Hannah qualified as a teacher in 1999. She worked in mainstream initially before following her passion for working with children with special educational needs. She has taught in both a pupil referral unit for children with autism and also a special school for children with severe, profound and complex needs. She has worked with children with a range of disabilities and needs including cerebral palsy, down’s syndrome, autism and sensory processing disorders as well as children with profound and complex learning difficulties. While working she trained in singalong, PECs and intensive interaction. She led a class team of up to six teaching assistants. She worked as part of a multi-disciplinary team alongside health professionals such as nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists.
Hannah left teaching to go onto maternity leave shortly before the birth of her first daughter. There were complications with her daughters birth which led to her daughter suffering a catastrophic brain injury. She has spent the last 18 years caring for and advocating for her daughter. Her daughter has profound learning difficulties and complex medical needs. She has worked alongside solicitors, case managers, nurses and therapists to create a bespoke care package to meet her daughter’s needs. She has experience of house adaptations and specialist equipment. She has extensive experience of the education system through her professional work but also advocating for her daughters needs to be met. She has volunteered for IPSEA manning the telephone advice lines providing specialist legal advice to parents and carers about special educational needs. She has completed level 1 SEN law training through IPSEA.
For the last 4 years Hannah has been the parent governor at her daughters primary school. She has been responsible for monitoring health and safety, safeguarding and well-being. She has completed the place to be mental health champions course and received extensive training to enable her to effectively complete her role as school governor.
Hannah also has 2 other children who live at home with her and her husband. She enjoys reading and has found mindfulness to be very beneficial to her well-being.
