MEET THE THERAPIST
Hi, I'm Noelia
Paediatric Occupational Therapist
I support children and young people to participate more in the everyday activities that matter to them; at school, at home and within their wider lives.
Based in Bromley & Beckenham |
Supporting Schools and families
Experience Across Paediatric Occupational Therapy
I qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2018 and have eight years of experience across paediatric, NHS, education, private and community services, supporting children, young people and adults in a wide range of needs.
My paediatric experience spans nurseries, mainstream and specialist primary and secondary schools, clinics and social care. I have supported children and young people aged 2-20 with physical, neurological, developmental, sensory and complex needs through comprehensive assessment, targeted intervention and ongoing Occupational Therapy support.
Alongside my paediatric practice, I work as a Senior Occupational Therapist within the NHS, supporting adults with complex medical and functional needs. This has broadened my clinical reasoning and strengthened my experience in functional assessment, rehabilitation, cognition, equipment and environmental adaptation, multidisciplinary working and promoting independence in everyday activities.
Working across different environments has shaped my belief that effective Occupational Therapy needs to consider the whole person; their strengths and needs, the activities that are meaningful to them, and the environments in which they live, learn and participate.
8 years
Occupational Therapy Experience
Ages 2-20
Supporting children & young people
Across settings
Schools • Nurseries
• Clinics • Social Care •Hospital
SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE & CLINICAL PRACTICE
Bringing Specialist Knowledge into Everyday Practice
My Occupational Therapy practice is informed by seven years of paediatric experience, specialist postgraduate training and ongoing professional development.
I have supported children and young people with a wide range of developmental, neurological, physical and sensory needs, including children with cerebral palsy, acquired neurological conditions and complex presentations. My experience has strengthened my understanding of movement, upper-limb function, coordination and how these can influence a child’s independence and participation in everyday activities.
I hold advanced postgraduate training in Ayres Sensory Integration®, including the CLASI Certificate in Ayres Sensory Integration (CASI), with training in the Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI). Sensory Integration is one of the specialist approaches that informs my wider Occupational Therapy assessment and clinical reasoning.
My continuing professional development also includes hand therapy, cognition and executive functioning, interoception, handwriting, bimanual upper-limb rehabilitation, and sensory aspects of eating and mealtimes, including further learning around feeding in autistic children.
Across my practice, I consider not only the child’s individual abilities and needs, but also their activities and environment. This may include adapting tasks, routines, equipment or the physical environment at school or home to promote accessibility, independence and meaningful participation.
KEY AREAS OF MY PRACTICE
SENSORY INTEGRATION
FUNCTION & PARTICIPATION
ENVIRONMENT & ADAPTATIONS
CLASI- ASI WISE
EASI
SI Practitioner
Motor Skills
Upper Limb & Bimanual Skills
Cognition & Executive Function
Self-Care & Independence
Play, Learning & Leisure
Schools & Nurseries
Home Assessments
Equipment & Task Adaptation
Routines & Accessibility
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Interoception • Handwriting • Feeding & Mealtimes • Inclusive Practice
EVIDENCE INFORMED
Clinical Reasoning
CHILD-CENTRED
Individualised Support
EVERYDAY PARTICIPATION
Meaningful Outcomes
MY APPROACH
Supporting the Whole Child
I believe Occupational Therapy is most meaningful when we look beyond individual skills and understand the whole child what matters to them, what they want and need to do, and the environments in which they live, learn and play.
My approach is collaborative, strengths-based and practical. I work alongside children, families and schools to understand what may be supporting or limiting participation and to develop strategies that can be realistically embedded into everyday life.
Whether adapting an activity or environment, developing a skill, supporting regulation or building independence, the goal remains the same: helping children and young people participate with greater confidence in the activities that matter to them.
CHILD-CENTRED
Understanding each child’s individual strengths, needs, interests and priorities.
COLLABORATIVE
PRACTICAL & MEANINGFUL
Working together with children, families, schools and other professionals.
Creating strategies and adaptations that support participation in everyday life.
BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE
Understanding the Child Behind the Challenge
Over the years, I have worked across mainstream and specialist educational settings, supporting children and young people with a broad range of physical, neurological, developmental and neurodivergent needs.
My experience includes working with children with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury and other complex physical needs, as well as children and young people with autism, ADHD, developmental coordination difficulties and complex sensory and functional presentations. This breadth of experience has taught me that similar difficulties can have very different underlying causes — and that understanding the individual child is essential.
Assessment is therefore an important part of my practice. I consider how areas such as motor coordination, sensory processing, cognition, executive functioning, upper-limb function, self-care and the environment may be influencing a child's ability to participate. Where further investigation or specialist input may be appropriate, I work collaboratively with families and other professionals and can recommend referral through appropriate pathways, including paediatric services.
Looking Beyond the Behaviour
I am passionate about looking beyond what we see on the surface. A child who appears reluctant, disorganised, slow or avoidant may be experiencing genuine difficulties with motor coordination, sensory processing, executive functioning, attention or another aspect of development.
My role as an Occupational Therapist is to explore what may be making an activity difficult, recognise the child’s strengths and advocate for the support and understanding they need; rather than allowing difficulties to be misunderstood as a lack of effort or motivation.
Mainstream & Specialist Education
Schools
EHCP's
Classroom Participation
PHYSICAL & NEUROLOGICAL NEEDS
Cerebral Palsy
Acquired Brain Injury
Complex needs
NEURODEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS
Autism
ADHD
Developmental Coordination Difficulties (DCD)
ASSESSMENT & ADVOCACY
Understanding underlaying needs
MDT collaboration
Appropriate Referral
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
HCPC REGISTERED
Occupational Therapist
Registration No. OT81804
Bcs OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
ADVANCED SENSORY INTEGRATION TRAINING
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
4-year degree • 2018
Spain
CLASI CASI -ASI WISE• EASI
Sensory Integration Practitioner
BAHT Hand Therapy Level 1 • Cognitive & Executive Function • Interoception • Handwriting
Feeding & Mealtimes•
Profesional Memberships: Royal College of Occupational Therapists • RCOT Specialist Section – Children, Young People & Families • British Association of Hand TherapistsTherapist
Understanding what is behind the difficulty is the first step towards providing the right support.
