Supporting the social-emotional needs of children and young people with developmental coordination disorder: Occupational therapists’ perceptions of practice in England

Introduction: The social-emotional impacts of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) for children and young people (CYP) are often the most disabling. Occupational therapists (OTs) have a central role in facilitating holistic service provision for this population. There is a need to understand OTs’ perceptions regarding provision of support for the social-emotional needs of CYP with DCD. Method: A focus group (n = 9) explored issues pertaining to OT support for the social-emotional needs of this population. Qualitative data were analysed through collaborative coding, organization and reorganization following the classic analysis strategy. Results: Findings suggest that social-emotional support is not explicitly addressed in service provision for CYP with DCD. It appears that OTs know what needs to happen to improve social-emotional outcomes, and have made some progress, but more remains to be done. Holistic service provision depends upon varied factors, many of which are outside individual therapists’ control. Conclusion: In England, OTs working with CYP with DCD may be providing services in settings not geared to supporting social-emotional needs. This raises concerns as to whether practitioners are enabled to stay true to holistic principles, as well as concerns related to delivering evidence-based practice in light of growing evidence regarding this population’s social-emotional risks.