What Does Occupational Therapy for Children Do? An occupational therapist is a trained professional who helps individuals carry out daily occupations, or tasks. These tasks may include: Bathing and grooming Preparing food Getting dressed Socializing with others Work and education activities Occupational therapists provide support to families and caregivers, but they also handle other things, like care coordination and case management for special needs children. The aim of occupational therapy (OT) is to help children develop the skills they need to succeed in an educational environment. Occupational therapists work closely with children and their families to create an OT plan that will help children reach their educational goals. They use evaluation tools to build these plans.