Joanne (Jo) Steenkamp

Speech and Language Therapist

Joanne (Jo) Steenkamp is a registered Speech and Language Therapist with nearly 30 years’ experience supporting individuals of all ages with a range of communication challenges and with a special interest in supporting people with autism, learning disabilities and mental health needs.

Jo has worked across NHS and private sector settings, including community services, educational establishments, residential care and inpatient facilities. She brings expertise in assessing and treating speech, language and communication needs, whilst implementing practical communication strategies that work in real-world environments.

Passionate about person-centred practice, Jo champions independence through multi-agency collaboration, accessible information and co-production. She is committed to creating inclusive communication environments through training, advocacy and empowering both individuals and their support networks to communicate effectively.

Juliet Shand

School Psychologist

Our school psychologist, Dr Juliet Shand, is on site once a week, offering therapeutic work with individual students who have been identified by staff, parents, or themselves as needing psychological support

Students are offered a confidential space to talk about how they are feeling and are offered evidence informed and outcomes-focused interventions

Includes issues such as:

• Anxiety
• Worries about family matters
• Self-esteem
• OCD
• Feelings of depression or low mood
• Feeling misunderstood or alone
• Concerns about relationships
• School refusal
• Peer group difficulties

Courtney Bancroft

Positive Steps Physiotherapy

Courtney joined our team in 2025 after qualifying as a Physiotherapist from Keele University. She is passionate about building strong, trusting relationships and creating a positive, supportive environment that helps patients feel confident and motivated throughout their therapy journey. During her training, Courtney gained valuable experience working with children across a variety of placements, including Positive Steps, where she developed expertise in play-based therapy and supporting families to continue progress at home. She is particularly passionate about working with children and helping them achieve their goals in a fun and engaging way. Outside of work, Courtney enjoys running, Pilates, and circuit training, as well as spending time outdoors on long walks with her sisters and their sausage dog. She also loves catching the latest films at the cinema.

https://www.positivestepsphysio.co.uk/

Ellen Cooper

Positive Steps Physiotherapy

Ellen grew up in Stoke on Trent and trained as a Physiotherapist at Keele University, since then she has worked for the NHS completing a range of different rotations in various specialities. Ellen now works as a Senior Physiotherapist in Neurology within the NHS alongside her role at Positive Steps.

Ellen loves her work within Neuro Physiotherapy, so much so she recently travelled to Mexico to volunteer with a charity that works with children and adults with disabilities. Children and adults that have very little access to support and equipment. It was a truly amazing experience and she hopes to go to Mexico again to continue working with the charity in the future.
Ellen is also a Guide Leader and a helper at her local Church Sunday School, volunteering and helping others really is a passion for her! The very reason she has joined the Positive Steps team, to help more people move better and enjoy doing what they love

https://www.positivestepsphysio.co.uk/

Maisie Kearney

Physiotherapy Assistant

Maisie joins the team as a Physiotherapy Assistant with a strong background in exercise science and a passion for helping people move and feel better. She holds a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science and an MSc in Clinical Exercise Physiology, where she developed a keen interest in rehabilitation and supporting people through physical activity. Her experience ranges from working with elite athletes, including Team GB Taekwondo and Liverpool Football Club, as well as supporting patients in hospital environments and private clinics on Harley Street.

While at University, Maisie was also Cheerleading Captain – an experience that strengthened her leadership skills and deepened her love for teamwork and movement.

Outside of work, Maisie enjoys running, taking on fitness challenges like Hyrox and marathons, and promoting movement for all. Whether that’s in the gym, in the community, or as part of everyday life. Maisie is excited to bring her energy, empathy and dedication to the team, and to support patients in achieving their goals.

https://www.positivestepsphysio.co.uk/

Lorna Saunders

Positive Steps Physiotherapy

Lorna Saunders is the owner of Positive Steps Physiotherapy, she has over 20 years experience working within the NHS and independently.

She is a passionate and highly motivated Neurological and Paediatric Physiotherapist who ensures the children and adults that she works with receive the best possible care. Lorna works hard to ensure she fully understands the impact of a person’s difficulties on their daily lives and helps give them the freedome to move better and do what they love doing!

She graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1997 with a Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physiotherapy and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), as well as having the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance required to work with children and vulnerable adults.

Lorna believes in a positive approach and looks at what can be done in the best way for each and every client . Lorna also takes great care to make sure every client feels special and that they really matter every step of the way on their rehab journey. Lorna works extremely well in a team and has excellent communication and interpersonal skills. She believes it is essential that all multidisciplinary team members communicate efficiently and effectively to achieve the best possible outcome for the individual at the centre of her care.

You can read client feedback by clicking the ‘Testimonials’ button from the menu bar. If you’d like to know more about the services we provide, and the conditions we treat please contact Lorna directly by visiting the contact us page or phoning 07801 238819.

Lorna Saunders is registered with various heath insurance companies.

https://www.positivestepsphysio.co.uk/

Karen

Staffordshire Special Needs School Nursing Service

All children, young people and families covered by the service will be offered support to enable their child to access special schools.

This will include assessment and care planning and supporting education staff with medication administration, enteral feeding packages and respiratory packages. Advice, support and training will be provided to schools to assist with managing long term conditions such as asthma, diabetes and epilepsy.

Support is also provided for continence and enuresis, emotional health and wellbeing and behaviour with onward referral to other services as required. We work closely with other professionals such as Dieticians, Paediatricians, Physiotherapists, Speech Therapists, GPs and the wider community.

The service will provide advice and reports for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), continuing healthcare assessments and the provision of Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) including transition planning.