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Saskia Grassie

@saskiagrassie.bsky.social

160 followers 170 following 69 posts

Occupational Therapist & Creative Practitioner. Children, young people & families. Background in design. Constantly learning, unlearning and combining experience from both careers She/her

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Jan 27

Newly arrived 🦋 Occupational therapist of 27 yrs. Lifelong maker w love of playful experimentation & innovation. P/T illustration student reigniting love of drawing. Creating neurodiversity-affirming springboards of ideas & support rooted in experience & evidence. Love Arts, food & universal design

Saskia is sewing embellishments onto the back of a denim garment which is appliquéd with multi-coloured copies of children’s self-portraits created during the ‘School for Fidgets’ project. The title on what was named the ‘Conference Coat’ is ‘Fidgeting, wellbeing + learning’. Below are more words which are partly in a speech bubble ‘We were asked about our need to fidget and chew in school by an occupational therapist’. Remaining words are out of focus in this image - text goes on to mention dynamic relationship between pupils, their environment and the tasks and activities they want, need and are expected to do in school. The garment acted as a trailer for the 5-minute film that followed and was worn on walk about in the community to invite conversations about the role and importance of fidgeting. Photo credit Ginny Koppenhol Photography.

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Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health @fuseonline.bsky.social · Jul 8

New report reveals stark North–South divide in childhood #obesity and food insecurity.

Fuse researchers from @newcastleuni.bsky.social & @teessideuni.bsky.social played a key role, contributing evidence on pregnancy, school food, and local food systems.

fuse.ac.uk/news/childre...

#ChildOfTheNorth

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Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Arts Council England @artscouncilengland.bsky.social · May 20

Creativity matters to young people and their mental health – now more than ever.

As part of #CreativityAndWellbeing Week, we’re proud to share new findings from our innovative creative research project 📝👇

buff.ly/1QTDT07

Youth Mental Health & Creativity

Content from four youth-led organisations we commissioned to undertake a consultation with young people across England.

buff.ly

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · May 12

A perfect morning in a much loved place, walking on my own, enjoying familiar landscape and exquisite changing colours. This is where ideas so often come together & today was one of those ‘ah ha!’ days where links are made, creativity is freed and a direction becomes clearer. Grateful & energised

Shoreline with crystal clear sea lapping over smooth, low pink rocks and sandy shore. It is a sparkling clear day and hills can be seen across the sea against a cloudless blue sky

Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Maria Popova @mariapopova.bsky.social · Apr 26

The half room of living and loving www.themarginalian.org/2025/03/21/h...

The Half Room of Living and Loving

When I can’t sleep, I read children’s books. One night, I discovered In the Half Room (public library) by Carson Ellis in my tsundoku — an impressionistic invitation into a world …

www.themarginalian.org

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 25

Fantastic! 😀

Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 25

Thank you for sharing Helen 😊 The toothPASTE project is an important & much needed body of work and I am delighted to have contributed from an occupational therapy perspective 😀 @amritchauhan.bsky.social @drpeterday.bsky.social @laurenjones91.bsky.social @leedspaedsdent.bsky.social #OralCare #Autism

Autistic Realms (Helen Edgar) @autisticrealms.bsky.social · Apr 25

I have written about the difficulties many Autistic children experience around oral hygiene and dentists before.

There is a great project led by Amrit Chauhan & team which has some really useful advice & resources.

Thanks for your work too @saskiagrassie.bsky.social

linktr.ee/toothpastest...

Poster of Questions to ask your dental

practice before your child's
appointment
Here are some examples of questions you may wish to ask your
dental practice before visiting with your child. The dental passport
includes more examples.

Find out more: https://linktr.ee/toothpastestudy

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Reposted by Saskia Grassie

womensartbluesky.bsky.social @womensartbluesky.bsky.social · Apr 23

"Seed Corn Must Not Be Ground" final lithograph of Käthe Kollwitz, 1942. The death of her son in WW1 and death of her grandson in WW2 obviously profoundly affected the artist. This print reflects the theme of a mother protecting their children from the horrors of war #WomensArt

Print featuring a white woman holding her strong arms over the heads of three small children who look out from under with scared faces

440 2.5K

Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · Apr 24

“Autistic people are often held to neurotypical standards of menstrual management—without recognition of autism-specific factors such as sensory sensitivities, communication differences and the ways in which information is best conveyed.”

