An experienced and internationally regarded Educational and Child Psychologist, Dr Tina specialises in social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. She is also regarded as an expert on the emotional well-being and mental health of children and adolescents.

Dr Tina has undertaken research in the areas of engagement and disaffection with learning in young people, children missing education, debriefing following critical incidents, attachment disorders, emotional well-being and the psychological assessment of young offenders, and is also experienced in working therapeutically with children and young people, and their parents/carers.

She is a prolific author with over 100 publications to date, and has written extensively on topics such as well-being, attachment, emotional literacy, behavioural problems, anger and stress management, critical incidents, cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing, solution focused brief therapy, loss and bereavement in young people, youth offending, and social and emotional skills development.

Dr Rae is also a member of the Editorial Board for The International Journal of Nurture in Education and The Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Journal.

Beverley is a Training Co-ordinator in complex learning needs for Chadsgrove Teaching School, Bromsgrove, and has worked in the field of special educational needs for 14 years.

In addition to school-to-school support, Beverley supports care homes for adults with learning disabilities, using the Engagement for Living Framework tools and structured teaching approaches. Previously, she worked for SSAT (The Schools Network) Ltd as Training Co-ordinator for complex learning needs and as a Researcher on the Department for Education funded Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (CLDD) Research Project.

Beverley has been an Assistant Teacher and Structured Teaching Advisor/Trainer within a residential school offering 38/42-week education and 52-week care to children aged 6–19 years with severe and complex learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. She also lectures and delivers training for children with CLDD in schools across the UK and internationally, most recently in Australia and New Zealand.

Beverley is involved in school-based research, including a European Teaching Resource Project. She is co-author of Engaging Learners with Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (Routledge, 2016), has published various articles, and contributed to the Teaching Agency’s ‘Engaging in Learning’ module for their ‘Training Materials for Teachers of Learners with Severe, Profound and Complex Learning Difficulties’.

David has over 40 years’ experience gained in front line and strategic work and in inspection, regulatory and consultancy roles. Originally with a background in teaching deaf children, David has been a teacher, specialist teacher trainer, Head of a large residential special school, External Examiner, Registered Ofsted Inspector (SEN), Contractor and Accredited Trainer, Independent Care Standards Visitor and latterly a Director of Education and Chief Executive of two national educational charities.

With a national reputation in the education of disabled children, particularly in the field of deaf education, David is regularly approached to be part of Government Working Parties.

He has considerable knowledge and experience of the special school sector, the voluntary sector, school inspections and serving on the Care Standards Tribunal and the SEN and Disability Tribunal. He has a strong track record in the strategic development of specialist and partnership provision involving Local Authorities, schools and the voluntary sector to promote effective education, inclusion, high quality multi-disciplinary working and raising of standards of achievement of disabled pupils, particularly those with severe and complex needs.

David has served and still serves on a wide range of national and public bodies including regulatory bodies and tribunals. He was also a member in 2010-12 of the DfE Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Research Project and the DfE project to develop Training Resources for Special Education for the 21st Century.

More recently he has been working with the Health and Social Care Commissioners in Staffordshire County Council on the implementation of the SEND Reforms which are a part of the 2014 Children and Families Act.