Expert Details

Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Asperger syndrome, Special educational needs, Care

ID: 731694 Netherlands

Expert. Expert has been retained as an expert witness by major UK law firms representing clients on the autism spectrum and their families in civil and criminal matters, and representing clients in personal injury cases where inadequate planning or training has led to injury to staff or service users. References available upon request (with permission of past clients.) This work has included individual and school/service/procedure evaluations, bespoke research for firms on critical issues involving policy and practice, writing individual and joint expert statements, and testifying in Crown Court. Expert is a vetted member of the UK Register of Expert Witnesses, and holds personal liability insurance for her work as an expert witness.

Expert. Expert has worked in the field of autism for many years, and has a high level of expertise covering all aspects of the autism spectrum (Asperger syndrome. "high functioning" autism, autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Autism Spectrum disorder) and diagnoses that regularly intersect with autism, such as intellectual disability.

Expert has been part of a research consortium led by the National Autistic Society and the Autism Education Trust, to create a staff training and policy development programme on safeguarding and autism for the UK Department for Education. Expert worked with training leads at Craegmoor, a major UK adult social care provider, to research and create accessible staff education materials on autism. Expert worked with the Tourette Syndrome Association (US) to create a wide variety of materials, including patient and family education pamphlets and content for a health promotion Web site. Expert worked with the Portland (Oregon) Family Council and Board of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) to research, write and provide statistical data for a key policy report, Children Who Have a Parent with Mental Illness.

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Education

Year	Degree	Subject	Institution
Year: 2006	Degree: PhD	Subject: Cultural Studies/Disability Studies	Institution: University of Sunderland
Year: 1988	Degree: BA	Subject: Journalism	Institution: San Francisco State University

Work History

Years	Employer	Title	Department
Years: 2013 to Present	Employer: Undisclosed	Title: owner	Department:
Responsibilities: Work for diverse clients in the area of disability, including writing, editing, research, training, and assessment. Clients include universities, charities, and private individuals. Associate Lecturer, Sheffield Hallam University, 2013-present (contract basis).
Years	Employer	Title	Department
Years: 2012 to Present	Employer: Undisclosed	Title: Senior Lecturer in Autism Studies	Department: The Autism Centre
Responsibilities: Led the MA Autism Studies programme, which is part of the MA Education programme, and the HECert Autism programme, and contributed to teaching on a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in education and disability studies, including BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies and BA (Hons) Education and Disability Studies. Also supervised research students, carried out independent research within the University, and took part in research networks within and outside of the unversity.
Years	Employer	Title	Department
Years: 2007 to 2012	Employer: University of Birmingham	Title: Lecturer in Special Education and Autism Studies	Department: Autism Centre for Education and Research
Responsibilities: Led the taught BPhil and MA programmes in Autism, supervised research students at all levels, and taught on a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Carried out research independently and as part of the ACER research group, in partnership with charities, companies and the UK government-funded Autism Education Trust.
Years	Employer	Title	Department
Years: 2002 to 2007	Employer: University of Birmingham	Title: Regional Tutor	Department:
Responsibilities: Supported teachers and other education and care staff in workplace-based university courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Years	Employer	Title	Department
Years: 2002 to 2007	Employer: University of Sunderland	Title: Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies	Department: Arts Design Media and Culture
Responsibilities: Developed and ran the MA Magazine Journalism programme and taught across several undergraduate and postgraduate courses. I carried out research within the Media and Cultural Studies group, and developed specialist modules related to disability studies.

Government Experience

Years	Agency	Role	Description
Years: 2011 to 2012	Agency: Autism Education Trust/UK Department of Education	Role: Researcher and writer	Description: Expert contributed to the development of this this three-tier training programme for teachers and other school staff via research, writing, and evaluation.
Years: 2007 to 2009	Agency: Department of Children Schools and Families (UK)	Role: Researcher and writer	Description: Expert was part of the team that created two autism training resources for Early Years and Primary/Secondary school staff.
Years: 2007 to 2008	Agency: Autism Education Trust	Role: Researcher and writer	Description: Expert undertook research independently and as part of a team, resulting in two major reports: Jones, G.E., English, A., Guldberg, K.K., Jordan, R.R., Richardson, P. and Expert, M. (2008) Educational Provision for Children and Young People on the Autism Spectrum Living in England: A Review of Current Practice, Issues and Challenges. London: Autism Education Trust. Expert, M. (2008) Survey and evaluation of online information for parents of children with ASD by Local Authorities in England. London: Autism Education Trust.

Career Accomplishments

Associations / Societies
Member of the UK Register of Expert Witnesses. Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK); Member, Disability Research Forum, Sheffield Hallam University; Member, Autism Centre for Education and Research, University of Birmingham; Associate Member, Centre for Medical History, University of Birmingham; Member: Autism Europe; International Society for Autism Research; Disability Studies Association; Disability Research Network; Association of Journalism Educators; Co-chair, Oregon sub-local, National Writers Union; Co-chair of national Journalism Campaign, National Writers Union; member, Special Education Advisory Council, Portland Public Schools; founding member, Network for Special Education; founding member, Oregon Parents United; Member, Autism Society of America

Associations / Societies

Member of the UK Register of Expert Witnesses.
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK); Member, Disability Research Forum, Sheffield Hallam University; Member, Autism Centre for Education and Research, University of Birmingham; Associate Member, Centre for Medical History, University of Birmingham; Member: Autism Europe; International Society for Autism Research; Disability Studies Association; Disability Research Network; Association of Journalism Educators; Co-chair, Oregon sub-local, National Writers Union; Co-chair of national Journalism Campaign, National Writers Union; member, Special Education Advisory Council, Portland Public Schools; founding member, Network for Special Education; founding member, Oregon Parents United; Member, Autism Society of America

Licenses / Certifications
SCERTS certification

Publications and Patents Summary
Expert. Expert has 21 publications.

