NC Pediatric Fine Motor Development Clinic expands reach for Fall 2025
Niagara College’s Pediatric Fine Motor Development Clinic offers critical dose of hands-on experience for its students while addressing a pressing need for occupational therapy services for local children.
The six-week, community-based program, running at the College’s Welland Campus, offers specialized occupational therapy (OT) sessions for local school-age children to boost fine motor skills – the ability to use small muscles, especially in the hands. The sessions help young clients improve their strength, grip manipulation, dexterity, grasp, manipulation and coordination.
“We are particularly excited to have the opportunity to support occupational therapy services for local children via our clinics,” said Dr. Sinéad McElhone, Dean, Health Sciences.
“Niagara College offers multiple health and wellness related clinics (Dental Clinic, Massage Therapy Clinic) and this particular Pediatric Fine Motor Skills Clinic is a wonderful way for Niagara College to support a known need in the community and also provide hands-on experience for our students which would otherwise be quite difficult to obtain.”
Led by Occupational Therapist and Professor Sarah Cole, the clinic is an invaluable training ground for students in NC’s Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant (OTA & PTA) program. Students gain essential clinical experience in delivering OT-specific interventions under the supervision of a registered OT and OTA staff member.
“I’m proud of the impact this clinic has had on our students and on local families since we first launched it in 2018,” said Cole. “The clinic offers critical placement opportunities for our students seeking experience with Occupational Therapy Assistant-specific skills, while stepping in to provide in-demand treatment services in our community.”
Cole noted that many local families face long wait times to access similar services.
“Because fine motor isn’t viewed as an emergency, it can take a long time for many children to access services,” said Cole, emphasizing the importance of early intervention for tasks like writing, eating, and dressing.
The clinic kicked off the academic year with a block of sessions beginning in early September, and, for the first time, introduced a second block of sessions for the latter half of Fall term, which began on October 27.
Cole completes all initial client assessments and develops treatment plans for each child. She also supervises the treatment plans being carried out by a hired OTA staff member alongside current OTA & PTA students.
Bridging theory and practice
Cole initiated the clinic in 2018 to help students secure OT placements – particularly those in pediatrics, which are difficult to obtain. Placements are a required, crucial component of NC’s two-year OTA & PTA diploma program and students must complete 50 hours to graduate.
Cole has seen how students develop their skills by working in the clinical setting. She noted how it requires students to think on their feet, reinforcing skills like time management and adaptability.
“It’s all about being creative, thinking outside the box, and being able to adapt,” said Cole. “They have to engage with the children and families we serve and motivate the children.”
By working closely with clients through the six-week clinic, OTA & PTA students have the opportunity to apply their skills as well as witness the profound impact of their work.
“It’s really eye-opening for the students to see how something so small as one’s ability to zip up their own coat or tie their own shoelaces can make a difference in a child’s life,” said Cole. “It’s really about trying to give them the independence they struggled to obtain.”
Alumna mentors next generation
Alumna Megan Walker, a 2021 graduate of the OTA & PTA program, returned to NC in September to work as an Occupational Therapist Assistant at the clinic. She balances this role with her work at Niagara Children’s Centre and the Toronto Rehab Institution.
She values the hands-on placement experience she gained as a student and is happy to be part of a clinic that provides the same opportunity for current students, helping them hone vital skills for the profession like session planning, client interaction, and documentation.
“As someone who still remembers the feeling of being a student, I like being in a role where I could help mentor students,” said Walker.
She also finds it deeply rewarding to help make a difference.
“The steady improvements are extremely motivating and promising,” she said. “The kids were having the best time alongside these students, engaging in fun and play-based activities, which was ultimately helping to improve strengthening, build endurance, and increase capacity. It really does feel incredible.”
Fuelling a passion for care
Current OTA & PTA student Victoria Avery values the experience she is gaining at the clinic.
“It’s an incredible opportunity. Working directly with children in the Fine Motor Clinic allows me to use the skills I’ve learned in class while gaining confidence in my abilities,” said Avery. “It also offers great insight into the pediatric population, which is an area I have always been passionate about working in.”
Besides learning how to tailor treatment plans to best fit the needs of their clients and putting her skills into practice, she has also learned how to “think on her toes” due to changing plans – skills she expects will come in handy in any clinical setting when she pursues her career.
For Avery, the rewards of working at the clinic go beyond enhancing her resume. Using movement to care for others and improve their quality of life is what initially drew her to the program, and she values the opportunity to make a difference.
“Seeing the joy on the child’s face makes all the hard work and effort they have put in worth it,” said Avery. “I am very grateful that I could be a small part of their growth.”
Clinic details
Sessions for the Pediatric Fine Motor Skills Clinic are held twice a week for six weeks (Mondays and Thursdays from 5-6 p.m.). The program is available for $300, including an initial assessment by Registered Occupational Therapist Sarah Cole and 12 treatment sessions.
For information, visit niagaracollege.ca/performanceclinic or email [email protected]
NC’s two-year Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistantdiploma program is based at NC’s Applied Health Institute (Welland Campus). Students gain applied learning opportunities in a variety of field placements and lab work, including working with clients as part of their academic curriculum at the College’s on-campus Performance Therapy Clinic (physiotherapy). Graduates pursue career opportunities as key members of an allied health team, helping those impacted by injury, illness, or aging in a variety of health settings.
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