Carlen Knight

As a registered Occupational Therapist working with The Do Network, Carlen thrives on advocating for the support, housing and therapy needs of children, youth and adults in the NDIS space. Carlen currently services clients in and around the Toowoomba area providing Functional Assessments, Housing Assessments and professional reports.

Carlen has extensive experience with those who have challenging behaviours. As well as private clients, Carlen assists those in the Child Protection system, youth and young adults who have spent time in the correctional system, as well as homeless and first nations people.

Carlen’s special interest areas include ongoing therapy for young people with Autism Spectrum & ADHD, as well as neurological disorders, cognitive impairments and complex trauma history. Carlen works with a highly skilled team of allied health assistants to enable efficient use of funding and deliver services to a wide range of participants.

As a part of the Clinical Lead team at The Do Network, Carlen conveys their passion for learning through sharing knowledge and creating engaging learning platforms for other clinicians. Carlen is able to do this through Clinical Supervision, regular group supervision sessions in-house and supporting a number of final year students on placement each year. In addition, Carlen delivers Cognitive Disabilities Model training online and around Australia.

Carlen graduated from the University of Sydney with a Masters of Occupational Therapy in 2015. With a background as an Advanced Care Paramedic, Carlen became a lead clinician for an NGO involved in an initiative that commenced as a LINK funded research project with the Royal Brisbane Hospital. The project aimed to create continuity of care for individuals who presented to the Emergency Department with a high frequency. It involved working between community-based organisations, Emergency Department and other government organisations. Statistically, significant success was achieved at reducing the frequency of presentations and the research project became the Working Together to Connect Care Program.

The following years saw Carlen start their own private practice and eventually move to Toowoomba where they began working as an occupational therapist for The Do Network. As a parent of three neurodiverse children to take delight in and guide through life, Carlen understands many of the challenges that care providers face on a daily basis and is enthusiastic in supporting clients to navigate these.

As a board member of a LGBTQQIAAP advocacy group in Toowoomba, Carlen engages strongly with their community and provides support wherever possible.