Emma Steele Occupational Therapy Services

08/06/2026

It is with a heavy heart to announce I will no longer be providing OT services under NDIS.

After providing OT support to NDIS participants since the trial site began in Newcastle in 2013, sadly my time has come to an end.

With all the constant changes and increasing demands placed on therapists, with little to no professional respect shown to us by the NDIS agency for our skills & expertise, I can no longer do this work. I am burnt out and need to refocus my energy on other areas of OT where I feel regarded for my clinical skills and 32 years experience.

It breaks my heart to do this as clients & their families are the reason I have stayed working within the NDIS space for 13 years. But the constant political changes and unreasonable agency demands have forced me to make this difficult decision 😞

To all my current and past NDIS clients, I want to thank you for entrusting me to support you & thank you for the privilege of being a part of your journey.

04/06/2026

The system is broken.....a simple solution is employ suitably trained people developing plans so they understand therapy reports the first time. This would stop the merry go round & costs associated with needing to fight and keep providing ridiculous amounts of reports & justifications that get ignored.

Replacing crucial medical therapies with unsuitable supports.

20/05/2026

My first time today on a "new" NSW Transport train from Newcastle to Sydney..... I am very impressed.

From an OT & access perspective here are my first impressions:

🚊Bright yellow handrails with strong contrast
🚊 Clear verbal announcements for everyone but especially those who are blind or have low vision
🚊 Visual announcements for those who are deaf or hard of hearing
🚊 Regular announcements including time to the next stop & arrow pointing to which side the platform is on
🚊 The electronic signs have high visual contrast & tell you what carriage you are on, what carriage the facilities are and which carriages have seats available - with diagrams & arrows to help with direction
🚊 Power points & USB ports near every seat
🚊 Tray tables
🚊 Clean

Well done NSW Transport 👏🏻

08/05/2026

City of Newcastle is rolling out new technology to make live performances more accessible for people who are hard of hearing.

The assisted listening system has been installed at the Civic Theatre Newcastle and Newcastle Playhouse.

It allows sound from performances to stream directly to compatible hearing aids via Bluetooth, as well as through headphones and other devices.

02/04/2026

I am taking a break & will return on Tuesday 5th May ✈️

07/03/2026

04/03/2026

More Aussie kids will soon be able to enjoy some of Australia’s most popular preschool programs.

From April 13, Australian children and families can enjoy Auslan‑accessible episodes of Bluey’s most popular episodes, Gardening Australia Jr, Ginger and the Vegesaurs, Kangaroo Beach, Fizzy & Suds, Knee High Spies, and later this year, Flower & Flour.

The ABC will continue to roll out more Auslan-accessible preschool titles, series and episodes each year on ABC iview.

03/03/2026

NDIS take note 😡

The agency running the NDIS has lost a legal case experts say could have significant implications for how future funding decisions are made.

02/03/2026

🎸❤️

In 2025, Freedom Solutions Australia is celebrating its 50th year anniversary.Began as TAD, Technical Aid to the Disabled, in 1975, Freedom Solutions has bee...