Title of Research Project

To inform and develop care pathways for children with Cerebral Palsy.

Academic Supervisors

Professor Denise McDonald and Dr Michelle Spiritos

Biography

Ciara holds a BSc in Athletic Therapy and Training from Dublin City University and an MSc in Sport and Clinical Biomechanics from Liverpool John Moore’s University. She also achieved HCPC registration as a Clinical Scientist in the UK during her time working in an NHS paediatric clinical gait analysis service in Coventry.

She is currently undertaking a PhD focused on service provision and care pathways for children with cerebral palsy. This work builds on her role as a Research Assistant, where she examined therapists’ perceptions of services within Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), including their confidence, competence, and views on current service provision.

Her PhD aims to explore whether an internationally agreed standard of expertise exists and to establish consensus among international experts on the skills and training required to deliver evidence-based care for children with cerebral palsy.