Specialisms
Children and young adults (up to the age of 25), including:
- Cerebral Palsy.
- Global developmental delay/developmental co-ordination disorder.
- Severe learning difficulties.
- Autistic spectrum disorder.
- Congenital conditions and syndromes.
- Muscular Dystrophy.
- Brachial Plexus Lesions including Erb’s Palsy.
- Down’s Syndrome.
- Sensory integration.
- Neurological conditions.
- Associated visual impairments.
- Wrongful birth cases.
Clinical Currency Statement
As at June 2023, I am engaged in the role of Independent Paediatric Occupational Therapist for an average of 128 hours per month.
Signed
Specific Injuries Experience
Dawn commonly works with children and young people with both mild and complex neurological needs. Dawn works together with the family and the carers to prescribe specialist equipment to help promote the individual’s well-being and sense of independence. Dawn frequently works with children and young people with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy to prescribe and deliver a therapeutic programme of activities to help promote independence skills.
Dawn works in collaboration with agency and directly employed carers to ensure that care needs are met in a safe and dignified manner. Dawn reviews care policies for individuals including reviewing and producing moving and handling plans to ensure carer and service user safety.
Dawn has experience both in children’s and transition cases, often working with clients with Cerebral Palsy, learning disabilities and neurological conditions into their late teens and early adulthood. Her post requires her to have a sound knowledge of child development, in order to be able to clearly differentiate between expected age-related development, and condition related difficulties.
Related to the above, many of Dawn’s clients experience neurological impairments which commonly results in associated cognitive deficits and mental health complications. Dawn is often involved in the writing and delivery of positive behaviour support plans.
Many of Dawn’s clients also have medical needs such as catheters, stoma and PEG feed systems. These require ongoing consideration in relation to the prescription of specialist equipment and the implementation of moving and handling plans.
Dawn is a trained sensory integration therapy practitioner and therefore frequently assesses and treats children and young people with sensory processing difficulties either as a result of a developmental condition or due to a neurological impairment. Dawn then reviews the intervention programme to ensure that the frequency of challenging behaviours have reduced and that the service user is able to fully access their home and learning environment.
Employment Profile
Dawn has worked as an Expert Witness with Jacqueline Webb & Co since 2015.
Dawn has extensive experience of working within the NHS and private sector with children and young people with mild and complex needs from the ages of 0 to 25. She currently works as a Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist within the private sector providing assessment and treatment for children and young people with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, genetic disorders and co-ordination skill difficulties. She has worked in a variety of settings including a Child Development Centre for children aged 0 to 5 years, special schools, mainstream schools, colleges and within the home environment. Dawn is able to use standardised and observational assessments to establish functional difficulties and identify equipment, adaptations and strategies required to help promote independence. She has the ability to prescribe equipment such as specialist seating, bathing, toileting and moving and handling equipment in order to promote independence and ease the level of care required. She also has experience of recommending minor and major adaptations to the home in order to facilitate access to the environment for the child or young person and ease care for the family.
Dawn works closely with social care and private care agencies whilst recommending appropriate levels of care to help support families. This involves frequently reviewing the child or young person and liaising with outside agencies to ensure that the current package of care is suitable to meet their needs. She also ensures that carers have access to appropriate moving and handling equipment to minimise risk and to promote the child’s or young person’s independence.
Dawn has experience of Paediatric Case Management, setting up and managing private and agency care packages including recruiting carers and managing care teams. This involved continuously reviewing the child’s requirements to meet their care, therapy, education, social, housing and equipment needs and adjusting the package accordingly. As a Case Manager she worked closely with solicitors and set up and chaired Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings consisting of the child’s statutory therapists, teaching staff and their independent team of therapists to ensure all parties worked together to meet the child’s needs.
Dawn is passionate about helping children and young people to engage in activities of daily living as independently as possible. She has a special interest in neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, autistic spectrum disorder and children/young people with sensory processing disorders.
Qualifications and Membership
- Post Graduate Certificate in Advancing Practice Equine Facilitated Therapy (2023).
- Sensory Integration Practitioner (2016).
- BSc Honours Degree in Occupational Therapy (first class), St Martin’s College, Lancaster (2009).
- Open College Psychological Perspectives, Blackpool and The Fylde College (2004).
- Advanced Diploma in Anatomy and Physiology, Blackpool and The Fylde College (2003).
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT).
- College of Occupational Therapists – Specialist Section – Children, Young People and Families (COT-SS-CYPF).
- College of Occupational Therapists – Specialist Section – Independent Practice (COT-SS-IP).
Career History
Present
2015 – Care Expert Witness
Jacqueline Webb & Co Limited
2012-Present
Independent Paediatric Occupational Therapist
2014-2015
Case Manager
Independent Living Solutions
2011-2016
Highly Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, St Annes
2009-2011
Paediatric Occupational Therapist
North Lancashire Primary Care Trust, Longlands Child Development Centre
2003-2009
Technical Instructor
Wyre Primary Care Trust, Wesham Rehabilitation Unit