Expanding Our Commitment to Quality Care: Sensational Kids’ Partnership with Developmental FX for Innovative Programme Evaluation

At Sensational Kids, we are passionate about delivering impactful, evidence-based therapy that makes a real difference in children’s lives across Ireland. To strengthen our impact, we have collaborated with Developmental FX, a leading US-based paediatric therapy organisation, to implement a comprehensive evaluation process for our therapy programmes. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to personalised, child-centred care and allows us to continually refine our approach to best meet the needs of the children and families we serve.

A Partnership Rooted in Shared Values and Expertise

Our connection with Developmental FX began over a decade ago when we hosted Tracy Stackhouse and Patricia Wilbarger for Sensory Defensiveness – A Comprehensive Treatment Approach. Since then, Tracy has returned to Ireland multiple times, generously sharing her expertise with our team, building a foundation of mutual trust, respect, and a shared commitment to excellent paediatric care. Given this history, when we sought to evaluate the effectiveness of our services, Developmental FX was a natural collaborator.

Together, with Developmental FX’s programme evaluation specialist Hannah Burke, we adapted a programme evaluation process for our unique context, enabling us to gather data from both clients and therapists across our four locations. Over three years, our team diligently collected and analysed this information, resulting in outcome reports we proudly share with our board and funding bodies. This evidence-based approach underscores our dedication to transparency, quality, and continual improvement.

Highlighting the Impact at an International Level

In a true testament to the success of our collaboration, the results of this evaluation were presented at the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland’s (AOTI) annual conference. Hannah Burke and Sensational Kids’ Dana Katz Murphy co-presented on how tailored programme evaluation can deepen client-centred therapeutic outcomes, underscoring how such collaborations can enhance care standards across borders. The conference provided a valuable platform to highlight the benefits of rigorous programme evaluation, especially in ensuring that therapy remains adaptive to each child’s needs and progress.

Advocating for Therapy that Fits

Our collaboration with Developmental FX not only strengthens our own approach to therapy but aligns with a broader advocacy for personalised, inclusive paediatric care. Developmental FX’s “Therapy that Fits” philosophy mirrors our belief at Sensational Kids: every child deserves care tailored to their unique strengths and challenges. Through this partnership, we aim to inspire other paediatric therapy organisations to adopt practices that prioritise personalised care, ensuring that all children can thrive in an inclusive environment.

Looking Forward: A Shared Vision for the Future

Our collaboration with Developmental FX represents an exciting step forward in advancing evidence-based, child-focused therapeutic care. Together, we are committed to refining our methods, advocating for inclusive practices, and sharing our learnings with the wider paediatric therapy community. By continually evaluating and adapting our approach, we ensure that Sensational Kids remains a leader in innovative, impactful care for children and families across Ireland.

In this journey, we thank Developmental FX for their partnership and look forward to more opportunities to shape the future of paediatric therapy, making a lasting difference for children and families worldwide.