By Ailsa Leslie, Head of Professional Practice at OTA

I’m really excited to share with you the launch of Practice Essentials – a new suite of learning resources created to empower you with practical foundational knowledge and skills you can confidently apply in your practice.

Why? Because in my 25+ years as an occupational therapist, I've seen firsthand how foundational skills are critical to shape confident, effective practitioners.

What makes Practice Essentials special is its focus on translating the capability frameworks into practical learning that you can apply confidently in real-world settings – supporting you to practice safely, ethically, and effectively.

The Practice Essentials e-learning modules set a clear benchmark for foundational skills, giving early career therapists, those stepping back into the field after an extended break, or anyone moving into a new practice area the confidence to develop their skills comprehensively through quality learning tools.

Our latest modules cover both the theory and practical skills needed for clinicians supporting children, young people, and families; older adults; and people with pain. They complement our existing Mental Health modules, meaning we now offer even broader support across key areas of occupational therapy practice.

We didn’t take this work lightly – each module was developed through close collaboration with leading universities, academics, and experienced occupational therapists to make sure the content is evidence-based, relevant and practical.

And because we know flexibility is important, the modules are self-paced and delivered online. You can tailor your learning experience by choosing individual modules aligned with specific domains of the capability frameworks or opt to purchase the full program for comprehensive learning and development in each of the practice areas.

Practice Essentials is not just about supporting individual therapists – these modules are also a valuable ready-made resource for employers and organisations onboarding new graduates and foundational practitioners.

They provide structured, ready-to-use content that complements existing induction and training programs, helping teams build strong foundational skills with ease.

At its core, while our capability frameworks lay out the capabilities expected of occupational therapists, Practice Essentials brings the frameworks to life – offering a practical guide that helps foundational practitioners develop the real-world knowledge, skills and values they need to work confidently and competently in their chosen fields.

I’m proud to have been part of this work, and I can’t wait to see how Practice Essentials helps occupational therapists, and their businesses and organisations to grow, thrive, and make a real difference in the work they do every day.

Choose your Practice Essentials program and start your journey today!

Ailsa Leslie is a senior occupational therapist with 20+ years’ experience in paediatric practice, complex assistive technology, private consulting, leadership and service management. She is passionate about knowledge translation and championing the unique and valuable role of occupational therapy.