Weekly OT sessions for children: sharing after-school slots

Give each child a fixed weekly slot, booked by you for a whole term, and keep the scarce after-school hours for children who can't come at any other time. Parents know their day and time, the child gets a stable routine, and you don't rebuild your week every Monday. Only the first assessment needs to be open online; weekly sessions are booked from your calendar once you agree the time with the family.

These are examples. On Book, each service has a name, an optional description and a price, and each slot belongs to one service with its own start and end. You can use one "Weekly session" service for all children and a separate "First assessment" service with longer slots.

Once the assessment is done and you agree a weekly time with the parents, create the child's slots for the term and book the child into each one from your calendar. First and last name are required; enter the parent's email so they receive a confirmation for each session, with a calendar file. A slot with one place disappears from your public page once booked, so no one else can take that time.

A slot can be repeated on the chosen weekday until an end date, which makes creating a term of Tuesday 17:00 sessions quick. Then book each date for the child.

After-school slots are limited: a few per day. A few ways to share them:

During holidays, the weekly rhythm breaks. When you create a term of slots, stop the repeat at the end of term. For holidays, you can offer intensive sessions or daytime slots that are easier for families, as a separate service, and let parents book them online or book them yourself. If you're away, simply don't create slots for those weeks.

Some goals work well in a small group: fine motor workshops, handwriting groups, play-based sessions. A group uses one after-school slot for several children, which eases the pressure on those hours. Create a group service and give each slot the number of places you can run, for example four. Each child takes one place, and a full group is hidden from your page. For a group that runs over a term, book the children yourself into each weekly date, or say in the description that booking the first session means joining the whole cycle.

Parents book the first assessment in their own name, with the child's first name and age in the note, and a short reason such as "handwriting" or "dressing". Keep clinical details for the assessment. You receive an email for each new booking with the note. If grandparents or a nanny bring the child on some days, parents can write it in the note, or tell you directly.

Children get ill. Parents can't move bookings online, so ask them to call or message you. Reschedule the session from your bookings list if you have another slot free that week, or cancel it, and confirm with the parents: Book doesn't email clients about changes. If a family stops therapy, cancel the remaining bookings so their slot can go to a child on your waiting list.

Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited bookings and services, no commission, no contract. It doesn't take payments or keep clinical notes.