01/06/2026
In paediatric OT, we often use the Person–Environment–Occupation (PEO) model to understand how children participate in everyday life.
This model reminds us that a child’s success is shaped by the interaction between:
✨ the child
✨ their environment
✨ and the activities they’re doing
Often, the environment is the key that unlocks change.
We aim to create environments that support development, participation, and wellbeing, while also supporting the child’s skills and adapting activities so they can engage in ways that feel accessible and meaningful.
The goal isn’t to fix a child. It’s to create the right fit between the child, their environment, and the activities they engage in.
That might look like:
✨ Environment: adjusting routines, creating predictable structures, reducing overwhelm, creating sensory-friendly spaces, modifying expectations, and supporting caregivers with practical strategies
✨ Person (child): supporting regulation, emotional awareness, motor coordination, sensory processing, attention, confidence, and independence
✨ Occupation (activities): adapting tasks, breaking tasks into manageable steps, and making play and daily activities more accessible and meaningful
Sometimes, small changes to the environment can unlock significant progress. With the right support, every child has the opportunity to thrive.
What’s one change that has helped your child thrive?
