STUDIO 3 - Key Persons
Associate Professor, PhD; MSc, PG Cert, RNT, RNLD, SFHEA. Andrea is a module leader and lecturer on foundation nursing skills and issues relating to the care of people with a learning disability for level 4, 5, and 6 Undergraduate Students at Birmingham City University.
, RNT, RNLD, SFHEA. Andrea is a module leader and lecturer on foundation nursing skills and issues relating to the care of people with learning disabilities for level 4, 5 and 6 Undergraduate Students at Birmingham City University. She works collaboratively with colleagues from Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Studio 3 (who promote the ideals, philosophies and benefits of non-aversive behaviour management when working with peole who present with challenging behaviours), SimpleStuffWorks.co.uk (who work to protect body shape for people with movement difficulties) and St. Giles' Society, Australia (who support children and adults with developmental delays and disabilities and those who have acquired a disability as the result of illness or accident).
Andrea is the academic lead for Business and Innovation for the School of Nursing and Midwifery. The academic lead for the Flexible and Work-based Learning Modules in partnership with Studio 3 (Autism and Well-being) and the academic lead for the learning disability modules within the Foundation Degree Programmes.
Innovations that Andrea has been involved in include:
Basic Life Support for Carers of People with Distorted Body Shape, developed by Andrea and a colleague. This initiative is now taught within child and learning disability modules. Further research is now being undertaken in Australia and America to further knowledge in this area.
Developed, with colleagues, a website on clinical holding, which includes a library of evidence-based holding techniques. This resource is used within local hospitals. Andrea has developed a range of teaching and learning activities around this subject, which is being introduced within child nursing models. She is in the process of developing this teaching intiative for Worcester University and Chester University.
Andrea has also completed a small-scale research project looking at 'What is the current situation regarding knowldege on postural care amongst nursing students at BCU?' This research is currently being incorporated into the nursing curriculum.
Bo is a Clinical Psychologist based in Scandinavia. His work focuses on guidance and lecturing concerning managing challenging behaviour. Bo's field is care and special education, mainly concerning children and adults with developmental disabilities such as autism, Asperger's syndrome, ADHD or intellectual disabilities.
Damian works part-time for the Tizard Centre (University of Kent) as a Lecturer in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and for the National Autistic Society (NAS) as Autism Knowledge and Expertise Consultant.
Damian also teaches on the MA Education (Autism) Programme at London South Bank University, and has been a consultant for the Transform Autism Education (TAE) project and a number of projects for the Autism Education Trust (AET).
Damian's interest in autism began when his son was diagnosed in 2005 as autistic at the age of two. Damian was also diagnosed with Asperger's in 2009 at the age of thirty-six. Damian's primary focus is on increasing the meaningful participation of autistic people and people with learning disabilities in the research process, and chairs the Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC). In January 2018, Damian also took up the role of Project Leader on the National Autistic Taskforce (NAT).
Job Titles:
- Clinical Psychologist
- Consultant
David Jones is a consultant Clinical psychologist, with over 20 years of practitioner experience. He has practical experience of a variety of populations including, children with emotional and behavioural disorders, older adults, autism. His specialist interests are varied and include: challenging behaviour, autism, ADHD and dyslexia.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Behaviour Support Specialist
MA in Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. Dermot is a Behaviour Support Specialist with over 30 years' experience working on individual support and organisation development. Dermot has qualifications and competencies in Postive Behaviour Support, Person-Centred Practice, Applied Behaviour Analysis, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Approaches and Staff Training and Development. He has wide experience in developing and facilitating programmes in the areas of teenage behavioural support, mindfulness, youth leadership and intellectual disability services.
DPsych, MSc, LLB (Hons), DipLP, MBPsS. John is a Counselling Psychologist and as such has particular interest in relational and systemic approaches to working with individuals, families and caregivers in autism, developmental disability and care settings.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Member of the Training Team
- Adviser
- Co - Director of the Studio 3 LASER Programme
- Educational Adviser
Gareth D. Morewood is the Educational Adviser for Studio 3. Previously, Gareth worked for 25 years in UK schools, the last 17 of which were spent as SENCo in a large, inclusive secondary school in the North West of England.
Gareth is Co-Director of the Studio 3 LASER Programme, which fuses his critically acclaimed Saturation Model (Morewood, Humphrey & Symes, 2011) with Low Arousal Approaches (McDonnell, 2010) as part of system-led model of inclusive practice.
Gareth D Morewood is the Educational Advisor for Studio 3. Previously he has worked for 25 years in U.K. schools, the last 17 of which were as SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) in a large, inclusive secondary school in the North West of England.
Gareth has extensive ‘front-line' experience supporting schools, families and working directly with young people in the U.K. and abroad - most recently Chile, Dubai, Portugal, Scandinavia and Ireland.
