Specialisms
Experience working with children and young adults with a range of disabilities, including:
- Cerebral Palsy.
- Traumatic and acquired brain injury.
- Learning disabilities (including autism spectrum disorder).
- Cognitive impairment and challenging behaviours.
- Loss of services for fatal accident claims.
- Associated orthopaedic injuries.
- Associated visual loss or impairment.
Clinical Currency Statement
As at October 2023, I am engaged in the role of Case Manager and Clinical Paediatric Mentor for West Country Case Management for an average of 100 hours per month. I also work as an Independent Occupational Therapist for Functional Kids OT for an average of 8 hours per month.
Signed
Specific Injuries Experience
Caroline is a specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist and Case Manager. She predominantly works with children and teenagers with traumatic and acquired brain injury including Cerebral Palsy, often with severe mobility, cognitive and communication issues.
Caroline has significant experience in supporting children (and their families) with challenging behaviours and learning disabilities, and also children with life-limiting conditions. She has also regularly supported clients with orthopaedic injuries and visual impairments. Most of the children Caroline works with have extensive physical and psychological needs.
Employment Profile
Caroline runs a small private Occupational Therapy practice, providing holistic assessments to children with a range of needs. She specialises in the assessment of equipment, adaptations and sensory processing dysfunction.
Caroline also works as a Paediatric Case Manager with Westcountry Case Management Services. In this role she is responsible for managing the care regimes of numerous complex children, including both directly employed and agency packages of care.
In addition, Caroline has a role with Westcountry Case Management as a Mentor to paediatric case managers. In this role Caroline provides quality assurance checks on mentees’ written reports, notes and correspondence as well as advice and support around case direction, case management decisions and the litigation process.
Previously, Caroline worked as a Senior Practitioner in the Children’s Occupational Therapy Team for Bristol City Council’s Disabled Children’s Services for many years. Her clinical caseload within this service was predominantly children and young adults with Cerebral Palsy although changes to the service in the latter years meant more work and focus with children and adolescents with challenging behaviours and learning disabilities.
Caroline supervised the development of the service and supported the team of therapists covering the locality. The nature of the work was independent and person-centred, often dealing with highly emotional and stressed situations due to the nature of the children and their conditions.
Prior to completing her Occupational Therapy qualification, Caroline gained experience in a wide range of care settings including work as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. She then worked abroad supporting in special needs schools in India before returning to the UK to focus further in her specialist field of paediatrics.
Caroline has worked as an independent Expert Witness with Jacqueline Webb & Co since 2018, preparing comprehensive paediatric care reports for the Courts. She also writes Loss of Services reports for Fatal Accident Claims. She has participated in numerous case conferences and expert meetings and completed Courtroom Skills Familiarisation with Inspire MediLaw in 2020.
Qualifications and Membership
- BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, University of The West of England (2005).
- BA (Hons) English and Irish Studies, Bath Spa University College.
- Sensory Processing PG CERT Level 1, University of Ulster.
Career History
Present
Care Expert Witness
Jacqueline Webb & Co Limited
2021-Present
Paediatric Case Management Mentor
Westcountry Case Management
2015-Present
Paediatric Case Manager
Westcountry Case Management
2015-Present
Private Occupational Therapist
Caroline Evans Occupational Therapist
2009-2018
Senior Practitioner Occupational Therapist
Disabled Children’s Services, Bristol City Council
2006-2009
Children’s Occupational Therapist
Disabled Children’s Services, Bristol City Council
2005-2006
Volunteer Occupational Therapist
Roshni Special Needs School and Therapy Centre
Gwalior Children’s Hospital
2001-2005
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Bristol General Hospital and Bristol Royal Infirmary
Elderly Rehab, Acute Wards and Stroke Rehab
Publications
Caroline has lectured on two occassions.
- Guest Lectures at University of West of England (2007).
- Guest Lectures at Cardiff University (2008).