|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Janet O'Keefe is a speech and language therapist, expert witness and parent to a child with special educational, medical and social needs. Janet has special interests is deafness, autism, dyslexia and twins and supports parents across the UK giving expert evidence to SENDIST. She is the conference organiser, and editor of the book 'Towards a Positive Future: stories, ideas and inspiration from children with special educational needs, their families and professionals'. Janet says: 'Our priority is to help vulnerable children and young people and ensure their special educational needs are met, knowing the positive difference it will make to their lives.'
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jane McConnell is Chief Executive and long serving IPSEA member of staff and has a son with complex SEN. Jane graduated in Economics and Public Administration from London University and later in life took a postgrad Diploma in Law from Nottingham Law School. She was subsequently called to the Bar. Jane has worked as a tax Planning Advisor, an Executive Recruiter and as part of the Public Affairs/fundraising team for the Leonard Cheshire Foundation. Jane joined IPSEA as a volunteer and then started work as a caseworker before taking over responsibility for the Advice Line and recently Legal Support. In 2008 Jane became IPSEA's Chief Executive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jane Raca is an author, lawyer and campaigner for the rights of disabled children. Her second son, James was born in 1999, 15 weeks early with severe brain damage, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, learning disabilities and autism. Her book, Standing up for James, published in 2012 is the story of her day-to-day struggles in coming to terms with James' disabilities and trying to get support from the local authority and ended up in utter despair and completely overwhelmed. All over the UK, children with varying degrees of disability are unable to get the equipment and support that they need. The impact of all this can be devastating.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elaine Maxwell qualified as a barrister in 1974, and a few years later joined the Civil Service. She returned to become a solicitor rather than remain a barrister, because solicitors have a higher level of direct contact with clients. Elaine began advising educational institutions and individuals on issues of education law in 1990, and in 1994 decided to specialise in education law. In 1998 she established her own firm, based on the philosophy that an exclusive concentration on a highly specialised area of law would result in a better service to clients. Elaine has been recognised as a leader in education since 1996 in both Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession and the Legal 500. Elaine has personal experience of children with SEN in Attention Deficit Disorder, dyspraxia and dyslexia and has provided training for charities and parent groups inc. IPSEA and the National Autistic Society and is a Radio 4 interviewee on education law issues.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Debs Aspland, Director of Kent PEPs (Parents as Equal Partners), a Lead Trainer for Early Support, a trainer for Kent Safeguarding Children Board, an independent trainer (Kent SEN Consultancy) for disability awareness and also a Performance Management & Life Coach. Debs has three children, each with different educational needs; hydrocephalus, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Retinopathy of Prematurity, global development delay, oral dyspraxia and a number of other labels. All three have statements and all three go to different schools. Debs knows first hand the drama of going through the diagnosis, assessments, therapy appointments, surgery, locating a suitable nursery, securing a suitable school place, the statementing process and trying to live in the Special Needs Jungle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charlie Mead was the youngest Headteacher in the West Midlands to run SEBD schools for teenagers ho been excluded from the mainstream system. Twenty five years later he is now a Consultant Child & Educational Psychologist providing hands-on services to Phoenix care, Mainstream Academies & Health and Prison services on working effectively with students with complex needs especially those with Autism and damaging behaviour difficulties.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sandy Burbach is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at Shapwick School in Somerset; a specialist school for young people with dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder and associated difficulties. After dual training as a Speech and Language Therapist and Audiologist at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, Sandy set up a therapy department in a school for black children with ASD and severe learning difficulties in the middle of the Apartheid struggles. Sandy joined Shapwick in 2000 and has particular interest in the role of oromotor difficulties in persistent dyslexia. Sandy is also in the process of researching the role of sensory processing disorders and their impact on the development of social communication, and is piloting an integrated social communication approach which progresses through the whole school from Yr 4 to VI form.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dr. Nicola Martin is Director of Wellbeing & Disability Services at The LSE Nicola has expertise in working with students who identify with Asperger syndrome, an Honorary visiting Fellow at Cambridge University collaborating on a student voice project. Nicola is Senior Parliamentary Policy Adviser for The British Dyslexia Ass. chair of The National Ass. of Disability practitioners and editor of The Journal of Inclusive Practice in Further Education.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
