About Me - Developmental Autism Consultant

Throughout my career, I have been passionate about helping parents and professionals work together to support autistic children's and young people's development. I believe that the benefits of a developmental approach are strengthened when the people supporting an individual can work collaboratively across home and school.

I have worked closely with Zoe Thompson of Bright Futures School in Oldham to support staff in implementing Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) and, more recently, Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) within the school setting. We recognised that for students to benefit fully from these approaches, their parents also needed opportunities to understand and implement the programmes at home.

This led to many years of work to secure local authority funding for home-and-school programmes. In 2020, we secured funding for our first case-study family. In 2021, funding increased significantly when a further seven programmes were funded. Since then, we have funded further HASP programmes, reflecting the continued development of this work and our commitment to making developmental support accessible to families both at home and in school.

This experience continues to inform my work with PACT, including my contributions to its boards and my interest in exploring how school settings can better support developmental approaches. I remain passionate about helping parents and professionals work together to support autistic children's development across the different environments in which they live and learn.

Alongside my work with Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), I trained as a Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) Practitioner. PACT is a UK-based, research-informed approach that supports social communication and interaction between autistic children and their parents or caregivers.

Through my work as a practitioner, I have seen young children who initially found interaction difficult develop shared attention, communicate verbally and non-verbally, and take a more active role in initiating interactions with their parents and carers. Seeing these developments has reinforced my interest in understanding how communication and relationships develop, and how parents can be supported to nurture these foundations in everyday life.

My involvement with PACT extends beyond my work with individual families. I contribute to both the PACT Advocate and Advisory Boards, bringing my experience as a practitioner, parent, and developmental autism consultant to PACT's wider work.

In February 2027, I will begin training as a PACT Professional Trainer, building on my experience as a PACT Practitioner and my involvement with the PACT Advocate and Advisory Boards. I look forward to further developing my knowledge and skills and contributing to PACT's wider delivery.

I am particularly interested in how PACT can continue to expand its reach and support implementation in educational settings. My experience working with families and schools has shown me the importance of collaboration among the adults supporting an autistic child, so developmental understanding can inform practice at home and at school.

Throughout my career, I have continued to develop my understanding of autism and the developmental foundations that support communication, relationships and flexible thinking.

I spent many years working with Dr Steven Gutstein, the co-founder of Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), developing and testing his more advanced curriculum, which focuses on building Dynamic Intelligence. This involves developing the ability to recognise how situations affect us emotionally, consider different possibilities, and make choices aligned with our goals and desired outcomes. These foundations can support greater flexibility, adaptability and autonomy in everyday life.

I have also supervised RDI Consultants in training for RDIConnect. This has been a valuable opportunity to support other professionals in developing their knowledge and practice, while continuing to consolidate and expand my own understanding of RDI.

My work is underpinned by a developmental approach that looks beyond the teaching of individual skills to consider the foundations that support ongoing development. I am interested in understanding why a person may find certain situations challenging and what developmental experiences and support may help them move forward.

My approach is neurodiversity-affirming. I do not believe the aim of intervention should be to make autistic people fit into expectations that do not reflect who they are. Instead, I believe in understanding each person's individual developmental profile, recognising their strengths and differences, and supporting development in ways that respect their autonomy and individuality.

For me, developmental support helps autistic people build on their strengths, better understand themselves and their experiences, and have more opportunities to make choices and participate in life in ways that matter to them.

My journey as a parent has shaped both my personal life and my professional work. Supporting my daughter in accessing the understanding and support she needed has taught me a great deal about the challenges families can face, the importance of persistence, and the difference appropriate support can make.

My experiences have reinforced my belief that every autistic person deserves to be understood as an individual, with their own strengths, needs, aspirations and potential. They have also influenced my commitment to helping parents make sense of their child's development and find ways to support them that respect who they are.

Being both a parent and a professional continues to inform my work. I understand that families bring their own experiences, hopes and challenges, and I value working alongside parents as they seek to understand their child and support their development.