Occupational Therapy Activities Applied to Children Using Social Services - A Factor in Forming Skills for Independent Living

The Aim: of the present study is to determine the impact of additional occupational therapy activities on the formation of skills for independent living in children raised and educated in social services.

Tasks: Determining the influence of labor therapy activities on the organization of free time in children raised and educated in social service; Evaluating the impact of the implemented occupational therapy program to have a positive effect on the development of independent living skills in children raised and educated in social service; Study of the possibilities of the applied occupational therapy program to have an impact on overcoming the negative effects of social isolation in children raised and brought up in social service.

Materials and Methods: A number of scientific studies give reasons to assume that children raised and educated in the „Family-type accommodation center” need additional targeted activities to learn and improve the various activities of everyday life. The scope of the study is 21 children aged 7 to 12, users of a social service. Research methods and tools: test „Leisure Management” et test „Skills for independent living“, the evaluation is on a 3-point scale. Statistical methods are Wilcoxon rank test, t-test of Student.

Results: The good final results in the conducted research are due to the individual purposeful work on the implementation of the activities of the occupational therapy program for the formation of skills for independent living. Preparing for independent living is part of the overall process of working with children which are receiving social support. The application of a set of activities for the formation of their skills for everyday life is a priority goal in the work of the responsible institutions and specialists for improving the quality of child care.

Conclusion: The inclusion of appropriate labor and occupational therapy activities for the formation of independent living skills in children, the upbringing and education of children in the "Family-type accommodation center" has a favorable impact on the overall personal development and formation of social skills. The various and meaningful activities provided to disadvantaged children give meaning to their free time and create conditions for it to be organized and purposeful. Performing entertaining occupational therapy activities is expressed in working with various materials, tools and techniques from the applied arts and crafts. The diverse and meaningful activities provided in their individual programs support the process of acquiring a set of knowledge and skills that they need in their future independent life to overcome the negative aspects of social exclusion.