Claire qualified as an Occupational Therapist (OT) in Durban, South Africa.
Following this she spent a number of years working as an OT in a rural community hospital and a private practice; with paediatric and adult clients.
She then went on to work exclusively with children, as the designated OT within a mainstream primary school, as well as running her own private practice during this time.
Claire then arrived in the UK in January 2018 and has since worked as a Children’s OT within an NHS community setting. This has involved the assessment and treatment of children between the ages of 3 months and 18 years old, within the clinic setting as well as a number of mainstream schools and nurseries; and special schools/units.
Claire currently leads the school age team within her NHS trust. She also works as a specialist OT within the Autism Diagnostic Team and is trained in using the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule).
She has worked with children presenting with variety of needs including, learning difficulties, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Differences, Developmental Co-ordination difficulties, Developmental Delay, Physical as well as Neurological conditions.
Claire has had training in using strategies and principles within various treatment approaches including Sensory Integration, DIR Floor Time, CO-OP, and Neurodevelopmental Theory for Babies (Bobath).
Claire loves working with and learning from children. She also has a passion for working with their parents and teachers, supporting them in any way possible on the therapy journey.