The Skills for Kids team
Susan LoweStephanie Baker
Melinda Conroy
Samantha Miles
Ynna Acosta
Rebecca Middeldorp
Rosemary Fleming
Each of the therapists at Skills for Kids are members of their national professional association. Additional to this membership occupational therapists and speech language pathologists are expected to participate in ongoing professional development. As a consequence, all of the occupational therapists at Skills for Kids are accredited therapists with the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists. Speech language pathologists are members of Speech Pathology Australia and are involved in Professional Self-Regulation Certification. This assures professional excellence in the delivery of our service to children, parents and teachers.
Susan is the owner and senior occupational therapist at Skills for Kids. Susan graduated in 1975 and has worked in mental health, physical rehabilitation, community health and paediatrics. She has completed selected subjects from the Graduate Diploma in Special Education at the University of Western Sydney and received a Masters of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) from the University of Sydney focusing on the assessment of children who have difficulty with written expression. As well Susan has a Graduate Diploma of Health Science (Occupational Therapy) in the area of designing accessible environments in homes and schools for children with physical disabilities. Susan is currently doing PhD research at Sydney University in the area of children's participation at school.
Stephanie graduated from the University of Sydney in 1989 and has worked with infants, children and adolescents in a range of settings. In 2004 Stephanie completed a Graduate Certificate of Health Sciences (Occupational Therapy) focussing on specific areas of assessment and intervention for children with learning and coordination difficulties. In 2006 Stephanie completed post graduate study in the area of hand function for children with cerebral palsy.
Melinda graduated from the University of Sydney with extensive undergraduate experience at Skills for Kids particularly in the area of social skills intervention. Melinda has a special interest in children who have information processing difficulties and is currently working full time providing occupational therapy services in several schools: St Paul's Grammar, Wycliffe, Blaxland East, Emu Plains, Penrith Christian, The Lakes Christian College, St Finbars, Blaxland Primary, Blaxland High, Lapstone, Penrith Anglican College and Richmond High. Melinda recently received a prestigious award - the Elaine B. Wilson Award. Once a year our professional association presents an award, to an Australian occupational therapist who demonstrates excellence in the area of therapy services to children. In 2008 the national award was presented to Melinda. We were all thrilled with the announcement of this award and are honoured to have Melinda working with us at Skills for Kids.
Samantha graduated from the University of Sydney and has worked with adolescents and adults with mild to severe physical disabilities, and children and adolescents with intellectual and learning difficulties. Samantha has a particular interest in working with preschool children and has developed our 'Getting ready for Kindergarten Camp' which she runs annually. Samantha is also involved in teaching at TAFE to teacher's aides about fine motor output in the classroom: Kindergarten to Year 12.
Ynna graduated from the University of Sydney in 2008 after completing an earlier student placement and an internship at Skills for Kids. She was warmly welcomed to the staff because of her extremely conscientious and enthusiastic commitment to working with children along with a high level of professional integrity. Ynna has a special interest in sensory processing and is committed to making functional links between this approach and childrens' everyday performance in preschool, school and home routines. Previous experience with tutoring has laid the foundations for Ynna's very positive and encouraging relationships with children. Ynna works at Skills for Kids both in the clinic and in school based intervention implementing collaborative programmes for students with classroom teachers.
Rebecca graduated as an occupational therapist from the University of Sydney. She also qualified as an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapist in 2006 and has worked with children who have autism since that time. ABA is an intensive, evidenced-based therapy which targets communication, academic, play, social and self care skills. Rebecca has also worked as an ABA 'shadow' in the school environment. This involves working with school staff and teaching children how to manage work and social situations at school. Rebecca has also completed a course in Dr Stanley Greenspan's Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR)/Floortime. This is a sensory processing approach in which parents are taught how to become an essential part of the therapy process.
Ellena joined the Skills for Kids team in 2009. She began her career working in community mental health and later as an ABA therapist with children. Subsequently, Ellena worked as a consultant in schools for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders which furthered her interest in sensory processing and behavioural difficulties. Ellena holds a Master of Occupational Therapy Practice from La Trobe University, Melbourne. She also holds a Bachelor of Social Science which has laid the foundations for working with a range of social emotional issues that impact participation in childhood and adolescence.
Emma graduated from the University of Queensland with extensive experience with children and adolescents who have language and speech disorders, in particular, adolescents with communication and social difficulties due to intellectual impairment. Emma adopts a fun but purposeful approach to learning in the areas of speech, language and literacy. Emma is a practising member of the Speech Pathology Association of Australia and is involved in Professional Self-Regulation Certification. This is a voluntary program which provides an objective means of structuring, measuring and acknowledging a speech language pathologist's commitment to continuing professional development.
Rosemary is probably the person who will answer your phone call or greet you at the door. She is responsible for organising the timetabling of assessments and intervention, sending and receiving accounts, as well as being the glue which holds us together. If she can't answer your questions she will quickly find someone who can.
