What are the costs for therapy services?

Costs are dependent on the type of intervention your child or student requires. Please contact us to obtain further information regarding fee structures and payment options. General Information Costs & Coverage It is important that you know what your plan will cover before your child begins therapy/ support. Please contact your insurance company to find out what your plan will cover. If you have secondary health insurance, be sure to check coverage under that plan as well.

• Coverage for Occupational Therapy
  Many insurance plans cover occupational therapy services but there may be certain conditions or limitations to coverage. Dutch insurance companies usually pay 10-12 hours of occupational therapy per year. International health care insurances frequently cover occupational therapy support for 100%. Please contact your insurance company to verify if your plan offers a benefit for occupational therapy services. Sometimes our occupational therapy services are also covered via the council/ ‘Persoons Gebonden Budget’ or via a school budget.

Do I need a General Practitioner referral for therapy services?

Occupational Therapy: As our occupational therapists are trained in ‘Directe Toegang Ergotherapie’ you do not require a referral by a physician to begin occupational therapy. However, some international health care insurances may require a referral letter from your General Practitioner or from the occupational therapist. For various psychology or other therapy services you may need a referral letter of your General Practitioner, please contact us for further information.

Will I be able to talk to the therapist privately without my child being present?

Please let your child’s therapist know before the session or meeting if you would like to speak privately or if your child will be attending, so they can plan accordingly. Depending on the location of your appointment, there are different waiting areas available for your child. Please consider bringing another adult or older child with you to supervise your child while we meet or arrange for them to be supervised at home. Other options for private meetings are online meetings or via secure email.

When are therapy sessions available?

Depending on the location and therapist availability, sessions are available from 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday. Together with caregivers and your child’s school we try to find a convenient time to work with your child. During the summer holiday’s we also offer individual and groups therapy.

What age groups do you serve?

Our clients span a wide range of ages, from infants and toddlers to young adults. However, most of our clientele are in the preschool and school-age ranges. Therapy with children is typically highly effective (early intervention). We use play and evidence-based approaches in a fun and nurturing environment.

What can I expect from an evaluation?

Evaluations at Child Development involve an initial meeting (face to face meeting, online meeting or via a phone call) to discuss your child’s needs, strengths and possible help questions. Following this, the Child Development team will choose the most appropriate assessment or support plan. Your child’s needs will determine the length of assessments and they may need to be completed over several sessions. A comprehensive report and recommendations will be made following assessments, and a parent meeting held to discuss the findings and the next steps forward. With your permission we can also communicate our findings and recommendations with your child’s teachers and physicians to ensure holistic care.

How can I prepare my child for a first therapy visit?

We know that your child may feel anxious about their first visit, so we will do everything we can to help them to feel comfortable from the moment they arrive. Most of our clientele are very excited to meet with us and often don’t want to leave. Some children with separation difficulties may need a few sessions to become comfortable with a new person and environment. It is very important to us that both parents and children feel safe and comfortable in this environment. Assessments and therapy sessions use a play-based approach to help children feel safe and have fun. For many children we work in their own familiar (school) environment which can be helpful for their sense of security. Parents are welcome to join all sessions.

What should I prepare for my first appointment?

Please make sure you bring your child’s insurance details, ID (license) and copies of any previous evaluations. The intake questionnaire is also very helpful to send through prior to the appointment or to the first appointment so the therapist can prepare as best as possible.

Can you come to my child’s school to do an assessment and/or therapy?

Our team provides services at various international schools in the Netherlands on a weekly basis, if we are not already based at your child’s school, there is always the potential to begin, which may incur a travel fee (‘op locatie toeslag’).

What do I do if I think my child may need your services?

If you are wondering whether your child could benefit from our services, you are welcome to contact us. We will answer your questions and help you determine if and which kind of evaluation might be of most benefit to your child.

Do I need to be present for my child’s therapy session?

A parent or legal guardian must be present at their child’s first intake meeting (aged under 18). This is important so that you can give consent for your child to be seen for assessment and support. Parent involvement in sessions is encouraged so that support can be transferred to the home setting, as one of our primary goals is to provide your family with knowledge to help your child at home to gain the greatest benefit from therapy. However, if assessment or therapy is most beneficial for your child without you present, then we are also able to accommodate this.

How frequent and how long will my child be seen for therapy?

The length of therapy varies depending on several factors including your child’s needs, age and specific goals. Following initial assessments, your therapist will talk with you about how many therapy sessions they recommend. Most children start with sessions on a weekly basis. We believe in ongoing communication with a child’s family, physicians and teachers to ensure appropriate frequency of support and generalisation of skills learnt in therapy. Our therapists will work with you to develop the most appropriate and effective plan of care for your child. From the day your child enters therapy, our primary goal is to help your entire family develop the skills and knowledge to help your child continue to thrive after Child Development support ends.

Will the therapist who evaluates my child also treat my child?

The treating therapist and the evaluating therapist may or may not be the same person. This depends on the you and the therapist's availability for scheduling, and location preference.

Where can my child receive therapy?

We offer community based occupational therapy and psychology services at various international schools in the Netherlands (sometimes outside the Netherlands). We are currently located on a weekly basis at the Lighthouse SE, British school of Amsterdam, International school of Amsterdam, International School of the Hague, The British School of the Netherlands, Amsterdam International Community School and Bizzi Lizzi nursery. We also provide services at other (international) schools in the Netherlands on a consultancy basis. Additional traveling costs may be required depending on the therapy setting.