Preschool Boost Educator Coaching
Help your team understand difficult parts of the preschool day and decide what to try next. Your team may know which parts of the day are difficult, but still need time to understand what is happening and what to try.
We work alongside educators in the preschool setting. Together, we observe the routine, choose practical changes and review what happens when educators use them during the week.
This is group-based coaching for the preschool service. It is not an individual assessment or therapy program for one child.
A good program starts with a good conversation.
A good program starts with a good conversation.
We usually begin with a free Teams call to understand your preschool, cohort and priorities.
If the program may fit, we can arrange a preschool visit so the OT can understand the setting and what your team needs before you commit.
If you are a parent or carer, share this page with the preschool director or educational leader. The preschool service decides whether to enquire and use its Preschool Boost funding.
What do you want to understand next?
Start with a part of the preschool day your team wants to understand.
The coaching may focus on:
transitions that regularly interrupt children's participation
group activities that some children find hard to join
play, peer interaction or conflict between children
emotional regulation and co-regulation during everyday routines
sensory, movement or communication demands within an activity
mealtimes, toileting or other self-care routines
the way timing, room setup or educator support affects what happens
The occupational therapist looks at the children, the activity, the environment and the support already available. Educators bring their knowledge of the cohort, routines, staffing and what is practical during the day.
Together, we identify what is already working and choose one to three priorities for the coaching cycle. The aim is not to make every child participate in the same way. It is to help the team understand different needs and make everyday routines more accessible and manageable.
What a coaching session looks like
Most of the session happens where the routine happens. Sessions are usually about 60 minutes.
Depending on the week's focus, the occupational therapist may:
- observe a routine or activity
- talk through what educators are noticing
- explain the reasoning behind an approach
- model a practical change in the room
- coach an educator while they try it
- review what was useful and what needs to change
When protected coaching time would help, a typical session may begin with 15 to 20 minutes for reflection and planning with the nominated educator. The remaining 40 to 45 minutes can then be used for on-floor observation, modelling and coaching.
Observation weeks may need little or no educator backfill. Planning and review sessions may need more protected time. We agree on the practical arrangement with the service before the program begins.
For the first cycle, the service usually nominates a primary educator or room leader to work closely with the occupational therapist. Other educators can still take part through on-floor coaching, team discussions and brief check-ins.
The preschool remains responsible for the children, staffing, supervision and its own policies. Preschool Boost suppliers must be supervised by service staff and must not be left alone with children.
How the 10-week program works
A clear structure, adapted to your service.
01
Weeks 1 to 3: Understand and choose priorities
We learn about the room, cohort and routines. The occupational therapist observes what is happening, and the team agrees on one to three priorities for the term.
02
Weeks 4 to 8: Try, coach and adjust
The occupational therapist explains and models practical approaches within everyday routines. Educators try them during the week, then bring back what worked, what was difficult and what needs to change.
03
Weeks 9 and 10: Consolidate and plan
The team identifies which approaches are useful to continue, where educators still want support and what the next priority may be.
The 10-week structure makes the program easier to plan across a preschool term. The content is not a fixed curriculum. It is shaped around the service's cohort, routines and Partnership Plan priorities.
A program of 8 to 12 sessions can also be arranged where that suits the service better.
How this differs from individual occupational therapy
One service supports the preschool team. The other focuses on one child.
01
Preschool Boost Educator Coaching
May fit when the service wants to work on a shared routine, environment or educator approach for a group of children.
02
Individual occupational therapy
May fit when one child has a specific clinical question that needs individual consent, assessment or a personalised plan.
Explore occupational therapy for childrenObserving children during group coaching does not turn the program into individual assessment or therapy. If an individual question becomes clear, the occupational therapist will explain the boundary and the appropriate next step.
Program cost
Our current therapy rate is
$3,000
excluding GST
+ $300 per any additional session
What’s included?
This is equivalent to $300 per session and includes ten weekly occupational therapy coaching sessions of approximately 60 minutes, associated documentation and metropolitan travel.
You can adjust the program length
A program of 8 to 12 sessions can be quoted at the same $300 per-session rate. Online sessions may also be included where appropriate.
The current quote confirms the number of sessions, delivery format, location, timing and any GST before the preschool commits its funding.
How to get started
Tell us about your service and what your team wants help with.
Tell us:
the preschool name and suburb
your role
the room or cohort involved
the routine, activity or situation your team wants to understand
the relevant Partnership Plan priority
a safe way to contact you
Please do not include child names, diagnoses, health information or NDIS details in the enquiry.
We review the enquiry and, if the request fits the coaching model, arrange a free initial Teams call. We use the conversation to understand your service, discuss how the program could work and decide whether a preschool visit would be useful before you commit.
If the program may fit, the OT can visit the preschool to understand the setting, routine and practical needs. We then confirm whether the standard 10-week program or another program of 8 to 12 sessions is appropriate.
If we can offer the service, we then provide a current quote and confirm the room, primary educator, weekly time and any short period of educator backfill that may be needed. An enquiry does not guarantee capacity or a start date.
