- Ongoing goal tracking to ensure therapy remains relevant and outcome-focused
Parents are actively encouraged to stay and participate in sessions. This collaborative approach helps ensure strategies carry over into daily life and provides space to discuss practical ideas for home. It also supports shared understanding and consistent implementation across environments.
Sessions may take place in a clinic setting or via telehealth, depending on individual needs.
Frequency and Duration
Therapy blocks are structured to allow focused progress and regular review:
- Weekly or fortnightly sessions over a term or intervention block (typically 6 sessions, 60 minutes each)
At the end of each block, progress is reviewed to establish whether further input is needed, whether initial goals have been met, or whether parents feel confident continuing with agreed strategies.
How Therapy Blocks Can Help?
Goal-based OT blocks can lead to meaningful improvements in:
- Daily independence (e.g. dressing, meal preparation, using tools)
- Motor coordination and endurance
- Sensory regulation and focus
- Confidence and self-awareness
- Participation at home, work, or in the community
Therapy blocks draw on evidence-based approaches, including the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) and Ayres Sensory Integration® (ASI), to support functional outcomes and promote meaningful participation. These approaches are selected and adapted based on individual goals, learning style, and clinical need.
Occupational Therapy blocks can build on the universal support already available through schools and the NHS. They offer a more focused level of input for children who need something additional — for example, to meet a specific goal or where universal strategies are already in place but further support is needed. Each block is shaped around clear, achievable goals, with progress reviewed regularly to ensure input remains purposeful and responsive.
Initial 30-Minute Occupational Therapy (OT) Call – Information for Families and Patients
Initial 30-Minute Occupational Therapy (OT) video call
Information for Families
Purpose of the appointment
If you’re unsure where to start, this 30-minute call can be a helpful first step in the OT pathway. It’s a relaxed, collaborative conversation with an occupational therapist to explore current concerns, ask questions, and consider whether further assessment or therapy may be helpful.
The call is designed to:
- Discuss priorities and daily challenges
- Gather background information
- Identify whether OT input is likely to be beneficial
- Outline next steps in the therapy pathway
- Share initial strategies where appropriate
This is not a formal assessment, but a practical and supportive first contact.
Who is it for?
The call is suitable for:
- Parents or carers seeking advice about a child with coordination, sensory, or self-care difficulties
- Young people or adults needing support with motor skills, organisation, or sensory processing
What to Expect
During the call, the therapist will:
- Listen to your concerns and observations
- Ask about routines, strengths, and challenges
- Review any previous reports (if available)
- Explain the OT pathway, including possible assessments and therapy options
- Offer initial strategies to trial at home or in school
After the Call
You’ll receive:
- A brief summary email
- Clear recommendations for next steps (e.g. assessment, observation, or review)
- The option to book further appointments if appropriate
How It Helps
The initial call:
- Provides early advice and reassurance
- Supports informed decision-making
- Builds a foundation for collaborative care
- Helps ensure assessments are appropriate and individualised