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What did our members take off the digital shelves this year? Our Digital Library is home to books, journals and databases to support your CPD and studies throughout your career. The 10 books below shine a light on the themes shaping occupational therapy right now – offering practical tools, clear frameworks and insight you can apply straight away.

Joseph Brunwin, Head of Policy and Practice at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, comments on the government’s announcement for additional funding for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream schools.

Joseph Brunwin, Head of Policy and Practice at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, reacts to to Lord Hunt’s comments about the provision of disability equipment as the ‘silent crisis’ of social care.

We’ve published a practical guide to setting up and running school-based placements for occupational therapy learners – created with clinicians, educators, learners and teachers, and funded by NHS England. With more routes to registration and rising learner numbers, practice educators and education providers need additional, sustainable placement capacity. School-based placements offer exactly that, while building a future workforce for children’s services and widening access to OT expertise in communities that need it most.

Occupational therapy apprentice Mandy Gardiner reflects on her role-emerging placement in a high school, where she developed a handwriting intervention, built strong partnerships with teaching staff and gained confidence working independently in a non-traditional setting. Through observation, collaboration and problem-solving, she identified gaps in support for pupils transitioning to secondary school and created lasting resources for teachers and families. Mandy explains how the experience strengthened her leadership, communication and clinical reasoning skills, influencing her later practice in acute care and helping shape her journey towards becoming a qualified occupational therapist.

Our policy and public affairs work continues to champion occupational therapy across the UK. This month has seen important milestones in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland – from celebrating a century of our profession to making sure OT is firmly on the agenda in political debates and policy reforms.

New RCOT guidance supports occupational therapists to make safe, ethical, least restrictive decisions on equipment for children and young people.

Welcome to the November edition of OTnews Extra

Accora are thrilled to announce we’re officially partnering with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) over the next 12 months.

Three occupational therapists have taken part in evidence sessions for the Casey Commission on Social Care.

We're concerned about the growing number of redundancies and increasing job insecurity affecting occupational therapy educators and researchers working within Higher Education Institutions.