We are dedicated to best practice in child safeguarding and have a robust policy and procedures in place, ensuring full compliance with all relevant guidelines and legislation.

As mandated persons, we are legally required to report safeguarding concerns that meet a defined threshold to Tusla – Child and Family Agency. Our practice is informed by key national documents: Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice (Tusla), the National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children (HIQA) July 2012, and Children First – National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017.

We recognise the unique strengths and challenges faced by our neurodivergent community. At Thrive Outside Occupational Therapy, we are committed to an explicitly neuroaffirming policy, which means we honour and respect neurodiversity as a natural form of human variation. Our therapeutic approach is tailored to support and celebrate the unique needs and perspectives of neurodivergent individuals, promoting acceptance and well-being.

Thrive Outside Occupational Therapy is committed to client confidentiality, particularly with the personal and sensitive information shared during assessment and therapy services. Our paramount consideration is always the child's best interests and safety. Therefore, when parents request records, we must carefully assess the potential for harm or misuse of sensitive data. In any instance where there is a risk to a child's safety, welfare, or privacy, we reserve the right to withhold sensitive information.

We are committed to the secure handling of our clients' data.

Data Retention:

• Physical Files: Stored for 7 years, then securely destroyed.

• Electronic Copies: Stored for 10 years, then securely deleted.

Opting Out of an assessment or therapy service:

Should you choose not to proceed with an assessment, all related data concerning you or your child will be immediately deleted, as the original purpose for data collection is no longer valid. If you contact us again in the future regarding an assessment, we will require you to provide your data once more.

Our pricing reflects the specialised nature of the therapy we offer. Your therapist will give you a detailed breakdown of the costs before confirming any appointments, and we will always communicate any changes in prices in advance.

We recommend checking with your healthcare provider, as you may be eligible to claim some or all of the cost of your assessment or therapy service.

We understand that unexpected things can happen. However, a missed appointment means another family loses out on that appointment.

We kindly request a minimum of 48 hours notice for any cancellation or rescheduling.

Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will be charged the full session fee.

We often receive questions about how we handle rain, cold, wind, and icy conditions.

Living in a climate where the weather can change multiple times a day, we believe it's important not to put our lives on hold waiting for perfect, sunny weather. Rather than viewing "bad weather" as an obstacle, we see it as a fantastic opportunity for unique sensory experiences and building resilience. 

Preparation is essential: this means suitable waterproof clothing/shoes, sun protection in the summer, and extra layers for warmth in the winter are vital. We do have spare waterproof trousers and coats available in case our clients forget theirs.

However, client safety is our top priority and we appreciate our clients' flexibility in managing weather-related adjustments. Nature-based appointments are cancelled during official severe weather warnings or if the forecast wind speed exceeds 33 km/h. In these rare instances, we may switch the session indoors to our clinic and/or make every effort to reschedule.