Background

Since qualifying in 1997, I have worked for many years with adolescents with complex diagnoses including ASC, ADHD, developmental disabilities, and mental health conditions. I have worked within medium and low secure hospital wards, and in more recent years I have worked within mainstream schools and specialist provisions for children and young people. I have been involved in completing assessments and interventions, including developing sensory integration services, teaching skills to regulate emotional arousal, sensory circuits sessions, and developing sensory diets. My work has also included working with individuals with trauma histories and attachment difficulties, within secure provisions and adopted children living with their families, providing intervention to individuals with complex needs. I have been engaged in developing and providing adapted programmes to teach protective behaviours awareness and understanding health and sexual relationships. Additionally, I have been involved in providing training to other staff in relation to sensory processing and working with individuals with sensory processing needs. I have presented posters and seminars at a variety of conferences, related to sensory approaches, theraplay based approaches, and sexuality. I have co-written several articles around sexuality and adolescents with developmental disabilities, and co-authored chapters in a book (Forensic Issues in Adolescents with Developmental Disabilities) about Occupational Therapy and sensory integration.