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Physiotherapy for Children
Physiotherapy for Children
About
Our Paediatric Physiotherapists
Francyne Finlayson
Director
Physiotherapist (Paediatrics)
Francyne is an experienced, holistic paediatric-trained physiotherapist with extensive experience in infant development and neurological and orthopaedic conditions affecting children. She started Physiotherapy for Children in 2017 with the vision to bring high-quality evidence-based paediatric physiotherapy services into the community to help improve the health and wellbeing of children and their families in Melbourne.
She completed a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne, and has subsequently worked and trained across many paediatric hospitals in Melbourne, including The Royal Children's Hospital and Monash Children's Hospital. She has worked in a variety of areas of paediatric physiotherapy, and has expertise in neurological and orthopaedic conditions affecting infant and child development, including preterm birth and brain injuries. In particular, Francyne has specialised in early detection of movement difficulties, such as cerebral palsy and complex movement disorders, and early intervention for complex neurological conditions. She has worked in many neonatal units across Melbourne, and currently works as a senior physiotherapist in the neonatal unit and high-risk infant follow-up service at Monash Children's Hospital.
Francyne is currently completing her PhD in the area of early intervention for children born preterm/premature through the University of Melbourne, the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Royal Women's Hospital. She has also completed postgraduate studies in Paediatric Orthopaedic Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne and a paediatric physiotherapy training program at The Royal Children's Hospital.
Francyne is passionate about improving the health and well-being of children and helping children and families reach their full potential. Her particular interests are in babies born with brain injuries or born preterm/premature.
Outside of work, Francyne enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters, being amongst nature, reading and listening to music.
Alex Butler
Physiotherapist (Paediatrics)
Alex is an enthusiastic paediatric physiotherapist who works hard to establish positive relationships and treatment outcomes for the families she works with.
Alex completed her Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago, New Zealand. She has had experience working in hospitals in New Zealand and the United Kingdom working across adult acute and rehabilitation settings.
More recently, Alex has worked with children in a paediatric physiotherapist role in the community setting in New Zealand. She has experience working in early intervention with babies and toddlers with movement and developmental difficulties, through to adolescents with coordination disorders and orthopaedic conditions.
Outside of work Alex likes to spend time cooking and keeping active outdoors at the beach or mountain biking with her partner.
Emily Cox
Physiotherapist (Paediatrics)
Originally from Brisbane, Emily relocated to Melbourne driven by her passion for delivering engaging and effective family-centred therapy. She is committed to advocating for children, supporting them in developing independence and enhancing their quality of life. With a particular interest in working with infants and providing group-based therapy, Emily finds great joy in witnessing children achieve their goals, always emphasising the vital role of family in the therapeutic process.
Emily graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the Australian Catholic University in Brisbane in 2016. Her clinical experience includes working with preterm infants across several children’s hospitals within the Western Health network. She has also delivered community-based intensive therapy for children and infants with complex neurological and orthopaedic conditions. By tailoring therapy to various environments—whether at home, school, kindergarten, or in the pool—Emily ensures each session is engaging and aligned with the child’s individual interests.
Emily has furthered her expertise through additional training, completing both Level 1 and Level 2 APA Paediatric Physiotherapy courses. Outside of work, she enjoys playing AFL, running, and exploring hiking trails throughout Victoria.
Rebecca Bacusmo
Physiotherapist (Paediatrics)
Rebecca is a passionate Paediatric Physiotherapist with experience supporting children and their families across a wide range of developmental, neurological, and musculoskeletal conditions. She holds a Doctor of Physiotherapy from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Science (Anatomy & Physiology) from The University of Melbourne.
Rebecca is dedicated to delivering family-centred, child-led physiotherapy that empowers children to achieve meaningful goals in their everyday lives. She has extensive experience working within home, school, community, and aquatic environments, using an ICF goal-oriented approach to help children build confidence, independence, and functional skills.
A particular area of interest for Rebecca is aquatic physiotherapy. She enjoys utilising the unique properties of water to support movement, participation, strength, and confidence for children of all abilities. Her clinical expertise also includes equipment prescription, NDIS reporting and advocacy, school transition planning, multidisciplinary collaboration, and supporting families through every stage of their child's development.
Outside of work, Rebecca is a proud mother to two beautiful daughters. Family is at the heart of everything she does, and she loves spending time outdoors exploring hiking trails, visiting beaches and playgrounds, and creating new adventures with her family. Rebecca also has a passion for travel, discovering new foods, and making lasting memories with loved ones. Her personal experiences as both a clinician and a parent bring a unique level of empathy, understanding, and connection to the families she supports.
Simi Naidu
Physiotherapist (Paediatrics)
Simi is a friendly, kind and compassionate Physiotherapist who values creating a safe and welcoming environment for her patients and their families. She adopts a warm, non-judgemental and open-minded approach to ensure that patients are always seen, heard and advocated for. By combining evidence-based practice with interventions and patient-centred interests, Simi strives to make Physio fun, engaging and rewarding for kids.
Growing up in rural New South Wales in a family of health care professionals, Simi recognised the importance of readily available healthcare and the difficulties communities face when access is limited by availability or geographical location. With this in mind, she decided to pursue Physiotherapy as a career, in hopes that she could one day provide quality healthcare to those in need.
Simi holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) which she completed at the University of Newcastle. She started her career in paediatric private practice before spending time working for NSW Health at her local base hospital in paediatrics. When she first moved to Melbourne, she worked for Monash Health as a rotating physiotherapist before returning to her long term career goal of paediatric physiotherapy. She has completed additional training, including APA and RCH Paediatric courses.
Outside of work, Simi enjoys getting a coffee with loved ones, running on a sunny day, checking out all the best local vintage clothing stores and exploring all that Melbourne has to offer.
Administration
Led by Lisa
Our admin team is a delightful mix of talent and warmth, bringing a treasure trove of diverse experiences across administration, customer service, allied health, marketing, and management. With a blend of professionalism and a sprinkle of fun, we make every interaction as smooth as possible!
Lisa uses her warm personality to foster strong connections with clients and families, while Brianna brings a unique blend of experience from legal and healthcare settings, adding efficiency and the potential for growth to our operations.
Bianca and Emma are caring and pros at building trust and rapport with her positive outlook and keen eye for detail. Meanwhile, Paula lends her extensive history in admin management to keep everything running seamlessly.
Friendly, approachable, and always eager to help, our team also knows how to unwind. In their spare time, you'll find them enjoying quality moments with their families—both the two-legged and four-legged varieties. Their hobbies keep them refreshed and inspired, whether they're exploring the great outdoors, whipping up culinary delights, or indulging in the creative arts.
Referrals
A referral to see our paediatric physiotherapist is not required, however information from your medical or health professional is very helpful.
Funding
Private Health Insurance
Services are eligible for private health insurance rebate based on individual cover. See your private health insurance provider for details.
Medicare
Medicare rebates are also available using the Chronic Disease Management care plan. This is available from your General Practitioner. See the Department of Human Services website below for more details.
National Disability Insurance Scheme
Children funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme can chose to have their physiotherapy services through Physiotherapy for Children. Please contact us for more information.
Info
In accordance with Australian requirements, our physiotherapists are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and have current Police and Working with Children’s checks.
