Dawn Frith

Dawn works collaboratively with agency and directly employed carers to ensure that care needs are met safely, effectively and with dignity.  She regularly reviews care arrangements and policies and is experienced in developing and reviewing moving and handling plans to promote the safety of both the individual and their carers.

She has extensive experience working across children’s services and transition cases, supporting individuals with Cerebral Palsy, learning disabilities and a range of neurological conditions through their late teens and into early adulthood.  Her role requires a sound understanding of child development, enabling her to differentiate between expected age-related development and difficulties arising as a consequence of an individual’s underlying condition.

Many of Dawn’s clients experience neurological impairments associated with cognitive difficulties and mental health needs.  She is therefore frequently involved in the assessment, development and implementation of Positive Behaviour Support Plans, with a focus on reducing behaviours of concern and enabling individuals to participate more fully in their home, education and wider community environments.

Dawn also has experience supporting individuals with medical needs, including PEG feeding systems.  These needs are carefully considered when assessing and prescribing specialist equipment and when developing moving and handling plans.

Dawn is a trained Sensory Integration Therapy Practitioner and regularly assesses and supports children and young people experiencing sensory processing difficulties, whether associated with a developmental condition or neurological impairment.  She develops individualised intervention programmes and reviews their effectiveness to monitor outcomes, including reductions in behaviours of concern and improvements in the individual’s ability to access and participate safely and meaningfully within their home and learning environments.

Dawn is an experienced Paediatric Occupational Therapist with extensive clinical expertise across both the NHS and private sector.  She has worked with children and young people aged 0-25 years who present with a wide range of mild to complex needs, including neurological, genetic and developmental conditions.

She currently works as a Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist in the private sector, providing comprehensive assessment and intervention for children and young people with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, genetic disorders and coordination difficulties.  Her work focuses on promoting functional independence, participation in meaningful occupations, and supporting families to manage complex care needs.

In addition, Dawn works as a Clinical Lead Neonatal Occupational Therapist within the NHS.  She promotes infant neurodevelopment on the Neonatal Unit by empowering parents and caregivers to provide developmentally supportive care.  This includes optimising the sensory environment and supporting families to understand and respond to infant cues and signs of stress, helping infants to regulate and engage in early co-occupations such as sleeping, feeding and interaction.  Using a Family Integrated Care approach, Dawn provides early, individualised intervention to reduce developmental risk for infants born prematurely or with perinatal complications.  She manages a complex caseload, works collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team, and supports infants and families through tailored assessment and intervention, discharge planning and anticipatory guidance to ensure a smooth transition home.

Dawn has worked across a variety of settings, including Child Development Centres for children aged 0–5 years, special schools, mainstream schools, colleges and within family homes.  She is skilled in using both standardised and observational assessments to identify functional difficulties and to recommend appropriate strategies, equipment and environmental adaptations to promote independence.

She has extensive experience prescribing specialist equipment, including seating, bathing, toileting and moving and handling equipment, to reduce care demands and increase functional participation.  Dawn also regularly recommends minor and major home adaptations to improve accessibility and support both the child or young person and their family.

Dawn works closely with social care teams and private care agencies, advising on appropriate levels of care and frequently reviewing care packages to ensure they remain appropriate to changing needs.  She liaises with external professionals to ensure coordinated support and ensures carers are trained and equipped with appropriate moving and handling equipment to minimise risk and maximise independence.

She also has experience in Paediatric Case Management, including establishing and managing private and agency care packages, recruiting and supervising carers, and coordinating multidisciplinary teams.  In this role, Dawn worked closely with solicitors and chaired MDT meetings involving statutory services, education providers and independent therapists to ensure a cohesive and child-centred approach to care, therapy, education, housing and equipment needs.

Dawn is passionate about helping children and young people to engage in activities of daily living as independently as possible.  She has a special interest in neurological conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and children/young people with sensory processing difficulties.

2025-Present
Clinical Lead Neonatal Occupational Therapist
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

2012-Present
Independent Paediatric Occupational Therapist

2014-2015
Case Manager
Independent Living Solutions

2011-2016
Highly Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, St Annes

2009-2011
Paediatric Occupational Therapist
North Lancashire Primary Care Trust, Longlands Child Development Centre

2003-2009
Technical Instructor
Wyre Primary Care Trust, Wesham Rehabilitation Unit