Sensory Supports: Essential Tools for Daily Life, Not Just 'Therapy Toys'
To all the teachers, therapists, and members of the community with lived experience—you know the truth. While a dedicated sensory room is wonderful, the real work of sensory regulation happens in the messy, wonderful, and constantly changing environment of daily life.
In schools, homes, and community settings, sensory equipment—be it a weighted lap pad, a chewable necklace, or a simple fidget tool—is used every day to manage environmental demands. These items are a critical mechanism to ensure individuals remain regulated, focused, and can function as independently as possible. Put simply, for many people with diverse needs, these tools are not "nice-to-have" extras; they are essential Aids for Daily Living (ADLs). Without them, we often see lower levels of self-management, reduced independence, and poorer engagement across home and community life.
Overcoming the "Luxury" Label
Sensory equipment has too often been treated as the "poor cousin" of the disability sector—the first to be cut from budgets. This concerning trend stems from an outdated and restrictive perception: that sensory tools are purely "therapeutic."
Based on decades of experience in this field, this categorisation is uninformed and restrictive. For the individuals we support, a sensory tool is a functional aid, directly used to:
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Sustain focus and attention in the classroom or during group activities.
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Increase self-management and emotional regulation to navigate stressful transitions.
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Maintain and increase independent function throughout the day
When funding bodies, such as those governing Equipment Modification Services (EMS), exclude sensory items because they are viewed as "therapeutic," it actively creates barriers. It fails to recognise the proven, functional shift: these items are not just treatment; they are fundamental daily supports that increase function and access. We need to advocate for their rightful place as ADLs.
The Power of Professional Advocacy: Aotearoa's Mental Health Success
The good news is that systems can and do change, and that change is driven by the consistent and informed advocacy of professionals and people with lived experience.
In Aotearoa, we've already seen this happen in the mental health sector. Over 16 years ago, a Ministry of Health pilot, championed by Occupational Therapists, demonstrated that sensory tools made a positive difference in reducing restraint and seclusion in acute inpatient wards. This evidence slowly extended to community mental health and addiction services. While the system does have a long way to go in meeting the needs of people with mental health challenges, sensory supports are now often funded not just as a therapeutic intervention, but as a means to increase daily independence and reduce hospital admissions. OTs have successfully rationalised the use of sensory equipment, helping people gain access by showing its vital role in day-to-day life.
While we've seen a slight loosening of funding restrictions over the years, the current application process is still arduous and time-consuming, especially for small, essential items. This is where we need to focus our collective action.
A Call to Action: Formalise the Need
Many of us avoid the formal funding application process for small sensory items. It often seems easier to self-fund, to ask a parent to purchase, or to access a small grant. However, this "path of least resistance" has a systemic downside: external funding agencies do not see the true, overwhelming demand.
The lists of essential equipment managed by major funding agencies—such as the Band lists through Accessable and Enable—change and expand based directly on formal requests from therapists.
This is our collective call to action:
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Do Not Assume 'No': Even if an item like a weighted lap blanket or chewable necklace is not explicitly on a funding list, put in the formal application. Every request, even if initially declined, contributes to the data that will eventually justify its inclusion on funding schedules.
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Justify Function, Not Just Therapy: When writing your rationales, be meticulous. Articulate the item's role in increasing function, independence, and educational/community access, treating it with the same urgency as any other essential ADL.
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Bridge the Gap: The need for these essential Aids for Living encompasses so much more than the current provision. Your consistent applications will help advocate for a more seamless and equitable system for all.
In essence, sensory equipment is a fundamental support mechanism. By championing its recognition and formal funding, we are dismantling barriers to participation, fostering emotional well-being, and significantly improving an individual’s capacity for safe and independent daily living. Let's work together to make these essential tools accessible to everyone who needs them.
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