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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 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.
Outside of work, Francyne enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters, being amongst nature 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.
Palak Amin
Physiotherapist (Paediatrics)
Palak is a warm and compassionate clinician with a background in both physiotherapy and exercise physiology. She brings a thoughtful, evidence-based approach to her work, combining clinical insight with
genuine care to support each child in a way that feels safe, empowering, and effective.
Her practice is centred around connection and collaboration. Whether helping a little one reach important milestones or guiding a young person through injury rehab, Palak enjoys working closely with
families to deliver care that’s tailored, respectful, and focused on long-term wellbeing.
Palak holds a Master of Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland and a Master of Exercise Physiology from the University of Sydney. She continues to expand her skills through ongoing training, with a particular interest in child development and adolescent health.
Outside of work, Palak likes being active, outdoors and spending time with her loved ones.
Orissa Meaden-Torbitt
Physiotherapist (Paediatrics)
Orissa is an enthusiastic, kind and fun physiotherapist from Namibia who has a great passion for working with children and their families. She completed her Bachelor degree in Cape Town, South Africa and spent a year working in rural health care treating adults and children in their local communities.
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Opportunities led her to move to the UK where she continued her career at The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London. She soon realised her passion in working with children and decided to specialise in paediatric physiotherapy.
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She worked in various paediatric settings in London including schools, community clinics and acute hospitals like Great Ormond Street Hospital. This vast experience has given her the skills to work with children with developmental delay, neurological, cardio-respiratory, orthopaedic and musculoskeletal conditions.
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In early 2023 she spent some time travelling and moved to Auckland working as a senior Physiotherapist at Starship Children’s Hospital. Earlier this year she made the move to Melbourne and works part time at The Royal Children’s Hospital.
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She has a special interest in orthopaedic and musculoskeletal conditions including Plagiocephaly, torticollis, hip dysplasia and post operative rehabilitation. Moreover, she loves working with cardiac and neuro-developmental conditions helping little ones achieve their developmental milestones.
Outside of work she is an avid open water swimmer, runner and enjoys spending time travelling with her partner and family. She’s a coffee fanatic and can’t wait to see what Melbourne has to offer.
She takes great pride in making a positive impact on the lives of her patients and providing care that will achieve their goals and overall improve their quality of life.
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.
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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.
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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.
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!
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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.
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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.
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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
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Private Health Insurance
Services are eligible for private health insurance rebate based on individual cover. See your private health insurance provider for details.
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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.
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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.
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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.
