Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
LANGUAGES
Timeline
Training
STRENGTHS
Generic

Dervla Kelly

Elsternwick

Summary

I have worked as an occupational therapist within health care systems in the UK, Ireland and Australia. As a result, I am a versatile and adaptable therapist with the ability to meet the needs of a diverse client group. I have had the opportunity to work with children with complex physical and developmental difficulties in a wide variety of settings such as clinics, mainstream schools, and specialist nurseries. Whilst in this role, I gained excellent insight into the occupational therapy process from referral to discharge. As a result of my varied experience in different settings, I have developed a strong understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancing patient outcomes through cohesive team efforts.


Overview

12
12
years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Occupational Therapist

Care Squared Kids
11.2024 - Current
  • I work in diverse settings from schools, home, clinics and via teletherapy with clients from age 0-18 years
  • I carry out functional capacity assessments, goal setting and planning under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
  • I use the social model of care with the aim to improve patient engagement through the utilization of creative therapeutic activities tailored to individual needs, goals and interests
  • I mentor Allied Health Assistants, contributing to their professional growth and development.
  • I facilitate group therapy sessions for improved social skills and community integration among participants within clinic and school settings
  • I manage caseloads efficiently, ensuring timely documentation and communication with team members.

Senior Occupational Therapist

Children's Disability Network Team
11.2022 - 11.2024


  • I worked with children from 0-18 years with complex disabilities such as cerebral palsy, developmental delay, acquired brain injuries and autism
  • I provided intervention, assessment, and effective clinical reasoning across the occupational performance areas
  • I supported my clients and families to achieve the goals that they have set with a clear focus on meaningful occupation
  • I managed my own caseload of over 80 clients and triaged them accordingly
  • I worked within a large multidisciplinary team and worked collaboratively with other healthcare professionals such as physios, psychologists, and speech and language pathologists
  • I carried out standardized and non-standardized assessments in areas such as Autism and Developmental Coordination Disorder
  • I worked in conjunction with the local Housing Authority to complete environmental reports and adaptions
  • I worked with team members to carry out service development initiatives such as new pathways of care/waitlist initiatives and parent training
  • I completed statutory reports such as Assessment of Need reports in line with the Disability Act (2005)
  • I provide supervision and mentoring to newly graduated and staff grade occupational therapists on the team

Occupational Therapist

Children's Disability Network Team
10.2020 - 11.2022
  • I worked in the Early Intervention Team, responsible for delivering high quality assessment, intervention, and clinical reasoning across various areas of occupational performance areas including

- Gross and fine motor development

- Sensory development

- Self-care

- Independent living skills

  • I prescribed equipment such as supportive seating, wheelchairs and hoists as and when appropriate
  • I worked collaboratively with schools and families to enable children to have greater independence in school, community and home life
  • I worked in conjunction with the upper limb clinic to assess and provide intervention such as splinting, bimanual and constraint-induced therapy, and post Botox management for children with Cerebral Palsy
  • I liaised with and provided appropriate referrals to outside agencies also involved with service users such as the National Council for the Blind & Tulsa (National Child and Family Agency)
  • I developed occupational therapy groups such as ‘Handwriting Club’ and ‘Go Ahead And Play The Floortime Way’

Occupational Therapist

NHS Brent - Community Paediatrics
05.2018 - 05.2019
  • I assessed and treated infants, children, and adolescents with physical and sensory disabilities, offered parental guidance, organized therapy groups, and created detailed reports, including Educational Healthcare Plans.
  • I evaluated the occupational performance of infants, children, and adolescents with physical and sensory disabilities, determining interventions guided by the ‘Person Environment Occupation’ and ‘The Life Needs Model’.
  • I provided parental coaching and education throughout the therapy process I coordinated and ran groups for children and parents such as a fine motor group and a sensory education group.
  • I prepared detailed team reports and legal documents such as Educational Healthcare Plans

Allied Health Assistant

Western Care Association
11.2013 - 10.2015
  • I provided personal care, facilitated community engagement, managed rotas and shifts, and conducted risk assessments for adults with complex learning disabilities.
  • I provided personal care and assisted service users with independent self-care
  • I helped to facilitate service users’ community engagement through vocational rehabilitation and group activities such as music and craft groups
  • I engaged in moving and handling protocols with clients such as using hoists and glide sheets


Education

Irish Leaving Certificate -

Sacred Heart School, Westport

Masters (MSc) - Occupational Therapy

University of Cumbria
01.2017

Bachelor of Arts - Early Childhood Education

National University of Ireland, Galway
01.2014

Certificate - Religious Education Primary School

St Patrick's College, Dublin
01.2009

Skills

  • Expertise in paediatric care
  • Intervention planning and management
  • Home modifications
  • Assessment and prescription of equipment
  • Sensory integration
  • Activity analysis
  • Advanced clinical reasoning skills
  • Communication
  • Interdisciplinary teamwork

Accomplishments

  • Voluntary Work: One of my greatest achievements would be my voluntary work, such as time spent with children's charities in Ireland such as Liquid Therapy and The No Barriers Foundation
  • CPD File: I am very proud of my completed CPD file which is available for viewing on request.
  • Travel: I enjoy traveling; I spent one year studying in Spain as part of the Erasmus scheme. This allowed me to experience and communicate through different languages and cultures in a learning and employment environment.

LANGUAGES

English Native
Spanish Advanced
Professional Working
Gaeilge
Elementary

Timeline

Senior Occupational Therapist

Care Squared Kids
11.2024 - Current

Senior Occupational Therapist

Children's Disability Network Team
11.2022 - 11.2024

Occupational Therapist

Children's Disability Network Team
10.2020 - 11.2022

Occupational Therapist

NHS Brent - Community Paediatrics
05.2018 - 05.2019

Allied Health Assistant

Western Care Association
11.2013 - 10.2015

Masters (MSc) - Occupational Therapy

University of Cumbria

Bachelor of Arts - Early Childhood Education

National University of Ireland, Galway

Certificate - Religious Education Primary School

St Patrick's College, Dublin

Irish Leaving Certificate -

Sacred Heart School, Westport

Training

  • 2025 Foundation Level Attention Autism training with Level 1 coaching
  • 2024 Sleep training for neurodiversity
  • 2023 Functional hand use and Bimanual Therapy
  • 2022 Seat Tech - Wheelchair and Seating solutions
  • 2021 MACE Toolkit Training
  • 2020 Occupational Performance Coaching
  • 2019 The Scerts Model
  • 2017 Handwriting without tears – a multisensory approach to writing
  • 24 hour postural care workshop
  • Profectum DIR –Floortime Training Level 1
  • PGCert Sensory Integration - Module 1
  • Cognitive Orientation to Occupations (CO-OP Approach 3-day workshop)
  • Postural Management/seating Workshop
  • Is it Sensory or Behaviour? 5-Day Workshop
  • 2015 Challenging Behaviour Workshop
  • Information Governance Training
  • CHESS (Care Home Effective Support Services)
  • Dementia Friends Training
  • Risk Management Training
  • Manual Handling Training
  • Dignity at Work Training
  • AED, CPR and Paediatric CPR
  • Health and Safety in the Workplace
  • Hygiene Training
  • Team Building Techniques
  • Break Away Techniques
  • Conflict Resolution

STRENGTHS

  • Collaboration: Experience collaborating with other therapists and healthcare professionals for comprehensive patient care.
  • Problem-solving: Proven ability to develop appropriate plan of care based on assessment results and patient/caregiver's concerns and goals.
  • Communication: Excellent communication skills to provide feedback to caregivers and effectively interact with patients.
Dervla Kelly