Disgusted at OT selling cheap poundland toys for ££££!!!!!

[frutilla]

So the OT came today with some equipment for my son who has AS and then afterwards in front of my two kids she got out two bags of cheap plastic poundland toys and of course the kids immediately grabbed at them.

I was manipulated into buying them at a cost of £10 per bag!!! I spent £20 on plastic toys that would have cost me a few pounds! Literally there was a kazoo, a paper party blower, a fart whistle, a whoopee cushion, little wooden robot, about 7 toys per bag.

I was told I needed to buy both bags as each bag stimulated different senses....I wanted to say NO but it was impossible as the kids were begging for them and I was told it would help my AS son...

Most of these things can be bought in bags of 10 or 20 at poundland for kiddie parties.
And they were sold with leaflets saying they stimulated the mouth or fingers to help with eating and writing.
DISGUSTING! And the NHS allows it's OT's to do this!
Has anyone else felt scammed in this way?

[Rhurphy333]

Disgusting! I am a teacher at a SEN school and have seen catalogs sell 'sensory' items at extortionate prices when the exact same toy can be bought at pound shops. Often schools are encouraged to buy through catalogs as by buying the toy through them you are able to claim on their insurance if a child harms themselves on the toy... I often resource my classroom with items from the pound shop. I take extra care and ensure that no child plays with a toy unsupervised.

It is possible she has made the bags herself to make money on the side? I don't agree with her bringing them to your home as a sales pitch.

I have 5 children in my class on the spectrum.

[wanttosinglikemarycoughlan]

I am an NHS therapist and I would be amazed if this were all above board and known about by her employers
If the NHS were selling something they would have a proper supplier
I would check with her employer
I put a bag of sensory toys together for my DS and it didn't cost much
I think she is pulling a fast one, dangerous though as she could be sacked

[frutilla]

This was one of the items, 33p on ebay...
www.partydelights.co.uk/product_detail.asp?ProductID=FAVOSTAL&src=gbase&utm_source=google&utm_medium=googlebase&ci_src=18615224&ci_sku=FAVOSTAL&gclid=CKa-kJzouMACFYvjwgodxJoAzg

And looking at the price of other stuff on the page, probs most of it cost under 50p per item....

[frutilla]

Sorry not ebay, partydelights....

[Icimoi]

Why not query it with her employers?

[gamerchick]

I would query it. Sounds like she's got a little money spinner on the side.

[BigBird69]

This does sound like a personal sideline! Find it very hard to believe that the NHS endorse this. Our OT has recommended products (cutlery, pens, laces etc) as well as toys but has only ever pointed me in the direction of where I might be able to buy them, never tried to forcibly sell! I would look into it further, particularly as you felt pressurised to buy.

[rino]

I'm a peripatetic teacher of deaf and often visit homes, I would leave a bag of toys for the child to use and play with, but never sell, that is awful. I would check with her boss because it has to be a big no no