I am the Tutor Coordinator and an affiliate tutor on the Postgraduate Diploma course in Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties, provided by Oxford Brookes University in partnership with SEBDA. I am a member of SEBDA’s National Council, have organised a national SEMH conference, and have written articles for the SEBDA newsletter and website. My latest writing venture is a book bringing theory and practice together to support children and young people (CYP) who have experienced a ‘collective trauma’.  I have a Master’s degree in Education, Learning and Teaching: Understanding, Managing and Teaching pupils with SEMH difficulties. My research has focused on investigating short and long-term supportive interventions and their impact on pupil well-being.

 I worked as a KS 3-5 specialist SEMH teacher and key worker for over 20 years. At the multi-site, city-wide school SEND pupils with a medical condition and SEMH diagnosis are supported and educated utilising a graduated approach to offer a personalised curriculum, bespoke pathway and supportive interventions. I am very familiar with multi-agency collaboration, individual pupil reviews, and EHCP writing as part of the support process. Acting as a line-manager, peer mentor, and wholeschool lead (for both the Equality/diversity/inclusion Award and Unicef’s Right Respecting School Gold Award) I worked with an ethos aimed at building resilience and confidence, within a safe and inspiring place to learn, enabling CYP to become active citizens.

 I love spending time with my family, and I relax by doing art, Lindy Hop dance, sewing and reading. A recent house-move to the (almost) countryside has reignited a love for walking.