School Hours: 7:00-13:30
Afternoon Care: 13:30-17:00
Blaze @ The Sanctuary is managed by our therapy team Marinda (SLP) and Charene (OT). The key approach of our management team is the holistic intervention and team approach. The child is at the center with the parents, therapists, and educators working together to develop each child’s unique strengths and support their challenges. As therapists, we believe in empowering parents of children with Autism as well as our staff. We offer specialized workshops and training targeting key areas to support and create awareness. We are both certified in administering the ‘Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule’ (ADOS) as well as trained in the Positive Behaviour Support approach (Studio III).
Charene qualified as an occupational therapist at the University of the Free State in 2003. She completed ‘Ayers Sensory Integration’ therapy training in 2011. In 2004 Charene worked as an occupational therapist at Pholoho School for children with learning disabilities. She joined the Blaze team in 2017 as she is passionate about Early Intervention and Autism and finds her experience in Sensory Integration Therapy key to the overall development of children with developmental delays. Charene completed the ‘Hands on Autism’ training, ‘Tiny Hands’ signing training. She is a significantly skilled therapist due to her experience in working with sensory processing disorders, motor planning difficulties, and executive functioning challenges related to Autism. Charene is the owner of the Bloemfontein Brain Gain Neurofeedback franchise and believes this intervention offers valuable support to individuals struggling with attention difficulties, emotional regulation, and anxiety. She is passionate about serving the community and volunteers her services whenever possible to centers for children in need. Charene is a mother of two children and loves spending time with her family. She is a keen reader and sports fanatic and loves music.
Marinda studied Communication Pathology at the University of Pretoria and received a dual qualification as a Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist in 1999. In 2003 she completed her Master’s Degree in the field of learning disabilities and auditory processing disorders. From 2003-2010 Marinda worked as a senior Speech-Language Therapist for the Irish Health Board where she gained valuable experience in the field of Early Intervention and Autism. Upon her return to South Africa she established a private practice continuing to offer Early Intervention services for children with Autism. During this period Marinda became aware of the need for an Early Intervention and Developmental Support center for children with Autism and Blaze@The Sanctuary was established where Marinda worked as a speech-language pathologist since 2013. In 2023 she took on the role of principal of the school and completed a PhD in Speech-Language Pathology focusing on “The role of Sensory Based Interventions in Communication Intervention by Speech-Language Pathologists”. Over the past years, she has completed many specialized courses including the ‘Early Start Denver’ intervention programme for children with Autism, “PROMPT” therapy, Hanen ‘More than Words’ and ‘Talkability’, ‘Tiny Hands’ signing training, as well as a range of ‘Talktools’ intervention programmes. She is also a certified pediatric feeding therapist. Marinda is passionate about working with children on the Autism Spectrum and also incorporates her skills as a ceramic artist and painter in her work. Furthermore, she is a certified children’s Yoga instructor and finds this form of movement especially beneficial in providing sensory input and developing awareness in the children at Blaze@The Sanctuary.
