Experts at Hand delivery guidance published
What new Experts at Hand guidance means for occupational therapists.
Today, the Department for Education (DfE) has published its Experts at Hand delivery guidance.
Experts at Hand is part of the government’s wider work to strengthen support for children and young people with SEND, focusing on how specialist expertise, including occupational therapy, is made available to education settings.
We have been in regular contact with DfE as this guidance has developed, and it is positive to see a number of the points raised by RCOT and RCSLT reflected in the final version. This includes more clearly defining the role of the Advanced Practitioner for Speech and Language Therapy.
A key role for occupational therapists
The guidance clearly sets out the role occupational therapists play in delivering Experts at Hand, with a strong focus on supporting participation, independence and wellbeing across education settings.
It reflects how occupational therapy can be applied within education settings, from supporting inclusive whole setting approaches that build staff confidence and capability through to more targeted support for children and young people with emerging needs to help prevent escalation
Importantly, the guidance also draws directly on RCOT resources, reinforcing the value of existing professional guidance in supporting effective practice.
As implementation begins, it will be important that occupational therapy is embedded effectively within delivery approaches.
Moving towards access for every school
This connects closely to RCOT’s long-standing ambition for every school to have access to occupational therapy expertise when it is needed.
Experts at Hand has the potential to support this, particularly by strengthening early support and building the capability of those working with children every day.
Supporting needs earlier can help prevent them becoming more complex while ensuring occupational therapists can focus their specialist skills where they are most needed.
Join our schools-based practice network
We know applying new guidance locally is not always straightforward. Join our Schools-based Practice community to share learning, access resources and get support as you take this forward in practice.
Our ongoing focus
RCOT will continue to ensure role clarity in implementation, recognition of workforce capacity and that occupational therapy is positioned as a core part of delivery.