Supporting occupational therapy outcomes for children and young people with cerebral palsy: key considerations for impactful outcomes

Occupational therapy practice for children and young people with cerebral palsy targets many areas to support direct and indirect needs to achieve health, activity performance, and participation outcomes. This aligns with and is complemented by the World Health Organization (2001) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. This article seeks to support understanding of how occupational therapy practice fits into the ICF framework and to demonstrate the need to address all ICF domains. A broad overview of areas supported by occupational therapists working with children and young people with cerebral palsy GMFCS level III to V is therefore presented. Consideration here is given to environmental factors, hand function and management of secondary effects of neural mechanisms, and supporting activity performance and participation. Additionally, in consideration of these practice examples, this article aims to show that support needs for children and young people with cerebral palsy are ongoing throughout childhood and adolescence and into adulthood. Complexity of presentation means that surveillance mechanisms in services are required. Concurrently, children and young people and their parents/carers require support to enhance abilities to facilitate performance and participation goals independently.