Frances Joubert Occupational Therapy

29/10/2025

27/10/2025

I am so proud of the teachers at Tinkie Tonkie Kleuterskool! Last year the school approached me because they wanted to ensure that all aspects of their learner's development are on par. We identified areas that needed further support and they implemented the recommendations.

A year later and the assessment data showed that all of these issues have been resolved and that their learners have a strong foundation for academic learning. Well done to Carina and team for their dedication and hard work.

16/10/2025

To speak about your passion is a thrill! To do so over national radio even more so!

Myself and my good friend Alma Mentz recorded a two part interview about our passion in working with kids with autism with Ronéll van Rooyen in her programme Women who believe, Radio Pulpit. The interview is in Afrikaans.

Listen to us tomorrow at 1pm or 9 pm (part 1) and on the 24th of October 1pm or 9 pm (part 2).

12/10/2025

Welcome to the Autism Blueprint Podcast! In this enlightening episode, host Janeen Herskovitz sits down with Elizabeth Vosseller, a seasoned speech-language ...

30/09/2025

Today is nonspeakers awareness day. To raise awareness and acceptance for this special but misunderstood group of humans, we share part of a blog written by nonspeaker Akha Khumalo.

17/09/2025

As I see the rare beauty of spring time flowers I am reminded of our kids in therapy. We always look for new leaves and flowers- things that we can see. But what we don’t see are the roots that anchors the whole plant. And then suddenly it surprises us with exquisite blooms when the time is right.
If we build our root system and make it healthy and strong we will see our reward. If we don’t see change immediately it does not mean it is not happening- look out for changes in the root system, and you will have your flowers before you know it.

12/09/2025

09/09/2025

Give your baby the gift of nurturing touch and support their development! Book in advance to avoid disappointment, limited spaces available.

26/08/2025

The same outstanding service but at one more location! From this month we are providing therapy at At 91 Child Development Centre, next to Plaasvoetjies school. Loving the farm animals! We are at home. 😍🐴🦆🐥

29/07/2025

We had the privilege of engaging with the teachers and learners at Wadeley Academy about the au-someness of awe-tism! A big thank you to Candice-Leigh Wadeley and staff for always welcoming us. And thank you to the learners for participating. It was a lot of fun!

23/07/2025

The new addition to our therapy room has been met with lots of squeals of excitement and giggles. Such a fun way to work on strength and endurance.

11/07/2025

🤩

People say “In the REAL world, they won’t be able to…” and then end that sentence with something that you actually, totally, can in fact do in the “real world”, a surprising amount of times in my line of work.

Actual things that people have actually, literally said to me:

In the REAL world, he won’t be using a pencil gripper. (What? Literally why not? I could use any pencil gripper I wanted to to write anything I felt like.)

In the REAL world, she can’t rock in her chair, so… (Yet I, a grown adult, sit perched like a bird and rocking wildly back and forth in my office chair while writing evaluations when I need a lot of sensory input.)

In the REAL world, the kids won’t have clipboards available to write on. (Isn’t a clipboard like, two dollars? Why couldn’t someone write with a clipboard?)

In the REAL world, she can’t cry every time something happens that she doesn’t like. (Anyone can cry whenever they want to cry. I’ve cried at all kinds of works in my life. When someone is crying, other human beings who are decent usually try to help them.)

On the flip side, you know what else doesn’t happen in the real world? People typically don’t have to sit silently at desks for 6+ hours a day. People typically are able to talk to their friend or coworker or text somebody in between tasks or when they feel like it. People typically can eat a snack if they’d like to or make arrangements to. People typically aren’t stuck in a room with 30 other people who are exactly their age, and nobody else. People typically don’t have to navigate buildings and structures and objects that are too large and proportionally clearly not made for them. People typically can take a break when they need to. People typically aren’t punished, and especially not physically, by their loved ones and close friends.

Every day, we’re *making* the real world.

I want to put all of our effort into making the real world a good place to be before I focus any of my efforts on chipping pieces off of its future inhabitants to try to make them fit some harmful imaginary mold from the past.

[Image description:
A drawn meme by NeuroWild
Around the borders are different colored pencils: purple, pink, green, red, yellow.
At the top is a cloud shape, blue, with words in it that read, ‘We have to PREPARE these kids for the REAL WORLD’
actually means:
“I am not prepared to accommodate this child now or in the future.”
“I accept that the world is going to treat them poorly and they should start getting used to that.”
“I will work hard on this child but I am not prepared to work on myself or the ableist world that we live in.”
The bottom 3 sentences are written in purple bubbles.
End description.]