Trainer profiles

Trainer profile foster care

Simon Booth - Breaking the Cycle

Simon Booth has been working in training for over 20 years offering group intervention to adults with learning difficulties and complex young people from a range of backgrounds. He has been an active member of the Youth Offending Service for over 13 years employed as a Case Manager, Trainer and Operational Manager. He has years of hands on experience in developing and delivering programmes to young people and adults with complex needs. Simon has been an Operational Manager for 5 years, managing high risk offenders and managing the CAMHS within the criminal justice service. Simon has also been a Foster Carer and a qualified Youth Worker for many years.

Simon currently trains Councils and National Organisations in courses which include: Professional Boundaries, Safeguards; Supervision and Development Assessments, Risk Management, Safeguarding, Safer Caring, Fostering Principles and Attachment, Self-harm and Suicide, Mental Health Awareness, Critical Reflection, Behavioural Management and Effective Communication, Person Centred Practice, Victim Awareness and Restorative Justice, Motivational Interviewing and Solution Focused Therapy.

Louisa McGivney

My journey of teaching children with special educational needs began when I was a specialist teacher in an advisory capacity as part of a Local Authority Autism Outreach Service. This involved providing specialist support and guidance to schools, parents, carers, practitioners and agencies, to ensure learners were given the opportunity to access an effective, meaningful and successful education.

My current role in Coventry is as a specialist advisory teacher for the Complex Communication Team and strategic lead for all training and development in Autism across the County. I am regularly seconded as an intermediary advocate for the Criminal Justice Service; involved in court cases involving children and young adults who are on the Autism spectrum. Firmly believing that inclusion is not simply a destination, but a journey that should be as exciting and fulfilling as possible for all children, by taking account of and responding to, children’s individual strengths, differences and needs.

Dr Anita Holtom-Viesel (CAMHS LAC)

I qualified in 2011, and since qualifying I have specialised in working with children, young people, and their families. For over 10 years I have worked in the NHS in a range of mental health services, and in the last 6 years have worked in children’s mental health services, specifically with children and young people with neuro-developmental conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and more recently with children in foster care and residential settings.

I also have experience of completing specialist psychological assessments and interventions with children, young people, and their families with mental health needs, and/or neurodevelopmental disorders, in children and adults. I have experience in working within a multi-disciplinary team assessing neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dan Packe

Dan has been a valued member of the SCTS team since its foundation. He has experience in developing innovative and creative learning packages for a diverse array of clients ranging from children and their carers, in and out of home care, and family placements, to assist understanding and attachment with the aim of enabling placements to become healthy and nurturing for all involved.

Dan undertakes consultancy and training on Life Story Therapy and working with 'hard to reach' children and adolescents.

He still works in treatment, which informs his practice and keeps him up-to-date with all the latest trends.

William Horrocks – Tina Training

William has worked as a Health & Social Care lecturer in Further Education for over 20 years, delivering foundation and advanced in- service training in support provision, care management, counselling skills, personal development and workplace supervision.

He has a background in youth and community work, professional theatre, staff development, advocacy and group facilitation. Bill embodies a dynamic approach to personal interaction and illustrates care concepts with life stories and popular music.

Mandy Beaumont - Occupational Health

Mandy delivers this Training for Occupational Health and runs her own First Aid Training Company - MEB Training and has been delivering First Aid Training since 2002.  Mandy has also worked for local Adult Education Services delivering NPLQ and First Aid since 1998. Mandy is a Sport Centre Manager at President Kennedy School and has worked there for over 30 years. She is also a pool lifeguard trainer assessor for RLSS and has done this for over 20 years. Recently Mandy has become a mentor so now helps the probationary Trainer Assessor also.

Mandy’s background is with Occupational Health delivering first aid training since 2003.

Julia Davis - Premier

Julia Davis is a child and family therapist with an independent adoption agency – in this role she carries out assessments and therapy with families who have adopted, support Looked after Children and their Foster-Carers, parent mentoring, therapeutic life story work and training.

Julia is an independent social worker and play therapist – within this role she carries out assessments and therapeutic work with adopted and Looked after Children, life story work and play therapy for children with a range of issues including ill health and sexual abuse, preparing children to move to adoptive placements, assessing children as part of planning for their future needs and placements.

Julia is also an independent trainer and supervisor – she trains on direct work with families and young people, life story work, therapeutic use of play, introduction to principles of Theraplay®, developmental re-parenting, building positive attachment relationships, support to children in schools with attachment issues and many more.