Zaina Minhas

· Providing Occupational Therapy support to autistic students aged between 4-16 years, including those with learning disabilities, specific learning difficulties, ADHD and feeding disorders (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).

. Conducting assessment with students to establish current needs. This includes baseline assessment and reports for all new students joining the school.

. Providing therapy sessions based on Individual Education program targets in line with EHCPs.

· Conducting group sessions including: fine and gross motor skills; food exploration based on SOS approach to feeding; virtual reality and touchless computing technology sessions.

. Jointly overseeing universal therapy provision including environmental adaptations to tailor classroom environments for sensory and motor needs.

· Transdisciplinary working around the student and their family with onsite Speech and Language Therapists, Psychologists, Family Liaison manager, teaching team and senior leadership team.

· Conducting risk assessments for OT equipment and resources.

· Management of OT inventory including keeping track of resources and ensuring students have access to necessary resources and equipment.

· Positive and regular communication with families including family consultations as requested.

. Documentation of clinical notes; ensuring all relevant information is accurately recorded in timely-manner.

· Co-leading Virtual reality (VR) project to provide access of advanced technology to autistic students and young people.

· Building strong, positive working relationship with senior researchers, technicians and students at UCL Computer sciences department - supporting development of appropriate Motion-input games which were accessible to students of all abilities

· Representing the National Autistic Society at key organisational events including at Microsoft and University College London (UCL).

. Gave presentation at BETT show 2025 regarding co-leading on UCL Motion-input project.

· Co-lead alongside senior SALT and senior OT to roll out electronic AAC project (iPad apps) across all classrooms in primary and secondary departments.

. Staff training on a wide range of topics including functional fine motor skills, handwriting and typing, technology, self-care and independence.

During my time as a student occupational therapist at St Bernard's I was able to develop a variety of skills.

• Designed and implemented occupational therapy groups, including development of group protocols.
• Managed a small case load independently.
• Documented clinical notes for patients.
• Attended occupational therapy staff meeting and wider multidisciplinary meetings, liaising with staff members to discuss any progression of patients.
• Worked in partnership with multidisciplinary member and other students.
• Liaised with staff members to arrange occupational therapy vocational job interviews and roles.
• Worked with service users to develop everyday needed skills (basic activities of daily living) to support with reintegration into community and acquisition of paid jobs.
• Build close rapports with service users by providing a comfortable and friendly environment.
• Provided a safe, open environment where service users felt able to discuss any difficulties, they may have experienced.

Throughout this placement I was able to develop a thorough understanding of initial hand therapy assessments.

• Work with a variety of different member of the multidisciplinary team (including physiotherapist and surgeons) to gain an in-depth insight into the way the team works.
• Gain an insight in the triage process and how patients care is altered according to different treatment pathways.
• Enhance my knowledge of assistive equipment when adopting a compensatory approach.
• Documented clinical notes.
• Developed both my non-verbal and verbal communication skills through patient interaction and record keeping.

This placement was spent at a paediatric community service, split between a clinic and visiting a variety of special and mainstream schools.

• My knowledge on different developmental conditions was widened during this placement.
• Developed time management skills to maximise my engagement during the time I had on placement to support as many children as possible.
• Managed planning, designing and implementing intervention for school aged children based on observation and Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs)
• Selected effective intervention plans in line with personal goals for school engagement.
• Made suggestions to adapt school/classroom environment to better fit the individual needs of the child. An example of this included suggesting rocking chairs for children who regularly rocked on their chairs for sensory regulation.
• Adapted typical treatment plans for specific abilities and goals of each child.
• Worked within a multi-disciplinary team and communicated with all staff involved in the care of the children. This included parents, teachers, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists.

• During this time I worked in an outpatient mental health community setting.
• Throughout this time, I developed both my verbal and non-verbal communication skills, which was essential for this placement.

• Supported students to complete classroom tasks.
• Provided support to students enabling them to access adapted curriculum.
• Taught small groups of special educational needs students to provide extra attention and support to those in need.
• Prepared classrooms for lessons by setting workspaces, distributing teaching material and loading presentations onto interactive whiteboards.
• Supervised children during activities and play, helping maintain safety and proactively address behavioural problems.
• Monitored social interactions and modelled positive choices to improve connections and reduce conflicts.
• Assisted teaching staff in the planning and organisation of stimulating activities.