PiP Cast: Perspectives in Paeds

In this episode, Jac is joined by Keely and Maddie to unpack the transition to high school, one of the biggest environmental and demand shifts a young person will face, yet one that often doesn't land on anyone's radar until it's almost too late. They challenge the idea that high school readiness is about the child, and explore why the readiness of the school, the family and the team around the child is often the bigger variable.
The team digs into the barriers families hit along the way, from poor information transfer between primary and high school to what makes supporting kids harder once they actually start, including timetabling, masking, and growing resistance to being pulled out or looking different. They also get into the enormous social landscape of high school for neurodivergent young people, the strategies that need reworking from the ground up, and out-of-the-box ideas that can make a genuine difference. They then share some practical guidance on what they find really meaningful to be working on in the 12 months before day one of highschool.
Relevant episode links:
For supervision: https://kid-link-occupational-therapy.splose.com/public-form/ae613727-8bac-4713-b439-3b6bcf03eb6e
For access to free tools, clinical resources, and early access to Kid Link OT courses, all in your inbox. Join the list at https://mailchi.mp/kidlink/mailing-list-sign-ups
For on-demand learning from the Kid Link team, see our full catalogue of courses here: https://www.kidlinkeducation.com.au/
For access to our self-rating scale discussed in the episode:
https://www.kidlinkeducation.com.au/products/digital_downloads/self-rating-scale
For the link to the Association for Children with Disability (ACD) page: 
https://acd.org.au/ 
For the link to ACD equivalent services across Australia: 
https://acd.org.au/support-in-other-states-and-territories/ 
This podcast is brought to you by Kid Link Occupational Therapy.
We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live here in Mitcham, Victoria. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and recognise their ongoing connection to the land, waterways, and culture. As we support children and families, we are inspired by the wisdom and care that First Nations peoples have shown for generations.
Music by Daniel Pavey  ·  Produced by Michael Daniels

Reluctance from teenage clients is something almost every paediatric clinician runs into. In this episode, Caitlin is joined by Gabs and Maddie to unpack what may really be going on underneath that resistance.
This episode covers practical approaches and tips to support client engagement, as well as discussion around how clinicians and families might adjust expectations and consider what therapy plans and success can look like for these clients.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram @pip.cast
For access to free tools, clinical resources, and early access to Kid Link OT courses, all in your inbox. Join the list at
https://mailchi.mp/kidlink/mailing-list-sign-ups 
This podcast is brought to you by Kid Link Occupational Therapy.
We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live here in Mitcham, Victoria. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and recognise their ongoing connection to the land, waterways, and culture. As we support children and families, we are inspired by the wisdom and care that First Nations peoples have shown for generations.
Music by Daniel Pavey  ·  Produced by Michael Daniels

In this episode, Jackie is joined by Danni and Em to unpack how clinicians can embed trauma-informed practice principles into their everyday work. They clarify a distinction that often gets muddled, the difference between trauma-informed practice as a lens applied across all clients and trauma-specific intervention, and explore why allied health clinicians can and should work in a trauma-informed way without being trauma specialists.

The team defines what trauma actually is, how it shows up in a child's brain and nervous system and shapes the way they engage in therapy, and walks through Blue Knot's core principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration and empowerment. They also get honest about whether "trauma-informed" is sometimes used as a buzzword, and share concrete changes a clinician could make in their very next session.

Relevant episode links:

Blue Knot Foundation: https://blueknot.org.au/
Kid Link's PD booster on trauma-informed care: https://www.kidlinkeducation.com.au/courses/trauma-informed-care
For supervision: https://kid-link-occupational-therapy.splose.com/public-form/ae613727-8bac-4713-b439-3b6bcf03eb6e
For access to free tools, clinical resources, and early access to Kid Link OT courses, all in your inbox. Join the list at https://mailchi.mp/kidlink/mailing-list-sign-ups
For on-demand learning from the Kid Link team, see our full catalogue of courses here: https://www.kidlinkeducation.com.au/

This podcast is brought to you by Kid Link Occupational Therapy.

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live here in Mitcham, Victoria. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and recognise their ongoing connection to the land, waterways, and culture. As we support children and families, we are inspired by the wisdom and care that First Nations peoples have shown for generations.

