Alison Matthews - Speech and Language Therapist / Senior Director
Alison worked with adults with Learning Disabilities in the NHS for over 26 years and more recently has worked with people with learning disabilities, mental health difficulties and also dementia in the independent sector. Where possible the resources created for therapy are shared on the website. Alison is a Signalong tutor and a Talking Mats trainer.
During her time in the NHS, Alison led the total communication project in Oldham Learning Disability Service introducing a range of approaches to supporting communication. Alison is passionate about ensuring people with learning disabilities have a voice and choice.
She is the author of the Communication Dictionary and a publication about parents with learning disabilities.
Qualifications:
MSc Practice Development
BSc Speech Pathology and Therapy
Registered HCPC and member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
Member of RCSLT Clinical Excellence Networks for Adults with Learning Disabilities
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Alison is a talking mats trainer, Signalong tutor and Registered Intermediary.
She has completed ADOS and ADIR training.
On running a CIC
A Community Interest Company is a type of social enterprise and run on a not for profit basis. We are fortunate to have a board
of non-executive directors who offer guidance and support and ensure the CIC is giving back to the ‘community of interest’, in our case people with learning disabilities and their communication partners. Some of the initiatives we are able to offer include free or subsidised training and free or low cost resources to support communication. Please look at the downloads section of the website and the online shop.
There are also some resources attached to previous blogs which may be of use.
Rhiannon Matthews - Director / Trainee Play Therapist
Rhiannon is a BAPT registered Play Therapist (MSC). Play therapy uses play as the primary means of communication, as children innately express their inner worlds, thoughts and feelings through this modality.
Rhiannon has been working with people with learning disabilities and complex needs for over 10 years. She has experience with both children and adults in a variety of settings. She began working in care services and has more recently moved to education. She is a trained Forest School Practitioner. She works hard to ensure people of all abilities can access outdoor learning. Rhiannon is now practicing as a Play Therapist.
Qualifications
BA Childhood Studies
MA Childhood Studies
L3 Forest School Practitioner
MSc Play Therapy BAPT registered
Kim is a qualified Level 3 Social Worker, Best Interest Assessor and Person Centred Planning Practitioner
who has 30 years of experience working with people Learning Disabilities.
Kim’s passion is supporting people to have a voice, she is a strong supporter of co-production
and meaningful engagement.
Kim is able to Support planning, Person Centred Planning Training, co-production, safe guarding training,
Advocacy work, Best Interest Assessments.
Kim Doolan - Social Worker
Emma Beckett - Speech and Language Therapist
Emma is a newly qualified Speech and Language Therapist, and has worked with Total Communication Services CIC throughout her studies since December 2017. Emma is passionate about advocating for people’s right to communicate, and supporting people with communication difficulties to self-advocate for their rights.
Emma has had voluntary experience working with adults with learning disabilities in various projects, and has now undertaken the role of Speech and Language Therapist in a high school for children with additional support needs.
Qualifications:
MSLT Integrated Master’s in Speech and Language Therapy
Registered member of HCPC and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Siobhan Quinn - Psychologist
Siobhan qualified as a counselling psychologist in 2007. She has worked across a number of settings including community, inpatient and prisons and is experienced in the assessment and treatment of people with complex presentations. She is currently the lead psychologist at a psychiatric hospital in the North West and oversees psychological assessment and treatment on a male autism ward. Siobhan is trained and experienced in completing autism diagnostic assessments (ADOS-II and ADI-R) and attends regular ADOS-II reliability sessions.
HCPC: PYL21119
Autism diagnostic assessments
- ADOS-II and ADI-R assessments
- diagnostic report and consultation
- cognitive assessments such as WAIS-IV
Helen Newman - Speech and Language Therapist
Helen is a speech and language therapist with over 35 year’s experience in the NHS working with children and young people in community settings and at home, with a range of speech, language and communication needs associated with learning needs and/or autism spectrum condition.
She has provided assessment, intervention and training in Total Communication approaches including Signalong, Intensive Interaction, Visual Strategies and Social Stories.
She is ADOS trained.
Qualifications:
BSc Speech Pathology and Therapeutics
MSc Profound and Complex Learning Disability
Registered member of HCPC and member of RCSLT
Oladipo Akintokun - Masters Degree Student
Oladipo is a masters degree student from the University of Law.
He is studying project management and will be on placement with us for two days a week.
He will be helping us with the Communication Rights Charter project and also with funding
applications. We are most grateful for his support.
Angie Brain - Graphic Artist
Angie worked as a graphic artist for Oldham Multicultural Education & Language Service for several years
before embarking on a 24 year career as a senior graphic artist within the NHS.
Angie has branded and helped establish many projects within local communities and is experienced
in creating quality support materials, reports and infographics.
Angie is a qualified trainer, project manager and event coordinator specialising in design, illustration
and marketing. She is also an exhibiting fine artist and book illustrator and an experienced board member.
Qualifications:
NWRAC Art and Design