I trained as an Educational Psychologist at the Institute of Education in London in 1996, having previously worked as a primary school teacher in mainstream and special schools in Glasgow and London.
I have worked as an Educational Psychologist in Glasgow and in Yorkshire. Most recently I was employed as Senior Specialist Educational Psychologist in Bradford, with the professional lead for Mental Health. I established and led the Mental Health Matters in Schools initiative, a multi-agency authority wide project to develop awareness about Mental Health in Schools, and to develop and deliver support for children, young people and staff to address Mental Health in Schools, and to provide psychological supervision for school staff who are supporting young people with mental health difficulties in schools.
In addition, as an experienced Educational Psychologist I have worked with children and young people aged 0-25 years with a wide range of strengths and needs, including emotional, social and mental health difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC), specific learning difficulties including dyslexia and dyspraxia, and moderate, severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. I have provided specialist support to primary and secondary resource units for children with ASD, and to special schools and resource units for children and young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
I also have a track record in delivering Critical Incident Support to organisations and individuals following traumatic events.
From 2004 – 2014 I was a Specialist Member of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal Service, as part of the adjudication panel at Tribunal hearings
I currently hold the role of academic and professional tutor on the Doctorate in Educational Psychology training course at the University of Manchester and undertake these duties in addition to my consultancy services.
I am very proud to have been a Trustee of the charity Winston’s Wish, a national organisation which supports children who have been bereaved from 2012-2017.