theconversation.com/autistic-peo... #neurodiversity #autism

Autistic people’s experiences of periods are under-researched – here’s why that needs to change

From sensory sensitivities to a lack of accessible information, periods can present unique challenges for autistic people.

theconversation.com

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 19

Strolling through stunning Japanese Tai-Haku cherry blossom at Alnwick Garden with added heaven of swings to enjoy the delicately scented view. Bliss! If you are in the area, they have perhaps another week to be enjoyed

Slope of Tai-Haku cherry blossom trees in full white frothy bloom with copper leaves amongst the blossom. One of the many wooden bench swings in foreground and two people in mid distance strolling under the trees

Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Elizabeth Casson Trust @elizabethcasson.bsky.social · Apr 17

♦️NEWSFLASH♦️ We are delighted to announce our next chair will be Samantha Shann

Due to existing commitments Samantha will not be joining us until Spring 2026. During this time our current chair Dee @connected2deeot.bsky.social will stay for transition.
elizabethcasson.org.uk/about-us/new...

A very warm welcome to our next chair - Samantha Shann MSc, PGCert, Dip COT (UK), FRCOT - Elizabeth Casson Trust

elizabethcasson.org.uk

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Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · Apr 13

"With the right strategies and understanding in place, most autistic people can thrive. Without them, life can be incredibly difficult, & much of what we have to give to the world gets lost." @fergus.oolong.co.uk, at TPGA:

thinkingautismguide.com/2019/02/star... #autism #neurodiversity #monotropism

Starting Points for Understanding Autism

I believe that the best path to understanding autism is a thinking style which tends to concentrate resources in a few interests and concerns.

thinkingautismguide.com

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 12

Playing with drawing larger than life toothbrush and fight, flight or freeze response as part of explanation of what I do in my role as an occupational therapist. Illustration for new portfolio website coming soon. Keen interest in #OralCare influencing choice of occupations to illustrate 🪥😀

Unfinished components of a colour illustration in paint and pencil on a torn out sketch book page. Larger than life turquoise toothbrush overloaded with striped toothpaste; grey toy rabbit in pink jacket and paper crown covers its eyes and hides behind young child with curly blonde hair (just seen). Section of pattern in coral and orange top left.

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Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Joanna Grace PhD @jo3grace.bsky.social · Apr 10

Do you remember the brilliantly clear and concise presentation about what Objects of Reference are (and are not) at the PMLD Conference (now available to view for free here: youtu.be/djUwou0rlSY ) - Well, marvelously Elle has now summarised it into a poster you can stick on your wall!

Text dense image (more text than will fit into this box) but all the information can be found on the youtube link provided in the post). Image summarises information about objects of reference in a series of coloured boxes

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 7

Mesmerised by fascinating, inventive & multi-layered ‘The Stimming Pool’ created by a collective of neurodivergent filmmakers. The limits of a post simply couldn’t do this justice so sharing the BFI review www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-so... & thoroughly recommend seeing if it comes to your area

Inside the semi-darkened Roxy at the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle upon Tyne. Rows of green upholstered seats in the foreground. On the screen, a still image from the film with the words ‘Tyneside Cinema. Tyneside Cinema welcomes you to a relaxed screening of The Stimming Pool’.

Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 5

A beautiful and thoughtful site which I’ve followed for a while and also thoroughly recommend 😀 @womensartbluesky.bsky.social

Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 4

Such an amazing project to be involved in & super exciting to see the 1st preview shared 😀 If brushing in the bathroom has or may have environmental triggers you can’t change, another location may work better - bathrooms can be tricky! #WorldAutismAcceptanceMonth #Autism #OralCare

Amrit Chauhan @amritchauhan.bsky.social · Apr 4

To mark the start of #WorldAutismAcceptanceMonth, here’s a sneak peek at a new toothPASTE resource—a checklist for supporting toothbrushing in the bathroom (if that’s what works for your child!).

