Kerry Porter – Specialist Paediatric Occupational
Kerry works as part of the Trafford Children’s Therapy Team, which is a combined physiotherapy and occupational therapy team.
They provide high quality holistic therapy assessments, treatments and advice and care to babies, children and young people with complex and additional needs.
They aim to improve children’s function in daily activities so they can achieve their full potential. Below are a range of services they can provide.
Kerry is based at Sale Waterside but currently works at The Orchard’s on a Wednesday morning. Click here for more information about the service and referral system
At The Orchard’s we have invested lots of time and resources into supporting children with Sensory Processing Difficulties because we know that if children’s sensory systems are not well supported they struggle to be calm and learn.
Sensory Processing Difficulties (SPD sometimes called Sensory Integration or SI) is a term that refers to the way the body receives and interprets messages from the senses.
Humans have a multitude of senses that help them to gather information about the world around them: hearing, seeing, touch, smell, taste, balance, and proprioception (which is knowing what the muscles are doing without looking).
A “Sensory Diet” is a carefully designed, personalised activity plan that provides children with the sensory inputs they need to remain in a calm, alert state for a majority of the time.
To help get the childrens’ ‘Sensory Diets’ right The Orchard’s have employed a private Occupational Therapist to support us with this work. Some children require a more detailed sensory diet which may change over time. Together with the class team Tracey works closely with the child to provide them with a more detailed sensory diet. This is implemented at school and parents and carers will be invited into school to learn ways in which they can support the child at home.
Tracey Beresford – Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist – Sensory Integration Specialism (needs photo ideally with child)
Tracey works across the school looking at how children’s sensory needs can be well supported so that they are able to regulate and learn. Tracey currently works at The Orchard’s for 2 days a week.
Jess Wilcock – Paediatric Physiotherapist
The physiotherapy service provides assessment and treatment for children at The Orchard’s who have physical difficutlies. This may include exercise programmes, hydrotherapy, positioning and the provision of equipment to meet the individuals needs. Jess works very closely with Kerry.
Jess works as part of the Trafford Children’s Therapy Team, which is a combined physiotherapy and occupational therapy team.
Jess is based at Sale Waterside and currently works at The Orchard’s on a Wednesday morning. Click here for more information about the service and referral system.
Our Specialist School Nursing Service is closely linked with the Children’s Community Nursing Team in Trafford. The Specialist School Nursing team work across the sites of all the Trafford special schools but are onsite at some point each week and are available to offer advice to parents and staff. They provide medical training that school staff may need in order to meet children’s needs.
The school nurses are able to refer pupils to other healthcare professionals including: Consultant Paediatrician; ophthalmologist; Special Needs Dental Care and the Podiatrist.
The school community paediatrician is Dr Madi. He attends school twice monthly to run community clinics (appointments by arrangement only).