Use of the Medical Research Council Framework to develop a complex intervention in pediatric occupational therapy: Assessing feasibility.

Missiuna et al. (2012) tested a new way to deliver OT in schools. Instead of pulling kids out for one-on-one therapy, the OT coached teachers and parents. The model is called Partnering for Change (P4C).

They ran the model in a few classrooms with kids who have developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Then they asked teachers and parents to fill out short surveys and talk about what changed.

Teachers and parents said they felt more able to help the kids. They learned simple tricks like breaking tasks into smaller steps and giving quick feedback. Kids stayed in class and kept up with lessons.

No one felt overloaded. The OT spent less time on direct therapy and more time guiding adults. Everyone wanted to keep the model going next year.

Rickert et al. (1988) showed the same idea works with parents. When parents had to prove they could do a skill, they kept using it at home. Cheryl’s team used that coaching style with both parents and teachers.

Bieber et al. (2016) list the best tests for fine-motor problems. Cheryl’s coaches used those tools to spot needs, then taught adults how to read the scores and pick goals.

St. Joseph et al. (2022) found video-modeling plus rewards helps kids with IDD learn health routines. Cheryl’s model adds the coach layer: adults first watch, then guide, then step back.

You can copy this model next week. Pick one teacher and one student. Spend 15 minutes showing how to adapt a worksheet or pencil grip. Leave a cue card. Check back in three days. When the teacher sees the payoff, she’ll ask for more. That’s how you scale without extra staff or money.