Gareth has a significant body of published works, films and resources, which can be found on his website. As part of his role as an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, Gareth has worked on a range of projects, predominantly to do with the inclusion of young people with complex needs and in supporting autistic learners in their local schools as part of the wider inclusion agenda.
Gareth is Co-Director of the Studio 3 LASER Programme, which fuses his critically acclaimed Saturation Model (Morewood, Humphrey & Symes, 2011) with Low Arousal approaches (McDonnell & Deveau, 2018) as part of a system-led model of inclusive practice. The first LASER courses will run from January 2020.
You can read more of Gareth's work from his SENCology blog, or by following him on Twitter @gdmorewood.
UK trainer Kit Howe made his first trip to Canada and spent 5 days with the Horizon team. The staff worked well together and spoke openly, asked excellent questions, and gave it their all when working on the physical skills section. There were many "light bulb" moments and a shift in attitude as the days went on. The environment was one of nurturing, caring and respect for students and staff. Kit worked well with the group, creating a relaxed and safe atmosphere in which to practice new skills. We will continue to support Horizon School with their growth and quest for positive change.
BA Hons in Person-Centred Counselling; registered member of BACP. Liz has a wide range of experience in a variety of settings, including the NHS and prison services. Liz passionately believes in the importance of humanity while viewing people in context within all settings. As the parent of an autistic child with complex needs, Liz is also a great advocate for increased understanding around such issues, with compassion being key.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Services and Studio 3 Trainer
Job Titles:
- Clinical Services and Studio 3 Trainer
Job Titles:
- Director Autism Awareness Centre Inc. Interviewed Andy McDonnell about His Own Thoughts about the Training Course and the Situation We Face in Canada
Maureen Bennie, Director Autism Awareness Centre Inc. interviewed Andy McDonnell about his own thoughts about the training course and the situation we face in Canada.
Maureen: Do you think the training is needed in Canada?
Job Titles:
- Member of the Training Team
- Trainer and Practitioner
Paul is a Trainer/Practitioner working with the Training Systems and Clinical Services teams to provide support and deliver courses on Managing Signs of Stress, Low Arousal and SSRR Trauma-Informed Training for Residential Care and Foster Carers. With over 13 years' experience, his background is in adult and children's services for people with Autism and Learning Disabilities in Australia, Ireland and the UK. Paul has also worked in front-line and service management roles, and has delivered behaviour management training throughout the UK and Ireland.
Paul has been a Clinical Psychologist for almost 30 years. He has worked in the fields of secure inpatient care, child and adolescent mental health services and child, autism diagnostic services and adolescent and adult Intellectual Disability services.
Paul has had a specialist interest in Autism that dates to his Undergraduate days and has worked in the development and delivery of autism services throughout his career. He studied with Professors John and Elizabeth Newson at the Child Development Research Unit at Nottingham University in the late 1980s and after becoming a Clinical Psychologist, undertook post qualification training with Professor Lorna Wing and Dr Judy Gould. He also worked alongside Professor Gillian Baird at the Newcomen Centre at Guy's Hospital in the 1990s. While working in London, Paul co-wrote the book It Can Get Better with his colleague Liz Hannah. This book for parents of pre-school and primary age autistic children was published by the National Autistic Society and ultimately translated into several languages, including Arabic.
Paul worked for over a decade in Scotland and was a member of a number of NHS Scotland and Scottish Parliament working parties involved in the development of autism services across Scotland. He participated in producing the first ever Clinical Guideline for Autism in children and young people to be published in the UK, produced but the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) in 2006. He was also involved in the design and launch of the Pines Centre in Inverness, a multi-agency centre providing services for young people with autism and their families. The Pines brought NHS, Education, Social Work and Voluntary sector staff together in one building, and the building itself had sound dampening and shielded lighting to support the sensory needs of autistic people. It was the first of its kind in Scotland and possibly in the UK.
After almost 20 years in the NHS as a trainee and then qualified Clinical Psychologist, Paul went to work for an independent sector social care provider, supporting their services for autistic people with highly complex needs.
Over the last 20 years, Paul's interest has focused increasingly on working with the families and staff that support young people and adults with autism and intellectual disabilities, especially those who present with behaviours that challenge services. He believes passionately that change is possible and can happen in services where the emphasis is on providing the best quality of life for vulnerable people. As part of this, he is committed to the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices in services. He has presented seminar papers on his work in this area at both National Autistic Society and British Institute of Learning Disability conferences.
Paul joined Studio3 as a Consultant in 2016 and became part of its clinical services team in 2021. He has a special interest in staff wellbeing and the pastoral care of staff working in complex, demanding and stressful contexts. He is also an Ordained Priest in the Church of England with training in pastoral counselling and is a part-time hospital Chaplain.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Training Team
- Clinical Services and Studio 3 Trainer
- Principal Trainer, Ireland
BSocSc (Hons), BSc IT (Hons). Paul is the Principal Trainer in the Republic of Ireland. He delivers courses on Managing Signs of Stress, Low Arousal and Train the Trainer, as well as tutoring the Atlass programme in the UK and Ireland. Paul also offers advice and support to the Clinical Services Team who work in various sectors in the UK and Ireland.
