This session explores experiences and perceptions of ableism within occupational therapy, drawing on findings from two recent studies - one with occupational therapy lecturers and one with students. While the presence and impact of ableism in the profession remains a subject of debate, this session considers how it is understood, encountered, and potentially reinforced in both education and practice. Attendees will be invited to critically reflect on the norms embedded in occupational therapy and consider how the profession might be reimagined through the lens of disability justice - not simply to include disabled people, but to actively embrace difference and challenge the systems that marginalise.

• Describe how ableism may be understood and experienced within occupational therapy education and practice
• Identify ways in which ableism can potentially be perpetuated through teaching, learning, and professional norms
• Reflect on their own assumptions and practices in relation to inclusion and disability
• Consider how principles of disability justice could inform more inclusive approaches in occupational therapy