My name is Francesca and I’ve been working full-time at bOunceT since August 2019. I qualified as an Occupational Therapist with an MSc from the University of Cumbria in 2018 after having placements in mental health, neurological rehab, community stroke and acute elderly medical.
Upon qualifying as an OT I took up a rotational post and worked as a band 5 in an elderly ward. When I saw the bOunceT post, I just had to apply! I love working with children and I’m a firm supporter of services that enable transtition because as we all know, disabilities and conditions don’t disappear when someone turns 18. Therefore, working with both paediatric and adult learning disability populations was perfect for me.
Prior to studying Occupational Therapy, I completed a BSc (Hons) in Applied Psychology from Herriot-Watt University because I knew I wanted to work with people. I learned a great deal about child development and different conditions - I’ve definitely used this knowledge in my current post! I also grew up as a young carer for my mum who has Cerebral Palsy – this is something that I feel gives me a unique perspective of both disability and ability.
I have also been fortunate enough to experience volunteering with children and adults with learning disabilities and mental health issues in Sri Lanka during a summer psychology placement.
During my studies I worked as a playworker for children with and without disabilities.
In my free time I enjoy participating in amateur dramatics and doing craft projects.