Paul has over 20 years' experience in the field of behaviours of concern working directly with service users as well as training and supporting staff teams on the ground. Paul is also a qualified TEACCH trainer, and has a strong interest in positive interventions for people on the autism spectrum.
Apart from staff training commitments, Paul's other areas of expertise include; behavioural risk assessment, developing proactive and reactive strategies, supporting families, functional assessment, developing policies, auditing service quality and supporting and coaching staff. Paul is also a strong advocate for people with lived experience, and piloted the first Studio 3 Ambassador's programme in 2021 for individuals with lived experience and family members to become trainers in Low Arousal Approaches.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Member of the Training Team
and Educational Sciences. Worked with people with ASD and their families for more than 30 years. Founder of "Autism in Context", where autism is understood in context. Senior lecturer at Autisme Centraal, a training and education centre for autism spectrum disorders. Peter is an internationally respected lecturer/trainer and he presents all over Europe and beyond. Peter wrote more than 15 books and several articles on autism.
Job Titles:
- Social Media and Information Co - Ordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of Training
- Member of the Training Team
- Trainer
Robert Whiskens began working as a trainer for Studio3 mid 2004 and has a broad range of experiences across the autistic spectrum specialist part of the care industry. Pre Studio3 Robert was the regional coordinator for an Asperger syndrome specific outreach team based in the West Midlands. Prior to this he had worked for several large autism/Asperger specific services around the country. Each service provided its service users with a slightly different model of support. The people he has supported have varied vastly in age, need and ability, but all could present behaviour that may be described as being challenging, should the conditions be right. Since working for Studio 3 Robert has frequently worked alongside much broader service user groups. From this he has gained valuable experience and knowledge in both respecting and supporting a range of differences and difficulties. Robert has also delivered lectures at Birmingham University, school of education, on the subjects of Asperger syndrome, autism, supported living, social support groups, education support and the management of challenging behaviour.
Honorary Research Assistant, Tizard Centre (University of Kent). Roy's research and consultancy work are focused upon two areas; leadershuo and management, and restrictive practices within the Intellectual Disability sector. Roy has also undertaken research into the use of restrictive practices and frontline practice leadership/management within services for people who challenge.
Honorary Research Assistant, Tizard Centre (University of Kent). Roy's research and consultancy work are focused upon two areas; leadership and management, and restrictive practices within the Intellectual Disabilities sector. For example, supervising and mentoring organisations service providers as part of the Driving Up Quality Code. He has undertaken research into the use of restrictive practices and frontline practice leadership/management within services for people who challenge.
Roy has presented his research widely in international and UK venues. Current interests focus upon reducing restrictive practices through work on Low Arousal Approches and supporting the development of an international restrictive practices research group, as well as researching/promoting the importance and complexity of the direct service manager role.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Training Team
- Principal International Trainer
Steve has an education background. He is a national assessor for the In service trainers programmes for Studio 3. Steve has a number of specialist interests including: Challenging behaviour and autism.
Steve Allison has an education background and has been the International Lead Trainer with Studio 3 for over twenty years, the last two as Director of Training. During this time he has presented at International conferences about non aversive approaches to behaviour management and the risks involved in physical interventions. He has taught staff teams in a number of different settings including Intellectual Difficulties, Autism Spectrum, Acquired Brain Injuries, Older Adults and Dementia as well as Mental Health and children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. His teaching in low arousal approaches and management of challenging behaviours has taken him to numerous countries around the world including South Africa, Sweden, Malta, Norway, Germany and Denmark.
Steve is our Principal lead trainer and he is responsible for the quality control of our train trainers programme. In his role he can be very tough about standards. ‘Sometimes people need to understand that you can fail our train trainers programme'. Steve routinely works in very challenging situations and he is well regarded by his peers. In terms of positivity, Steve personifies an upbeat, can do attitude to life. He has strong views about reflective practice. We need to focus on changing our interactions when supporting people who challenge, we are part of the problem'. His other area of concern is that calm confident people usually have fewer incidents of challenging behaviour.
Steve is often referred to as our trainer with a suitcase, he travels the world in his role. Less known about Steve is that he has a special interest in pyrotechnics and has on several occasions won the British Fireworks Championships.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Training Team
- Trainer
Tim is a Studio 3 Trainer with extensive experience of working directly with distressed behaviours. He has a specialist interest in the training of frontline teaching staff in behaviour management practices. He has responsibilities for the development of Studio 3 training in classroom settings.