Music by Daniel Pavey  ·  Produced by Michael Daniels

This episode brings together experienced paediatric OTs for a candid look at where the NDIS is heading. 
Guest Sally Davison is the owner of Launch OT in South Melbourne, working predominantly with neurodivergent children, adolescents and young adults -  and their families, schools and universities - with a particular clinical focus on school can't. With over 30 years in the field, a postgraduate qualification in Counselling and Psychotherapy, an MBA, and two decades running a health-sector management consulting practice, Sally brings a rare dual lens to this conversation: she understands both the clinical coalface and how large-scale system reform actually plays out (or doesn't). Sally is also an active member of OTSi, the OT Society for Invisible Disabilities.
Together, the team unpack the complex realities clinicians and families are navigating as the NDIS continues to evolve - from shifts in plan renewals to questions around eligibility for children with longstanding diagnoses. They explore the gap that often exists between reform intent and implementation on the ground, what makes a report genuinely useful in the eyes of the NDIA, and the particular considerations for young people with invisible disabilities and school can't presentations. It's a thoughtful, practical conversation about how clinicians can adapt and support families through change. 
* This episode was recorded on August 14th 2026. 
Update as of 21st August 2026:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-18/ndis-changes-pass-after-labor-strikes-deal-with-coalition/107051964
Relevant episode links: 
Links to OT Society Inc for Invisible Disability: 
Membership: https://otsi.net.au/membership-1
  
OTSi Event: NDIS Assessment Toolkit for occupational therapists working with people with psychosocial disability, and autism -  including NDIS Bill 2026 UPDATES: Link Here
Support OTSi's work through a donation: Link Here
OTSi Practice Guideline: Functional Capacity & Support Needs Assessment for People with Psychosocial Disability & Autistic Adults: OTSi Practice Guideline Functional Capacity Assessment and Support Need Assessments for Psychosocial Disability and Autistic Adults.pdf
OTSi Facebook page: Link Here
Victorian Allied Health Provider Group - VAHPG: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593012577089
NDIS OT Community of Practice - Facebook group: Link Here
Be sure to follow us on Instagram @pip.cast
For access to free tools, clinical resources, and early access to Kid Link OT courses, all in your inbox. Join the list at
https://mailchi.mp/kidlink/mailing-list-sign-ups
This podcast is brought to you by Kid Link Occupational Therapy.
We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live here in Mitcham, Victoria. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and recognise their ongoing connection to the land, waterways, and culture. As we support children and families, we are inspired by the wisdom and care that First Nations peoples have shown for generations.
Music by Daniel Pavey  ·  Produced by Michael Daniels

In this episode, Jackie is joined by Georgia and Jessie to unpack fatigue and burnout in neurodivergent children, an experience that so often stays invisible until it tips into crisis.
They explore the difference between ordinary tiredness, fatigue and genuine burnout, why it's so frequently misread as defiance, laziness or regression, and the hidden "effort tax" of masking and constant accommodation that quietly depletes these kids.
The team also gets honest about whether stacked appointments and the push for visible "progress" can be part of the problem, what neurodiversity-affirming support looks like when rest itself is the goal, and how to help schools and families understand burnout when a child looks "fine" on the surface.
Relevant episode links: 
For access to free tools, clinical resources, and early access to Kid Link OT courses, all in your inbox. Join the list at
https://mailchi.mp/kidlink/mailing-list-sign-ups 
For on-demand learning from the Kid Link team, see our full catalogue of courses here: 
https://www.kidlinkeducation.com.au/
Please find the podcast that was discussed within our episode, with Kristy Forbes exploring neurodivergent burnout here: 
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Qyg1Ra0cWrvuQx9OolLqq?si=bSgBFmWVQJ6LIyqdg7OHKw&utm_source=copy-link
This podcast is brought to you by Kid Link Occupational Therapy.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram @pip.cast
We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live here in Mitcham, Victoria. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and recognise their ongoing connection to the land, waterways, and culture. As we support children and families, we are inspired by the wisdom and care that First Nations peoples have shown for generations.
Music by Daniel Pavey  ·  Produced by Michael Daniels