Specialist Occupational Therapy (OT) service supporting people with Learning Disability/Autism and their Carers are available within Essex County Council. The Occupational Therapist can offer a holistic assessment and intervention, assessing occupational performance in activities of daily living, sensory integration, and behavioural needs. They can also look at the environment from a physical dysfunction, sensory processing, and behaviour management perspective, recommending adaptations to ensure the environment supports the person’s activities.

An OT may also be able to work with paid and unpaid carers to support them in caring for the adults. This may involve making recommendations regarding moving and handling techniques and/or equipment, delivering person-specific sensory awareness training, covering strategies to support the individual and interventions to reduce the risk of carer or placement breakdowns.

OTs can assess a person’s performance in their activities of daily living, which can help capture the baseline level of functioning of the person. This can help inform an understanding of how the ageing process is affecting the person over time. The OT may offer advice and guidance on how to engage someone in meaningful activities in a person-centred way as the adult ages. This is a time when interests and abilities may be changing and they may begin to decline previously enjoyed activities.

If you would like to request an assessment from an Occupational Therapist, then please request this through the involved Social Worker or by contacting Adult Social Care on

Call Adult Social Care

Telephone: 0345 603 7630
Textphone: 0345 758 5592

Monday to Thursday, 8:45am to 5pm
Friday, 8:45am to 4:30pm

For out of hours queries contact the Emergency Duty Service.
Telephone: 0345 606 1212

You can also email the Adult Social Care team, and someone will get back to you.
Email: socialcaredirect@essex.gov.uk