The Osteopathic Centre for Children (OCC) is the clinical arm of the Foundation for Paediatric Osteopathy, UK registered charity number 1003934. Since 1991 it has been providing world-class osteopathy to children (from infancy to the age of 18) and mothers. It offers more than 30,000 free osteopathic treatments to families each year at its clinic in London (headquartered in Clerkenwell) and Manchester.

Osteopaths at the OCC are trained in providing osteopathic care to children and are supervised by senior paediatric osteopathic physicians. OCC osteopaths regularly treat babies on the neonatal intensive care units at two London-area hospitals, so are accustomed to working with children with special and complex needs.

The OCC does not charge for its treatments, nor is it part of the NHS. It costs the charity about £35 for each session. Families are asked to contribute as much to that amount as they feel able; giving more helps to provide support for families on lower incomes. No family is ever turned away.

OCC osteopaths use osteopathy to help children in many practical and life-improving ways, such as reducing the need for medication, assisting speedier recovery from illness and the effects of operations and providing fortification to the body during drug therapy.

Paediatric osteopathy uses gentle manual techniques tobring about profound changes within a child or young person's body, using non-invasive but highly effective rebalancing procedures. These allow the different body systems - the nervous, immune, muscular and circulatory systems - to work effectively. A few conditions with which patients visiting the OCC have presented include: autism, gastric reflux, hyperactivity, behavioural difficulties, dyslexia, eczema, colic, glue ear, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, insomnia, asthma, hypersensitivity, headaches, back pain, diabetes, plagiocephaly and talipes.

Additionally, the OCC has a considerable amount of experience in treating mothers and strongly recommends that all pregnant mothers have an osteopathic check-up in preparation for birth, as well as post-natally to help their bodies recover from delivery.