Rachel is an Educational Psychologist with over 15 years experience, working  within the Local Authority and private sector. During this time she has been involved in a range of work including staff training, Local Authority provision panels, setting up and evaluating small group and specialist provisions, intervention work, policy work, supervision of teaching staff and of Trainee Educational Psychologists, collaborative work with specialist staff and professionals, facilitating and delivering to SENDCo Network meetings, a range of individual assessment work with children, interviewing for new staff, research projects, and contributing Psychological Advice to a number of Educational Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNAs). Rachel left Local Authority work in September 2023 and is now fully independent.

Rachel has a particular interest and specialism in Early Years education and the significance of play on children's development. She is interested in Personal Construct Psychology and the associated tools to understand the meaning and interpretations that individuals place on our experiences. Rachel has an interest in cognitive skills and in executive functioning skills and how these can present in a classroom situation and impact on a child's learning. She is also ADOS trained.

After completing her BSc Psychology degree Rachel worked as a Learning Support Assistant with young people with a range of Special Educational Needs. This ignited her passion to work with children and young people, to utilise her psychological knowledge, and to support change. Rachel completed her PGCE gaining qualified teacher status and worked as a mathematics teacher, before moving into the field of specialist education, where she taught at a special school for children who present with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. During this time Rachel helped to set up a whole school emotional literacy programme, as well as offering a range of tailored support programmes for young people. Rachel completed a Doctorate in Applied Educational Psychology (DAppEdPsy) at Newcastle University in September 2009. Her thesis focussed on supporting young people with challenging behaviour and the complex and expanding responsibilities and expectations that are placed on teachers.