Course Outline

• This practical session focuses on actionable strategies that teachers & SNAs can implement to support children with complex feeding needs throughout the school day. Participants will learn practical strategies, environmental modifications, communication strategies and much more.

• Participants will receive ready-to-use visual supports, environmental checklists and step-by-step protocols for common feeding challenges. All strategies will be designed for immediate classroom implementation with minimal additional resources.

Facilitator Bio

Teresa is a Paediatric Occupational Therapist with 17 years' experience, spanning across inpatient and community settings in Ireland and Australia. She has been fortunate to work with a diverse range of paediatric clients, including early intervention, brain injury rehabilitation, physical disability and Autism services. Whilst working at the Central Remedial Clinic in Clontarf, Teresa worked with the National Specialist Feeding Service. Whilst in post, she was the Occupational Therapist who co-established the Complex Feeding Clinic, which captured a previously unmet need of supporting children and families with presentations such as ARFID & Paediatric Feeding Disorder. 

Teresa now owns two private Occupational Therapy clinics. In 2024, she established The Feeding Therapist, a specialist service for children and families with complex feeding presentations. She is passionate about working in and promoting awareness of this highly specialised area of OT practice. She sits on a number of international feeding committees and regularly contributes to the national media. She is a guest lecturer at both TCD and UCD.