Hope

Staff profiles

Name Ruth M Deutsch
Position Principal Educational Consultant to Hope. Ruth works part time and has responsibility for assessment, staff training, guidance and monitoring the development and programmes of all Hope’s students.
Qualifications (BA Hons, Dip RSA. MA (Psych, Ed.)….
Background Ruth began her training with Feuerstein in 1990 at Shoresh.  She trained in the methodology and all programmes and has practiced as a clinician and practitioner for many years. She completed Trainers certification and regularly trains at the ICELP workshops. Ruth was appointed lead accredited trainer in Feuerstein’s methods by ICELP in 1994.  Ruth trains EPs, teachers and therapists at University and in local courses across the UK and overseas. She describes her work as a wonderful mixture of hands on with students, together with training and teaching, each activity enriching the other.
Name Maggie Handscomb
Position Hope Centre Administrator
Background Maggie joined the Hope Centre in January 2010 as Centre Administrator.  Maggie previously worked for 20 years in the finanical industry, She is highly organised and has successfully transferred her skills to this new challenging role.

Maggie is based in the reception area of the building and is the first point of contact when visiting the Centre.  Maggie is responsible for the Centre's administration as well as the maintenance of the building. Maggie works closely with the staff, parents, schools and property department to ensure that the Centre runs smoothly on a day to day basis,
Name Paul Pringle
Position Senior Feuerstein Practitioner
Qualifications B.ED, Ad.Dip.SEN, HG.Dip. (GHGI, ETSI registered)
Background Paul joined the Hope team in April 2002. His career in Education began in 1985 with his first teaching post in an inner city primary school. He has since worked in a wide range of educational settings spanning infant schools, junior schools and primary and secondary Special Education. Paul has extensive experience in working with students presenting a wide range of learning needs and is also qualified to work therapeutically to address emotional, behavioral and motivational concerns.
Name Luci Austin  
Position Speech and Language Therapist
Qualifications BSc MRCSLT (HPC registered)
Background Luci has been working at The Hope Centre since June 2004.  Luci is an experienced Speech and Language Therapist.  She is skilled at working with pre-school, school age children and young adults, with very different and often complex needs.  Prior to working at Hope she worked in the NHS in a variety of settings, including health centres, mainstream and special schools
Name Debbie Smith
Position Mediator
Qualifications B.A (Hons) Humanities, P.G.C.E Primary, Advanced T.E.F.L
Background

Debbie joined The Hope Centre in September 2005 and has worked with children of all abilities for over ten years. She began her career in Education working with a range of special needs students in inner london schools before acheiving qualified teacher status at the University of Surrey: Roehampton Institute in 2000.  She gained invaluable experience working as a classteacher in the UK and completed a course in British Sign Language. Prior to joining Hope she worked in Hong Kong as an English teacher, where she completed qualifications in T.E.F.L (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). As an experienced Feuerstein practitioner she has completed several training course in Instrumental Enrichment. At present she is one of the key personnel involved in the development of Hope's outreach work to local schools and the local authority's E.O.T.A.S (Education other than at school) institutions. She is also the Hope Centre's 'Thinking Maps' trainer.
Name Sian Wilson
Position Paediatric OT
Qualifications BSc (Hons) SROT
Background Sian has worked as an occupational therapist for 17 years and started at The Hope Centre in 2004. Apart from working for 1 year in criminal psychiatry, she has always worked in paediatrics which has involved multi-disciplinary work in schools, clinics and family homes. She has specialist knowledge in children with autistic spectrum disorder and completed a 2 year research and service development project for children with autistic spectrum disorder and their families in the London Borough of Ealing. Sian has presented workshops and spoken at national conferences. She has also worked in private practice. Sian has post graduate training in numerous areas including Sensory Integration including therapeutic listening and Bobath (neuro-developmental ) treatment approaches.
Name Bernie Barthram
Position Paediatric OT
Qualifications BScOT
Background Bernie joined Hope in September 2007. Prior to joining Hope she has worked with a wide range of children with complex needs for the NHS . This included special schools, community clinics, mainstream schools and Sure Start. In 2005 Bernie spent three months undertaking OT voluntary work in an orphanage in South Africa. She is trained in various areas such as sensory integration, therapeutic listening treatment and Bobath (neurodevelopment).
Name Suzanne Weil
Position Mediator
Qualifications B.SC. Psychology, P.G.C.E Primary
Background Suzanne joined The Hope Centre in September 2008. She previously worked as a class teacher for ten years in a range of different primary schools. During this time Suzanne developed her interest in working with children with special needs and undertook a number of specialist training courses. She was a mentor for trainee teachers, helping them to gain Qualified Teacher Status together with an understanding of inclusion within the classroom. Suzanne has taught children with Special Educational Needs and gifted or talented children on an individual basis. Suzanne is a governor of a newly opened primary school and is the Chair of the Curriculum Committee with responsibility for Special Educational Needs.
Name Fran Miller
Position Mediator
Qualifications B.A (Hons) Primary Education, Advanced Diploma in Special and Inclusive Education
Background Fran joined The Hope Centre in September 2009. She began her teaching career teaching mainstream classes where a large percentage of children had special educational needs. She left mainstream teaching to study for a specialist qualification and to gain experience working in a variety of special schools supporting children with a wide range of learning needs. She then went on to support children with learning difficulties on an individual and small group basis. Before she came to  Hope she was a Special Needs Co-ordinator (S.E.N.C.O) and gained invaluable experience working with a variety of other professionals.