Co-designed with families & OT @saskiagrassie.bsky.social
🦷 Website coming soon!
🔗 lnkd.in/eeFvxy6e

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 4

You are most welcome 😊 This is a topic I feel very strongly about as have seen so many children & young people told to stop at great detriment to their health & ability to take part, learn, achieve, rest & repair. Made ‘School for Fidgets’ a few years back with 40 amazing pupils youtu.be/-dj0YMiuwyo

youtu.be

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Apr 4

This is a fantastic explanatory piece on #stimming and the huge importance of the many different types of stims that children, young people & adults engage in to self-regulate, feel comfortable, concentrate, engage, take part & express themselves 🤩 @draimeegrant.bsky.social #Neurodiversity

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · Apr 4

"Stimming – short for “self-stimulatory behaviour” – is a form of self-soothing commonly seen in autistic people. If you see an autistic child or adult stimming, there’s no need to comment or intervene. From @draimeegrant.bsky.social:

theconversation.com/autistic-sti... #neurodiversity #autism

Autistic stimming explained – and why stopping it can lead to burnout

Many autistic people engage repetitive movements, sounds, or actions that help them regulate their emotions and sensory experiences.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Saskia Grassie

National Children's Bureau @ncb.org.uk · Apr 1

We are still accepting submissions for our art gallery! What does ADVENTURE mean to you? 🧭

If you're a young person with experience of children’s social care or disability, send us your work.
🎨 Info: gallery.ncb.org.uk

Art competition theme: Adventure. Send us your artwork to be featured in our online gallery and get the chance to win a prize!

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Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Fergus Murray @fergus.oolong.co.uk · Mar 31

I don't know anything about this organisation either, but it's incredibly valuable to have a free online library available everywhere with a decent range of good autism books!

They have 17 copies of the audiobook of NeuroTribes, for example.

Right now listening to @lyricrivera.bsky.social's book.

Shay @shaynanigans.bsky.social · Sep 24

I borrowed the audiobook from Organization for Autism Research online library via Libby, which anyone can register for for free & access! (Full disclosure I don't know anything about this org & not every book in the collection is neuroaffirming): researchautism.org/resources/le...

Lending Library | Organization for Autism Research

Libby by OverDrive The Organization for Autism Research offers a curated library of autism-related ebooks and audiobooks through the Libby app, by OverDrive. The library includes popular fiction and n...

researchautism.org

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Mar 31

Roughly sketching very overloaded toothbrush for illustration practice & the minty smell of the toothpaste is SO strong! Small wonder some children recoil before the brush gets near their mouth. Others love the minty zing. Acceptance of these #SensoryDifferences important for successful #OralCare

Hand with Micropore plaster on thumb holds blue child’s toothbrush with a very over generous dollop of red, white and blue toothpaste on top. Held over a piece of white paper with a pencil sketch of the brush with another very rough sketch above it and a sort of star to the left (part of a home made fairy wand but this is not clear from this picture)

Reposted by Saskia Grassie

Elizabeth Casson Trust @elizabethcasson.bsky.social · Mar 31

♦️It's Here♦️

New Portal has been Launched and ON TIME. 🚀⏰

You can apply via our website as usual and follow the application instructions. Some awards are still using the "fill in form" but will change soon.

elizabethcasson.org.uk/about-us/new...

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Mar 30

Remembering what a treat it was as a child in the 70’s to be the one allowed to call the speaking clock on the landline phone when the clocks changed forwards and backwards 😀

A battered square faced watch held in left hand with sun glancing across the scratched watch face. Time shows 0930. Deep shadows behind

Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Mar 21

👇 Fantastic range of resources to support understanding of different ways of processing information that impact engagement, participation, learning and wellbeing wherever children & young people learn #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek #EduSky #SEND #Inclusion

Fergus Murray @fergus.oolong.co.uk · Mar 21

It's #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek this week. Anyone interested in #inclusion or #neurodiversity in an education context might find this collection of resources helpful.

#EduSky #SEND #ASN #SENCO #EdPsych

oolong.co.uk/nd-at-school/

Neurodiversity at School – Fergus Murray

(and wherever children are learning) Neurodiversity is the idea that different brains work differently, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, even though some

oolong.co.uk

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Saskia Grassie @saskiagrassie.bsky.social · Mar 16

Disturbing article @kitchenbee.bsky.social @theguardian.com Manufacturers misleading parents from all backgrounds that products are healthy - reinforcing preference for sweet & smooth which reduces opportunity to learn about real foods & contributes to tooth decay www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Ultra-processed babies: are toddler snacks one of the great food scandals of our time?

For time-poor parents, straws, sticks, pouches and powders can seem like a quick, convenient and even healthy option. But these oversweetened, mushy foods are creating a generation of choosy consumers...

www.theguardian.com

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