Share your insights in our children’s occupational therapy survey 2026
Calling children’s occupational therapists — we want to hear from you
If you work with children and young people in the UK – especially in school settings – your experience matters.
Our short survey (around 10 minutes) will help us build a clear picture of how services are organised and delivered, and the difference they make in children’s lives.
‘In 2023, OTs told us demand was up and capacity was stretched – especially in schools. Your 2026 insight will help us push for the right support at the right time.’
Dr Sally Payne – Professional Advisor – Children, young people and families
Why we need your voice in 2026
In our 2023 survey, almost 700 children’s occupational therapists told us demand was rising and capacity was stretched. This was impacting on your health and wellbeing as well as the children’s mental health and educational outcomes – with a significant proportion saying needs were becoming more acute by the time children were seen.
Your feedback will make a difference as we can show what’s changed since 2023, spotlight effective models and use the data to inform our influence with policy-makers and key stakeholders across the UK.
Who should take part
We need to hear from:
- occupational therapists working with children and young people across the UK
- practitioners in education, health, social care and independent practice – especially those supporting school‑aged children and school‑based provision.
What the survey covers
This will be the fourth survey – with others taken in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
We want to understand how services for children and young people are organised and delivered and what, if anything, is making it difficult for children and families to access or benefit from OT support.
We particularly want to understand what’s changing and make comparisons with our 2023 data.
How to take the survey
The whole survey will only take about 10 minutes.
You’ll need to have completed it by Monday 2 March 2026.
Take part in the survey
Your insight will help us strengthen practice and advocate for the children, young people and families you support every day.
Accessibility and support
The survey is hosted on Jisc Online Surveys. If you need the questions in an alternative format, or have any queries about taking part, please contact the RCOT team at [email protected].
What happens next?
We’ll analyse responses and publish a 2026 summary. This summary will be used to advocate for children’s OTs and build on previous recommendations to position OTs where they’ll have most impact.