Additional Experience

Expert Witness Experience
She has provided expert witness reports and Crown Court testimony for several UK law firms. This has included opinions on whether a defendent's autism contributed to behaviour, whether a witness with autism's testimony was reliable, whether staff training and manual handling procedures created a significant and predictable risk of injury to staff or client in facilities working with people on the autism spectrum or with related disabilities, and so on.

Expert Witness Experience

She has provided expert witness reports and Crown Court testimony for several UK law firms. This has included opinions on whether a defendent's autism contributed to behaviour, whether a witness with autism's testimony was reliable, whether staff training and manual handling procedures created a significant and predictable risk of injury to staff or client in facilities working with people on the autism spectrum or with related disabilities, and so on.

Training / Seminars
She has provided training to parents, and delivered "autism awareness" seminars to a variety of audiences. She has developed and delivered higher-level staff training on autism at all levels, ranging from bespoke training for care staff and a Level 2/3 NVQ (UK vocational) course for education staff with the British Institute of Learning Disabilities, right through to training specialist teachers to work with autistic children and adults at MA level with two UK universities. She was also part of the team that developed both major national training resources on autism for England: Autism Education Trust/Department for Education training programme and associated materials for staff working in UK schools. This training programme was launched in 2012 (see http://www.aettraininghubs.org.uk). Jones, G.E., Expert, M. et al. Primary and Secondary Inclusion Development Programme: Supporting Pupils on the Autism Spectrum. London: DCSF/National Strategies. Online at: http://www.aet-idp.org.uk/ In addition to training specialist teaching, care and health staff, She herself has been trained in a variety of methods used in the education of children and adults with autism and related disabilities, including PECS, TEACCH, Intensive Interaction, and the SCERTS framework for assessment and intervention (in which She holds certification). Along with my work in schools and services and my knowledge of special and general education pedagogy, this gives me the background to assess existing educational programs and consult on new programs and improvements.

Training / Seminars

She has provided training to parents, and delivered "autism awareness" seminars to a variety of audiences.

She has developed and delivered higher-level staff training on autism at all levels, ranging from bespoke training for care staff and a Level 2/3 NVQ (UK vocational) course for education staff with the British Institute of Learning Disabilities, right through to training specialist teachers to work with autistic children and adults at MA level with two UK universities.

She was also part of the team that developed both major national training resources on autism for England:

Autism Education Trust/Department for Education training programme and associated materials for staff working in UK schools. This training programme was launched in 2012 (see http://www.aettraininghubs.org.uk).

Jones, G.E., Expert, M. et al. Primary and Secondary Inclusion Development Programme: Supporting Pupils on the Autism Spectrum. London: DCSF/National Strategies. Online at: http://www.aet-idp.org.uk/

In addition to training specialist teaching, care and health staff, She herself has been trained in a variety of methods used in the education of children and adults with autism and related disabilities, including PECS, TEACCH, Intensive Interaction, and the SCERTS framework for assessment and intervention (in which She holds certification). Along with my work in schools and services and my knowledge of special and general education pedagogy, this gives me the background to assess existing educational programs and consult on new programs and improvements.

Vendor Selection
Should additional expertise be needed (for example, input from a recognised expert in safe manual handling in schools and care homes, or an expert in dyslexia), She has a wide range of high-quality professional contacts.

Marketing Experience
With over 20 years experience in autism, She has seen great changes in education, research, parent participation, expectations and outcomes. She has also seen some extraordinarily shoddy practice in research ethics and other areas. If you have a product or service related to autism, be aware that you will be scrutinised heavily if you bring it to market: if she can warn you about likely criticisms in advance, it may help you to improve your product or service, and avoid failure or harm.

Marketing Experience

With over 20 years experience in autism, She has seen great changes in education, research, parent participation, expectations and outcomes. She has also seen some extraordinarily shoddy practice in research ethics and other areas. If you have a product or service related to autism, be aware that you will be scrutinised heavily if you bring it to market: if she can warn you about likely criticisms in advance, it may help you to improve your product or service, and avoid failure or harm.

Other Relevant Experience
Before and alongside her work in autism and disability, She has been a widely published journalist and author. She can write clearly and concisely, create materials accessible to a a range of audiences, and analyse written materials for misleading claims and confusing language. She has a particular interest in ensuring written materials are accessible to end users: parents, children, people with autism, people with intellectual disabilities.

Other Relevant Experience

Before and alongside her work in autism and disability, She has been a widely published journalist and author. She can write clearly and concisely, create materials accessible to a a range of audiences, and analyse written materials for misleading claims and confusing language. She has a particular interest in ensuring written materials are accessible to end users: parents, children, people with autism, people with intellectual disabilities.

Language Skills

Language	Proficiency
Nederlands (Dutch)	A2-B1 niveau as of January 2014
French	Level 1 certificate, University of Birmingham

Fields of Expertise

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Expert Details

Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Asperger syndrome, Special educational needs, Care

Education

Work History

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities:

Government Experience

Career Accomplishments

Additional Experience

Language Skills

Fields of Expertise