Dervla Kelly

• 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.

• 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

• 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’

• 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

• 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

• Subjects Studied: Spanish, Psychology, Health Promotion, Children and Creative Arts, Child Law, Literature, Sociology, and Children’s Rights
• Year 3 – Erasmus Exchange Programme, University of Seville, Spain