Hi! I’m Kim Griffin, occupational therapist and founder of GriffinOT.
I qualified as occupational therapist in my home town, Townsville Australia, way back in 2003. Aside for a short stint in wheelchairs and and an unexpected job working with older adults, I have spent the bulk of my career working with children, their families and teachers. I have worked in both community and hospital national health services, private practice and schools in Australia, Ireland and the UK.
Throughout my career a core focus has been helping children who have sensory processing differences and/or motor skill challenges like dyspraxia and autistic children. I love being able to unpick the underlying reasons for sensory behaviours, or a child’s inability to participate and provide them, their families and teachers with actionable solutions. It is such a joy seeing the smile on a child’s face when they comfortable and succeeding.
In order to make OT support more accessible for schools and families, I set up the online arm of GriffinOT in 2017. In a post-covid, AI fuelled world, it is probably impossible to think that online support was just not readily available. But at the time, there were a couple of videos available but nothing which was specifically created for an online audience. I set out to change this because I believe that occupational therapists have unique skills which can help children be successful and that there should be no barriers to access this. My goal is to ensure that all families and school have immediate access to this occupational therapy expertise. I want them to know how they can help their children to succeed at the things that are important to them.
“Parents and teachers are all too often left to run their children’s occupational therapy programme with little support and limited training. GriffinOT’s online resources change this by providing immediate access to affordable high quality occupational therapy expertise.”
Kim Griffin, Founder, Griffin OT
Kim’s qualifications
- PhD Candidate Oxford Brookes University 2023-2028
- Postgraduate Certificate in Sensory Integration University of Ulster, UK (2012)
- Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner / with SIPT Certification, Sensory Integration Network, UK & Ireland (2010/2012)
- Masters in Health Science (Occupational Therapy) University of Sydney, Australia (2007)
- Bachelor of Occupational Therapy with Honours James Cook University, Townsville, Australia (awarded March 2003)
Books by Kim Griffin
- 100 ideas for teachers – Sensory Processing (Bloomsbury)
- Success with Sensory Supports – The ultimate guide to using Sensory diets, movement breaks and sensory circuits at school (JKP)
Kim’s registrations & memberships
- Health and Care Professional Council (HCPC) Registration – UK (Kimberley F Griffin OT45274)
- Royal College of Occupational Therapists – including paediatrics and independent practitioners specialist sections
- Sensory Integration Education UK & Ireland – ASIP Registered
Kim’s awards
- Trinity Hall Cambridge Social Innovation Prize – Trinity Hall Prize (Sep 2021)
- WISE100 – Pioneers Post (Nov 2020)
- Innovation award – Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section Independent Practice (Dec 2019)
- FEA Innovation Award – FEA (Sep 2019)
Podcasts with Kim
- SENDCast – Sensory Strategies March 2024
- SENDCast – Arousal and Self-Regulation Jan 2024
- BBC Sliced Bread – Weighted Blankets October 2023
- SENDCast – Handwriting March 2023
- SENDCast – Dyspraxia November 2022
- Send in the Experts – Occupational therapy October 2022
- OT in Focus – Sensory Occupational Therapy February 2022
Previous Speaking engagements
- Link Live 2022 & 2023 Online
- TES SEND Show 2021 & 2023 London
- National Education Show 2020 Online & 2022 Cardiff
Kim has capacity to speak at three more events each year, please email her with details if you need a speaker.
Previous Publications by Kim
- Four key areas to consider when using sensory support – The Link Issue 24 September 2022
- Creating Successful Sensory Circuits – SEN Magazine August 2022
- Five tips for fine motor skill development – Kidz to Adult South May 21
- Moving the occupational therapy role online – OT News March 21
- Sensory strategies in the classroom – SEN Magazine March 2020
- SIE Autumn Conference Summary – SensorNet Issue 55 Jan 2020
- There’s more to handwriting than pencil grasp – The Link Issue 16 Jan 2020
- 5 tips for supporting children to develop a mature pencil grasp – Nasen Connect Nov 19
- What does body awareness have to do with language processing? – The Link Issue 15 August 2019
- Sensory integration and autism: current evidence – UKEd Magazine Issue 55 2019
- Exploring language with your senses – The Link Issue 14 June 2019
- Sensory equipment in the classroom – Dyslexia Review Spring 2019
Kim Griffin’s career highlights
- Cambridge Trinity Hall Social Innovation Prize (Jul 21)
- Women in Social Tech Cohort 2 (July 19 – Jan 20)
- Business Support from Cambridge Social Ventures (August 2018 – September 2019)
- Joint Coordinator – Ayres Sensory Integration Scholarship Goal 1 (January 2018 – July 2022)
- European Sensory Integration Congress (Vienna June 2017)
- European Sensory Integration Congress (Birmingham September 2015)
- Level 1 Mentorship at the Star Centre Denver with Lucy Miller (October 2014) plus follow-up online peer mentor programme (July-August 2015)
- Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner Certificate (Sensory Integration Network 2010-2012)
- Mentorship at Pediatric Network California (August 2011)