Petite Therapy

19/08/2026

I’m incredibly proud to share that I have been awarded the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) Early Researcher Prize 2026 🎉💚

My research explored:

“The impacts and challenges of occupational therapy interventions in mainstream schools: a qualitative study of teaching staff experiences.”

One of the main reasons I chose this research was because, through my work in education, I became increasingly aware that there was a real lack of understanding about what occupational therapists actually do within schools and the contribution OT can make to education.

Interestingly, this was reinforced again recently during a meeting with colleagues from social care, where it became clear that there is still a wider lack of understanding around the role and scope of occupational therapy.

For me, that is exactly why this research matters.

Occupational therapy in education is about so much more than handwriting or equipment. We look at the whole child and the occupations they need and want to participate in — learning, play, self-care, relationships, regulation, independence and simply being able to access their school day.

I wanted my research to give teaching staff a voice, explore their experiences of working alongside occupational therapy, and identify both the impact OT can have and the barriers that still exist to embedding it effectively within mainstream education.

To have that work recognised by RCOT with the Early Researcher Prize means an incredible amount to me.

I’m passionate about continuing to raise the profile of occupational therapy within education and helping schools, families and other professionals better understand what our profession can offer children and young people.

Very proud of this one. 💚

08/08/2026

And the cycle begins

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18WwMemkaP/?mibextid=wwXIfr

16/07/2026

This is so true, many times I say it doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong but a child isn’t receiving an education.

When a child is struggling, it’s easy for relationships to become strained.

Parents may feel unheard, blamed or left to fight for support. Schools may feel overwhelmed, under-resourced and unable to meet every child’s individual needs within increasingly stretched systems.

The reality is that many schools are trying to support increasing numbers of children with increasingly complex needs, often in large classes, busy environments and under significant pressure to meet academic expectations. Parents, meanwhile, are often carrying the emotional weight of watching their child become increasingly anxious, overwhelmed or reluctant to attend.

Neither side has an easy job.

But when the focus shifts from understanding the child to blaming one another, it’s usually the child who pays the highest price.

Children don’t need adults on opposing sides.

They need adults working together, sharing information, listening to one another and keeping the child’s needs at the centre of every conversation.

The best outcomes rarely come from blame. They come from collaboration.

What helps children most isn’t parents versus schools. It’s parents and schools becoming a team.

15/07/2026

Meetings at Petite Therapy. 🤣🤣🤣

13/07/2026

12/07/2026

What if the behaviour isn’t the problem?

The toddler who never stops moving…

The child who isn’t talking yet…

The little one who can’t sit still for a story…

The child who is constantly climbing…

The one who crashes into everything…

The child who avoids messy play…

The one who struggles to use a spoon…

The child who has frequent meltdowns…

The little one who seems “always on the go”…

The child who doesn’t join in with other children…

The one who covers their ears…

The child who walks on their toes…

These are often described as “challenging behaviours.”

But what if they’re actually clues?

Clues that a child’s nervous system is developing differently.

Clues that they may be finding it harder to process movement, touch, sound or their own body.

Clues that everyday activities require far more effort than we realise.

As an Occupational Therapist with postgraduate training in Ayres Sensory Integration® and Play Therapy, I don’t just ask, “How do we stop the behaviour?”

I ask, “What is the child’s body telling us?”

When we understand the reason behind a child’s behaviour, we can support their development in a way that helps them feel safe, confident and ready to learn.

Because every behaviour has a reason.

Sometimes, we just need to know where to look.

09/07/2026

Schools spend a lot of time responding to what has already happened.

The disruption. The conflict. The refusal. The escalation. The consequence.

That response matters, but it cannot be the whole plan. When the same behaviors keep showing up, we have to look upstream at the patterns, conditions, skills, relationships, routines, and unmet needs that may be feeding them.
This is not about excusing behavior. It is about making our response more accurate.

Students still need boundaries. They still need repair. They still need accountability. But if adults only respond at the point of crisis, the system stays reactive.

Better discipline asks a harder question: What keeps putting students in the river?