PiP Cast: Perspectives in Paeds

In this episode, Caitie is joined by Mikayla and Keely to explore the stages of change through the lens of paediatric allied health: what mismatched readiness looks like in the therapy room, how it plays out in carryover at home, and what it means when a client isn’t on the same page as their parents.

They share their lived caseload experience and a few honest reflections, including whether “they’re not ready” is sometimes more about how we’re presenting change than about the family. They dig into practical, coaching-based strategies you can take into your next session, including making the invisible visible, and talk about how therapy itself might need to look different, including working through a young person’s support network when they don’t want to engage directly. 

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/

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

In this episode, Jackie is joined by Caitlyn and Jessie to talk about what a strong induction and first year in paediatric OT really looks like, from the perspective of 3 OTs at different stages in their career.

The team reflects on why the first year matters so much for shaping a clinician’s career, the balance between structured PD and formal and informal supervision, and what reasonable caseload ramp-up and billable expectations look like for new grads.

The team also unpacks the true value of good supervision, the skills that matter most in those early months (including reflection that actually leads to action), and how to support new grads when things don’t go to plan with a client. Whether you’re an early career OT weighing up your first paeds role, or a practice owner or team leader building a graduate program, listen along for practical questions to ask, and a reminder that if you’ve been hired as a new grad, you have permission to be one.

Relevant episode links:
For on-demand PD from the Kid Link team: https://www.kidlinkeducation.com.au/

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.
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

In this episode, Caitlin is joined by Mikayla and Georgia for a conversation about structured programs and curriculums in paediatric therapy. The team reflects on how they first encountered these programs in their own training, and how their relationship to structured programs has evolved since.

The team also reflects on elements of structured programs that may impact the development of clinical reasoning, alongside elements of these programs that they think work well. Listen along as they share some reflective tips around what they'd encourage clinicians to consider before picking up a structured therapy program.

Relevant episode links: 

https://www.kelly-mahler.com/

https://livesinthebalance.org/

https://sosapproachtofeeding.com/

https://www.livedexperienceeducator.com/store/p/neurodivergent-friendly-workbook-of-dbt-skills

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.

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

In this episode, Caitlin is joined by Caitlyn Cowie and Caitlin Waters to unpack one of the most common referral areas in paediatric therapy - emotional regulation.

In the lead-up to their upcoming live webinar, the team discusses what emotional regulation actually is, and how the complexity of this goal area is often not fully understood by clinicians. They reflect on the importance of assessment, and understanding the skills that underpin emotional regulation development. The team shares their thoughts on whether some regulation strategies are really "better" than others, gets honest about the trendy tools they're a little sceptical of, and shares a genuinely practical shift clinicians can try in their very next session.

Relevant episode links: 

Kid Link’s upcoming live webinar: https://webinar.kidlinkeducation.com.au/?utm_source=pipcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=er_webinar_nov26

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.

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

In this episode, Caitlin is joined by Caitlyn and Gabs to challenge the way clinicians typically think about tech use with their clients. The conversation moves past minutes-on-a-clock thinking to explore three things clinicians often miss: context, content and purpose - the considerations that genuinely differentiate helpful tech use from unhelpful.

With technology so present in everything kids do, this episode is designed to be genuinely useful for clinicians across every discipline. The team share practical approaches listeners can implement straight into their therapy, and how to feel more confident addressing tech use across their caseload.

Relevant episode links: 

Kid Link’s webinar ‘Kids, Teens, and Digital Tech: Essentials for Clinicians’: https://www.kidlinkeducation.com.au/courses/digital-tech

Kid Link’s PD Booster ‘Healthy Gaming Habits’:https://www.kidlinkeducation.com.au/courses/take/healthy-gaming-habits

Connecting policy to practice: How to implement the new AAP digital media guidelines: https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/understanding-the-new-AAP-digital-media-guidelines

Levelling up to stay safe: Young people’s experiences navigating the joys and risks of online gaming (esafety research report): https://www.esafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/Leveling%20up%20to%20stay%20safe%20-%20gaming%20report.pdf?v=1789442698732

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, 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