Eve Ovenden Bsc MRCOT
I work with children and their families to improve their life skills, enabling them to reach their fullest potential
About me
I qualified in 2001 but wanted to be a children’s Occupational Therapist since the age of 9 when my father sold disability living equipment. I have worked with children and their families since 2003 helping them with therapy, equipment and adaptions.
“Some of my old clients, now all grown up still like to pay me a visit and let me know what they are getting up to”
As a mum of four I understand the stresses and strains of parenting and the importance of setting realistic, achievable goals that work with family life and are also enjoyable.
I have had arthritis since I was a teenager and had my own paediatric OT. I use a walking stick, a manual wheelchair and have a handcycle. This helps give me a better understanding of the importance of well-fitting disability equipment for the right task, in the right environment and for right person.
I played wheelchair basketball for many years and enjoyed playing for Team GB for a short time. Now I love cooking, baking, gardening, playing board games and over lockdown I have taken up sewing. I enjoy using these skills and learning new ones to deliver my therapy sessions with the children I work with.
“For me Occupational Therapy is about seeing children reach their goals”
I qualified in 2001 and have spent time working with all age groups.
I specialise in paediatrics, in particular, working with children with a physical disability. I am experienced in hand on therapy and use a variety of approaches depending on the child’s needs.
I am able to provide specialist treatment programmes including handwriting programmes, visual perceptual programmes, fine and gross motor programmes and constraint-induced movement therapy.
I am experienced in assessing for housing adaptations. I have many years of practice of assessing for, setting up and altering specialist equipment including wheelchairs and seating for children and adults.
I enjoy working alongside other professionals in health, social services and education.
I work to enable the child or adult to perform, participate and achieve wellbeing.
I am trained in using Grid 3 for communication and environmental controls. I am trained using eye gaze, switches and joysticks to access Grid 3.
Professional Experience
Since 2003 I have worked with children of all ages covering mainstream schools, special schools and seeing children in their homes and in clinic. I worked for Chesterfield Royal Foundation Trust until 2009 and then Sheffield Children’s Hospital Trust at Ryegate Children’s Centre. Since 2018 I have been working independently.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, I have become experienced in providing remote assessments and therapy via telephone or video call. Children I have worked with solely on video call have developed their dressing skills, toileting skills, hand function, improved their sensory regulation and are eating a more varied diet. I have completed housing, sensory, comprehensive complex disability, wheelchair and seating, visual perception and handwriting assessment remotely.
I have worked with hundreds of children with a large variety of needs including, handwriting difficulties, developmental delay, Development Coordination Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophies, Acquired Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury and congenital and inherited disabilities.
Many of my clients have come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and I have adapted my practices to suit their cultural beliefs. I have experience of working with interpreters.
I have undertaken additional post qualification training in many different treatment areas including, handwriting programmes, sensory processing, postural management, wheelchair assessment, disability equipment provision, housing adaptations, lycra provision, Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT), assistive technology include eye gaze and “Grid 3” programming.
I continue to develop my skills and knowledge to ensure my practice is evidence based and up-to-date. I am an active member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapy (RCOT) and member of the special interest groups Children Young People and Families (CYPF) and Specialist Section for Independent Therapists. I regularly attend their networking and continued professional development webinars and events. I have monthly supervision with a professional clinical supervisor. I attend courses and events on various topics relevant to my practice. I am registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC), I hold a full Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) certificate and I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).
