The task
Assume that today's date is 22 October 2026. Babatunde has just attended his final session with you before his family moves interstate.
You are an occupational therapist at a paediatric therapy clinic in Melbourne. Using the information in the case notes, write a letter of referral to Ms Zoe Riddiough, a paediatric occupational therapist, asking her to continue Babatunde's therapy and to support his school adjustments after the move. Address the letter to Ms Zoe Riddiough, Paediatric Occupational Therapist, Children's Therapy Service, 25 River Terrace, Brisbane QLD 4000. In your answer: expand the relevant notes into complete sentences; do not use note form; use letter format. The body of the letter should be approximately 180–200 words.
Length: the body of the letter should be about 180–200 words. You have 45 minutes in the test: 5 minutes to read, 40 to write. Letter type: Referral letter.
Case notes
Patient details
- Name: Babatunde Kang
- DOB: 14/03/2019 (7 yrs)
- Year 2 student
- Referred by paediatrician 02/26; OT commenced 07/26
- Family moving to Brisbane 31/10/26
Social background
- Lives with parents and older sister (10 yrs)
- Father's employer transferring him interstate
- Enjoys swimming and building with blocks; avoids ball games at lunchtime
- Mother reports ↓ willingness to go to school as writing tasks 'take forever'
- Mother still upset that Year 1 teacher called him 'lazy'
- Enrolment at new primary school confirmed; starts 10/11/26
Medical history
- Born at 39/40, uncomplicated delivery
- Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) diagnosed by paediatrician 02/26; Movement ABC-2 total score below 5th percentile
- Hearing and vision screening normal 01/26
- Mild eczema — topical moisturiser
- Allergies: nil known
- Grommets inserted age 3
OT assessment (07/26)
- Handwriting: inconsistent letter size and spacing, frequent b/d reversals, slow; hand fatigue after approx. 5 min
- Awkward pencil grip with excessive pressure
- Dressing: unable to do up buttons or tie shoelaces; difficulty orienting jumper
- Goals (set with child and parents): legible handwriting; independent dressing for school and swimming
Treatment/Progress
- Weekly 45-min sessions, task-oriented approach (CO-OP); 9 of 14 sessions completed
- Handwriting: letter formation ↑, reversals ↓; short sentences legible; speed still slow; copying from board difficult
- Pencil grip aid and sloped writing board → grip ↑, fatigue ↓
- Dressing: large buttons and zips independent; shoelaces not yet achieved — using elastic laces
- Home programme: 10 min handwriting practice daily, supervised by mother; good adherence
- Confidence ↑; enjoys sessions
- Mother complained about clinic car park fees
School
- Current adjustments: extra time for written tasks; printed notes instead of copying from board; keyboard trial for longer tasks
- Class teacher reports ↑ participation in class
- Teacher report and OT school recommendations given to family
Plan
- Refer to paediatric OT in Brisbane to continue therapy — remaining goals: shoelace tying, handwriting speed, keyboard skills
- New OT to liaise with new school re continuing adjustments
- Reassessment of handwriting and motor skills recommended in 3/12
- Copy of assessment report to be sent (parental consent obtained)
Who is reading, and what do they need?
The reader is a paediatric OT in Brisbane who has never met the child. She must pick up therapy and liaise with a new school starting 10/11. She needs diagnosis, baseline, progress, remaining goals, strategies and school adjustments, not family grievances or unrelated medical history.
What to include
Selection is the skill the Content and Conciseness criteria reward. These notes earn their place:
| Case note | Why it belongs |
|---|---|
| DCD diagnosed 02/26; Movement ABC-2 total score below 5th percentile | Gives the diagnostic basis and severity measure a receiving therapist expects. |
| Handwriting: inconsistent size and spacing, b/d reversals, slow; hand fatigue after approx 5 min | Baseline against which her ongoing handwriting goals can be judged. |
| Cannot do buttons or shoelaces; goals: legible handwriting, independent dressing for school and swimming | States the baseline dressing difficulty and the goals set with the child and parents. |
| 9 of 14 sessions completed; weekly 45 min, CO-OP | Shows the programme is incomplete, which is the reason for continuing therapy, and names the approach used. |
| Letter formation up, reversals down; speed slow; copying from board difficult | Gives balanced progress with what remains, so the next OT can target it. |
| Grip aid and sloped board help; large buttons and zips independent; elastic laces | Strategies and aids that work and should continue; also shows the shoelace goal is not yet achieved. |
| Extra time, printed notes, keyboard trial; teacher reports better participation | Current school adjustments the new OT is asked to help continue at the new school. |
| Remaining goals: shoelaces, handwriting speed, keyboard skills; reassess in 3/12; report enclosed | The specific requests, together with parental consent to send the assessment report. |
What to leave out or compress
| Case note | Why it goes |
|---|---|
| Mother upset Year 1 teacher called him 'lazy' | Trap: it relates to school, but it is a past grievance about a teacher and not useful to the new OT. |
| Mother complained about clinic car park fees | Administrative complaint with no clinical relevance. |
| Mild eczema, born at 39/40, grommets at age 3 | Unrelated or historical, and not needed for therapy continuation. |
| Hearing and vision screening normal 01/26 | Already part of the paediatric work-up; compress or omit. |
| Father's employer transferring him; older sister aged 10 | Family circumstances beyond the move itself; the date of the move and school start are sufficient. |
A paragraph plan for this case
Open with the referral purpose and the date of the move, then diagnosis and baseline. Follow with progress after 9 of 14 sessions, strategies and the home programme. End with school adjustments, remaining goals and specific requests, including the report and reassessment.
Where candidates slip on this task
- Keep the timeline clear: family move 31/10, new school start 10/11, 9 of 14 sessions done. State that therapy is unfinished, not discharged.
- Do not claim goals are achieved. Shoelace tying is not yet achieved, speed remains slow and board copying is still difficult, while confidence and participation have improved.
- Separate what the new OT is asked to do: continue therapy, liaise with the new school about adjustments, and reassess handwriting and motor skills in 3/12.
No model letter is published here. Write for the named reader from the case notes in the timed editor, then get it marked.
Write it in the timed editor and get marked on the 6 criteria
More Occupational Therapy letter tasks
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- Rheumatoid arthritis flare limiting work tasks update letter
- Falls risk and carer strain in Parkinson's disease update letter
Your profession's guide: OET Occupational Therapy. Layout and structure: OET letter format.
Questions about this task
Should I mention the 'lazy' comment?
No. It is a parent's grievance about a past teacher and does not help the new therapist. What matters is the present reality of the child's difficulty, the current adjustments and the teacher's report that participation has improved.
Why state the copy of the report?
Because parental consent has been obtained and the receiving OT needs the assessment data. Mentioning that a copy will be sent lets you keep the letter to the key findings instead of listing every test result.
Sources
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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