Document Type
Capstone
Abstract
Children in the foster care system have multiple increased risks including social-emotional delays, mental health concerns, academic delays, and more. Although these are all areas that the field of Occupational Therapy (OT) can address, there is a gap in the number of children in the foster care system who could benefit from OT services and who are receiving OT services. This paper explores the potential role OT services could have for children in the foster care system. To explore this potential, I used a needs assessment, pre-survey, and post-survey focused on pediatric OT with a group of social workers in the foster care system. My results indicated a lack of knowledge in the scope of pediatric OT, as well as a decreased understanding of the role OT could play for children in the foster care system. The post-survey results revealed a growth in knowledge related to how OT could benefit children in the foster care system as well as an increased recognition for potential OT needs of children in the foster care system. This paper suggests that educating social workers on the scope and benefits of pediatric OT is the first step to bridging the gap of children in the foster care system that could benefit from OT services and are receiving OT services.
Publication Date
4-18-2022
Recommended Citation
Boyles, Sydney, "Educating Social Workers: Decreasing the Gap of Children in Foster Care Who Need Occupational Therapy and Who are Receiving Occupational Therapy Services" (2022). MOT Student Capstones. 115.
https://riches.cabarruscollege.edu/mot-student-capstones/115
