Description
#10 with Dr Roseann Schaaf
This is not just about therapy – sensory differences affect learning, communication, behaviour, regulation, and everyday participation.
As families across the UK face long waits for autism assessment, growing pressure on SEND support, and too many children struggling to stay in school, this conversation feels more important than ever.
This webinar explores why sensory differences may not just be part of autism, but part of what shapes a child’s whole developmental journey. For parents, teachers, school leaders, psychologists, speech and language therapists, commissioners, and anyone working alongside children and young people, this matters because sensory needs affect far more than therapy sessions — they affect learning, behaviour, communication, emotional regulation, school attendance, family life, and everyday participation.
This session helps shift the conversation from “challenging behaviour” to understanding what a child may actually be experiencing – and why earlier, more informed support can make such a difference.
If you work in education, health, early years, or family support, this is not just an OT discussion. It’s a wider conversation about how we recognise need earlier, respond better, and create environments where children can actually thrive.
#SchaafSeries #Autism #SensoryIntegration #SEND #Inclusion #Neurodevelopment #EarlyIntervention #Education #FamilySupport #OccupationalTherapy
NHS England reported 236,225 open referrals for autism assessment in June 2025, with 211,104 people waiting more than 13 weeks. The UK Government is also actively consulting on SEND reform in 2026 with a stated focus on earlier support in mainstream settings. Alongside that, evidence submitted to Parliament and recent autism-sector campaigning has highlighted how unmet SEND and sensory needs are affecting school attendance and participation.
The webinar content is the Schaaf Series 10 session with a focus on sensory integration, autism, neurodevelopment, and the role of early intervention and occupational therapy.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Explain the “sensory first” hypothesis of autism and its relevance to neurodevelopment.
- Describe how sensory differences may influence social communication, behaviour, regulation, and participation over time.
- Recognise the relationship between sensory processing, sensory integration, and the developmental trajectory of autistic children.
- Identify how early sensory experiences may shape later functional outcomes, including learning, interaction, and participation in daily life.
- Consider the role of observation, assessment, and early intervention in supporting children with sensory differences.
- Understand why this knowledge matters not only for occupational therapists, but also for parents, educators, therapists, and wider child development services.
