REAL WORLD KIDS OT
An Innovative & Unique Approach To Occupational Therapy
How Real World Kids OT is Bringing Life‑Changing Therapy Directly to Families
Families in BC with newly diagnosed autistic children often face two critical challenges: the pressing need for support and lengthy Occupational Therapy (OT) waitlists.
Our team from Real World Kids OT, knows that early intervention and true parent inclusion makes all the difference. This is why our mobile, neurodiversity-affirming clinic delivers immediate, family-centered support exactly where it’s needed: at home and in the community.
“Clinic-based OTs do incredible work, but families can’t always wait.” Our model bridges the gap and empowers you right now. NO WAIT, NO BARRIERS!
Real-World Support for Real-Life Challenges
You as parents are often excluded from traditional therapy, leaving you without tools to manage meltdowns, mealtime struggles, potty training hiccups, sensory overload, behavioral issues, or bedtime battles. Our approach changes that, involving you as caregivers directly and equipping you with effective strategies for everyday life challenges.
Instead of in a clinic, we meet you and your child in your natural environment – at home, daycare, preschool, on the playground, swimming pool, pet store, library… There’s no place we won’t go if it helps meet your child’s goals.
Our therapy model is built around key principles: nervous system regulation, emotional connection, and family collaboration.
“We are here to validate you, empower you, cheer you on, and give you tools and strategies that actually work in real life.”
A Hybrid Support Model
To bridge the wait-time gap, Real World Kids OT offers:
- Online Educational Resources: including the “ASD Kickstart program”, “Get Ready for Kindergarten program,” and on-demand workshops
- Group Coaching: guided sessions with peer connection
- Tailored 1:1 Support: virtual or in-person OT and sleep support customized to each family
Empowering Parents & The Broader Team
You as parents are the true experts on your children. With over 28 years of combined OT experience supporting neurodiverse kids, we empower families to lead confidently.
Beyond Clinics: Ongoing, Real-Life Support
Even after securing a clinic-based OT slot, many families continue with our on demand parent coaching, empowered and supported to tackle travel prep, doctor visits, potty training, and bedtime challenges. This ongoing support emphasizes life skills and reinforces your parental confidence.
Reach & Recognition
Real World Kids OT serves families across the Tri‑Cities and Greater Vancouver in person, with virtual services across BC. Our neurodiversity‑ affirming practice was honored with Port Coquitlam’s 2025 Best Biz Award as the People’s Choice Award with over 3,500 public votes.
The main benefits of "real life" therapy:
We work on the challenges you and your child are facing in their “real world” within the actual context
You and your child feel most comfortable, relaxed and safe in your natural, familiar environment, and this positively impacts and speeds up their progress and learning
Instead of having limited access to expensive equipment ONLY during a therapy session, we teach you to use what you already own or have access to 24/7 (e.g. your furniture, toys, backyard, playground) and make personalized equipment recommendations to achieve your goals
We can include other family members and relevant members of your child’s community, e.g. both parents, siblings, grandparents, babysitter/nanny, Behavioural Interventionist, ECE, and teachers, and show them strategies to set your child up for success in their context and environment
Appointments can take place at convenient times for your family (e.g. virtually during your lunch break) and can be integrated into your natural daily tasks and routines (e.g. cooking, transitioning from play to mealtimes)
Working with us does not aim to replace regular OT sessions at a clinic, but is a “kick start” on your journey of understanding and helping your child
WHO THIS IS FOR:
Children:
- on the autism spectrum
- with (social) anxiety or PDA
- with sensory processing and sensory regulation difficulties
- who struggle with social skills
- who struggle at home/daycare/preschool/school
- who need support with developing independent life skills (e.g. dressing, brushing teeth, toilet training, independent feeding)
Families who ...
- are waiting for/recently received an autism diagnosis and want to learn more about their child and how to best support them
- want to be involved in their child’s healing journey and learn more about the underlying causes of their child’s challenges, behaviours and emotions.
- want to strengthen their family relationships (e.g. parent-child and/or sibling relationships)
- are unable to go to an OT clinic due to physical or mental health conditions or who have experienced medical trauma in the past
WHO THIS IS NOT FOR:
Families who ...
- think something is wrong with their child and just want it “fixed”
- like the “drop off” approach and don’t want to be involved in their child’s healing journey
- don’t want their team of therapists to collaborate
- believe in a purely ABA approach (Applied Behavioural Analysis)
- feel like they need the “respite” while being away from their child during OT sessions
- whose child benefits from the setting, structure and equipment of a clinic or can’t “focus” during therapy at home