Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Course
with Dr Dido Green & Ann Somers
Three Day Course: 1st and 2nd November 2017 and 23rd February 2018
The Solas Bhride Centre, Kildare Town, Ireland
Only 27 places remaining!
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT RATE NOW BOOKING
About CO-OP
CO-OP is a therapeutic treatment approach for people who have difficulties performing skills. From
children with DCD to adults recovering from stroke, CO-OP is a highly individualized approach
designed to enable the use of cognitive strategies to reach his or her performance goals. It is a
therapy that guides individuals to discover and develop cognitive strategies to enable the
performance of personally important skills such as writing, skipping, bicycling, shopping, laundry and
other necessary or important activities of everyday living.
This comprehensive course is offered in two parts.
Part 1 is a two day course, on 1st and 2nd November 2017 to familiarise occupational and
physiotherapists with the Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP)
approach including the key elements, background theory and practical application. Please note that
this course is a ‘lifespan course’ and will cover using CO-OP for service users in many settings.
Delegates will divide into groups to carry out tasks relevant to their clinical specialty.
Part 2 – a one day course on Friday 23rd February 2018 focused on consolidation. This compulsory
day is scheduled a few months after the introductory course to allow participants to use CO-OP with
their own patients in their own settings and come back with film (where possible) and case scenarios
to discuss, review and consolidate their knowledge and demonstrate their skill.
Participants who successfully complete the certification process will be listed as certificated CO-OP
therapists with the CO-OP Academy.
Part One: Course Description – Two-day Introduction
The two-day workshop on 1st and 2nd November 2017, is an introduction to the basics of CO-OP
and provides a foundation for its application to various clinical populations. In CO-OP, the client is
taught to identify cognitive strategies that help them to acquire skills and improve performance in
areas of personal importance. The CO-OP involves a paradigm shift in the therapist’s general
approach to intervention from component based to performance based; from explicit instruction to
guided strategy, and all within the context of client-centred cognitive strategy use.
Course objectives:
Following the 2-day workshop participants will understand:
1. The rationale for using cognitive approaches
2. The evidence for the CO-OP
3. The seven key features of the CO-OP
4. The use of dynamic performance analysis
5. The use of global and domain specific strategies
6. The use of guided discovery to teach clients to find cognitive strategies that support occupational
performance
7. An evidence framework for practice
Part Two Course Description: Follow up one day consolidation workshop
Friday 23rd February 2018
The second stage allows participants time to use CO-OP with their own clients in their own settings
and return with film and case scenarios to discuss this experience and review and consolidate their
knowledge with the facilitator. Participation in this training provides an opportunity to consolidate
knowledge from Part 1 with opportunities to explore and expand the challenges of implementing
CO-OP in daily practice. The day is designed to promote discussion; participants setting the agenda
for discussion and practice.
Course objectives
Following the one day consolidation workshop participants will:
1. Demonstrate competencies in applications of CO-OP in their clinical practice
Who is CO-OP for?
The CO-OP approach has been shown to benefit:
Children
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Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Dyslexia
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Asperger’s syndrome
Acquired brain injury
Cerebral Palsy
Drooling
and other learning disabilities
Adults
• Stroke to re-acquire motor skills and adapt to life with different physical abilities
• Acquired brain Injury
• Mental Health
Objectives of the CO-OP Approach
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Enabling individuals with problems performing the everyday tasks of living, in particular
motor-based tasks to improve their performance through a process of problem solving,
dynamic performance analysis, guided discovery and strategy use.
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This approach is highly verbal and consists of three important objectives:
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Skill acquisition
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Development of cognitive strategies
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Generalization and transfer of learning
Who Should Attend?
Note that the certification course is primarily designed for occupational therapists and
physiotherapists; however, other qualified rehabilitation specialists (registered with a professional
body) may contact the Academy to apply for registration in the certification course.
The CO-OP approach is designed by and for therapists working with children or adults with motorbased skill performance difficulties. It is recommended that therapists interested in using the CO-OP
approach and attending the course have:
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a person centred intervention philosophy
an understanding of people with disabilities
if working with the children, the ability to properly manage their behaviour
effective communication skills
skill in activity analysis
a commitment to working with parents or significant others
familiarity with administering the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)
Course Presenters
Dr Dido Greene
Dido joined Oxford Brookes University in 2012, coming from the Department of Occupational
Therapy, Tel Aviv University where her responsibilities included directorship of the motor learning
laboratory and delivery of courses on Neuroscience Foundations for Behaviour, Motor Control /
Motor Learning and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Her transition to academia followed 20 years
working in the National Health Service, UK.
Recognised as a leading clinical expert in the field of paediatric movement disorders, Dido has
contributed to numerous texts for researchers and clinicians and is an invited/nominated member to
a number of Department of Health initiatives and European committees developing Clinical
Guidelines for children with movement disorders. She has recently been made a Fellow of the Royal
Society of Arts for her contribution to Neuroscience and Innovations in Health Care Approaches and
her work translating research into clinical practice was cited in 2012 by Dame Sally Davis, Chief
Medical Officer as an exemplar case study. Dido’s seminal research exploring the inter-relationship
between social and motor disorders influenced changes to the diagnostic criteria of Developmental
Coordination Disorder in the recent publication of DSM-5. Research interests focus on translational
medicine and evidence based practice, emphasizing an ecological approach to understanding
challenges to performance and participation.
Ann Somers MSc., BSc., MISCP
Senior Physiotherapist, Ireland CO-OP Tutor
CO-OP Academy Executive Committee Networking Coordinator
Ann Somers (MSc. BSc. MISCP) graduated in 2004 with a BSc. in Physiotherapy from Trinity College,
Dublin. She completed her MSc. in Clinical Therapies, with a paediatric emphasis, at the University of
Limerick in 2014. Part of this course included a postgraduate certificate on DCD through the
University of South Wales. She was invited to become a CO-OP tutor in 2015, and subsequently
served as the Networking Coordinator for the CO-OP Academy Executive Committee for the
following year. She currently holds the position of Senior Physiotherapist, working in a paediatric
physical, cognitive and developmental disability setting, with experience with both early intervention
and school aged populations. She also has experience working with a PCCC paediatric caseload.
Venue
Solas Bhride Centre, Tully Road, Kildare Town, Ireland, Phone 045 522890, Email [email protected]
Conveniently located just a 3 minute drive from Exit 13 on the M7 at Kildare Town/Kildare Village
Tickets
Early Bird Ticket €550 on sale until 26th June 2017
Standard Ticket €575 on sale 27th June 2017 – 17th November 2017
Late Registration €595 for tickets purchased after 17th November 2017
Included in Your Ticket:
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Attendance Certificate
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High Quality Expert Training
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Lunch & refreshments during break times
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Free Car Parking
LIMITED NUMBER OF PLACES
Please note that places on this course are strictly limited to 30 so we advise early booking to avoid
disappointment
How to Book
1. Book online at https://sensationalkids.ie/events/co-op-course/
2. Phone Sensational Kids 045 520900 Monday to Saturday