About OT-Europe

ABOUT OT-EUROPE

As occupational therapists we believe that the occupational focus of the profession, recognising that what people do in their lives, the activities and occupations they participate in, develop and sustain a sense of wellbeing, health and social participation.

Through occupations, individuals may develop greater resourcefulness and resilience in managing health and social challenges. Occupational therapy can have a significant contribution in addressing health promotion and improvement, public health and primary care challenges in Europe. There is a need for occupational therapists to be able to effectively communicate their contribution at a European level and thereby increase the visibility of the profession.

Occupational Therapy Europe is the result of increasing collaboration between occupational therapists in practice, education and research to promote and develop the delivery of occupational therapy services in Europe. Since 2011 there have been many joint meetings and projects between the Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries (COTEC) and the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE), which have served to confirm that a collaborative approach in practice and education can be effective in terms of practical action and information exchange.  The Research of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science (ROTOS) Standing Committee was founded in 2017 completing the collaboration with a research branch.

In March 2020 both Occupational Therapy Europe and ROTOS were registered as foundations in the Netherlands. COTEC was registered as an association in Germany in 2011 and ENOTHE is a registered association in Austria since 2018.

How we will work

Presidents and Vice presidents of COTEC, ENOTHE and ROTOS form the Executive of OT-Europe This group will

  • share and inform each other about issues of common, or specific concern to the profession: practice, education and/or research
  • identify when joint responses to European policies are required
  • propose occupational therapy position papers regarding European policy and service user issues
  • identify areas for development of occupational therapy practice, research and education
  • share issues raised by members of the respective organisations, and feed back to members issues that OT-Europe coordinating group consider worthy of attention
  • identify colleagues from COTEC, ENOTHE and ROTOS to represent OT-Europe in or at appropriate fora.