lesley dodson
rehabilitation assistant
Hi! I am Lesley. ​​​My specialist areas include working with children and young people, acquired brain injuries, spinal injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, speech and language and amputations. I am based in Barnsley and will travel up to two hours as needed. I can be contacted directly by case managers as well as clients and their families. More about me…
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​​contact
email: lesleydodsonrehab@gmail.com
phone: 07969 889305
website: https://ldrehab.co.uk/ot/
my rehabilitation assistant story
I started my career in 2004 as a teaching assistant at a primary school. My interest in speech and language was developed when I took on the role of the inclusion teaching assistant. By 2015 my passion for supporting families and children led me to being promoted to the assistant SENDCo. I continued to work 1:1 with children with learning difficulties whilst supporting the SENDCo with referrals. In 2021 I started working with the vision impairment team for Barnsley Inclusion Services where my passion for supporting children continued. I was responsible for setting up a weekly parent and toddler group for children with vision and hearing difficulties.
During the spring of 2022, I took on the role of a rehabilitation assistant. I continued to work with children, mostly with cerebral palsy supporting them with sensory play, their communication through Makaton or eye gaze, and weekly stretches. I supported physiotherapists with hydrotherapy and ran my own weekly group hydrotherapy session. Whilst working as a rehabilitation assistant I supported clients in their recoveries after brain injuries, amputations, and strokes under the guidance of speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists. At the end of 2022 I decided to become a self-employed rehabilitation assistant continuing my passion to support my clients on their way to recovery.
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My work involves following comprehensive functional assessments from professionals who have identified the changes that a person may have experienced as the result of an injury. The role of an RA is vast and when working with clients I look at the impact of their illness, injury or disability not only on the day-to-day aspects of their lives but on their roles within the family, community and work. I always take into consideration the physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural problems which may now exist. Working in this area requires an understanding of collaborating with a different group of professionals including case managers, neuropsychologists, and solicitors. I use my initiative within the boundaries of my knowledge base to work collaboratively in the community setting formulating client-based solutions to improve outcomes.
I have full liability insurance and an enhanced DBS.