Pamela Raftery (Clinic Director)
Following graduation from Trinity College, where she was awarded the Ottway Freeman Award for Clinical Excellence and the Walker Prize for Speech Pathology, Pamela worked as a paediatric Speech & Language Therapist for the HSE in a Community Care setting before establishing herself in private practice.
She is a registered member of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT) and CORU (Government Health Regulatory Body) and served 3 years (2013-2015) as Chairperson of the private practitioners association, Independent Speech-Language Therapists in Ireland (ISTI).
As a parent herself of 3 young children, Pamela fully understands the anxiety that comes from discovering that your child is struggling or needs help in a particular area. She works with a wide range of children including those experiencing difficulties with articulation, phonology, language, pragmatics or fluency and those experiencing communication difficulties as part of a wider diagnosis such as ASD (Autism) or Down Syndrome.
She also teaches for the Special Education Support Services, training teachers about issues relating to Communication in Children with ASD, has written magazine and newspaper articles and spoken on radio in relation to Speech and Language issues affecting children.
Nicola Davis
Prior to training as a Speech and Language Therapist, Nicola obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and Performance and worked in a Theatre School as a Drama and Singing Teacher for children aged 2 to 16 years, and as a Special Needs Teaching Assistant in a comprehensive primary school.
Nicola is a dedicated and enthusiastic therapist who provides assessments and therapy to children with a variety of speech and language difficulties, including developmental speech and language disorders, phonological disorders. verbal dyspraxia, and literacy difficulties. She has worked with a range of clients including those with Dyslexia, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability.
Nicola is registered with CORU (Government Health Regulatory Body regulating SLTs working in Ireland) and is a member of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT – voluntary association for SLTs in Ireland).
Ciara Brewitt
During her time at University College Cork, Ciara was awarded scholarships in 2 consecutive years for achieving the highest grades in her class.
A highly motivated and creative Speech & Language Therapist, Ciara has experience of working with children of all ages with a variety of needs, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), stuttering, developmental delay, language delay / disorder and phonological delay /disorder.
Ciara is one of only a handful of SLTs in Ireland who have trained in the use of Auditory Verbal techniques (AVT), a specialist approach for working with children with hearing loss and/or cochlear implants.
Ciara is registered with CORU (Government Health Regulatory Body regulating SLTs working in Ireland) and is a member of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT – voluntary association for SLTs in Ireland).
Rachel Brennan
Prior to her graduation from Trinity College as a Speech and Language Therapist, Rachel obtained a degree in Languages for International Communication from DCU and a Diploma in Child Psychology from Dublin Business School.
A dedicated therapist who is passionate about working with children, Rachel joined ARC after working as a member of the HSE Meath Child Development Team, where she gained experience working with children with a range of speech and language difficulties associated with diagnoses of Intellectual Disability, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Dyspraxia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. As part of her role she worked with teachers in mainstream school, ASD units and schools for children with an intellectual disability to develop communication and improve access to the curriculum. This often involved establishing the use of AAC systems such as Lámh and PECS.
Rachel is registered with CORU (Government Health Regulatory Body regulating SLTs working in Ireland) and is a member of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT – voluntary association for SLTs in Ireland).
Fiona Craven (Saturday Therapist)
Fiona graduated from Trinity College in 2005 with a distinction in Research, which she presented at an international conference in Finland later that year. She began her working career in the HSE, spending 9 of the next 10 years in Community Care and hospital settings working with children with a variety of communication disorders, and adults with acquired communication and swallow impairments. During that time she has progressed into a Senior SLT role, and gained experience working with clients with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, phonological delays/disorders, language delays, Specific Speech and Language Impairments, dyspraxia, stuttering and selective mutism. She has extensive experience working with younger age children in planning and running parent training programmes.
In 2011 Fiona took a year long career break to work as a volunteer Speech & Language Therapist (through Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) International) with the Ministry of Health in Guyana. There she assisted with the development of a national school screening programme, and with the development, delivery and evaluation of training programmes nationally, aimed at training local staff on how to deliver effective therapy to children with communication difficulties.
She currently divides her time between her HSE and private work, as well as continuing to invest in further education through studying for an M.Sc. in Language and Communication Impairment. She has special interests in collaborations with parents and early years providers, and in multi-lingualism.
Fiona is registered with CORU (Government Health Regulatory Body regulating SLTs working in Ireland) and is a member of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT – voluntary association for SLTs in Ireland).
Barbara Smyth (Administrator)
Barbara will typically be your first point of contact in relation to enquiries and appointments. A highly efficient Administrator, Barbara will be happy to help you with all admin related issues, such as booking appointments, issuing receipts and so on.
As a mother of 3, Barbara has a warm and affectionate manner with children. She has a keen interest in the community, and has served on her children’s School Board of Management and Parent-Teacher Association. She is passionate about running and has completed several marathons, including the Boston Marathon. She is also a qualified athletics coach, and organises and manages training for both children and adults.
Appointments
The Initial Consultation
This is attended by parents alone (without your child). It lasts for half an hour to forty five minutes. It is used for the purpose of speaking with you, the parents, about your concerns regarding your child’s communication in an environment where you can speak freely about him or her and where you can think clearly, without distraction. It is also used to determine whether or not a full assessment is warranted.