Type: Staff

Latest Articles

      • Eva Juusola

      • Director of Operations
      • Eva first became involved with the Forum as a parent volunteer back in 2009 – and liked it so much she left her job as a translator to join our small staff team.

        Eva has a particular interest in marketing and communications, and writes most of the articles for our newsletter and this website.

        In her spare time, Eva enjoys painting, printmaking and photography.

      • Katie Monette

      • Director of Strategy
      • Katie was our Chair for several years and has recently become an employee. She is a single full-time mum of two girls. Her eldest has verbal dyspraxia, autism and ADHD and is in mainstream school. Her youngest has no special educational needs, but does have various health issues. She has had major open heart surgery and suffers from extreme migraines, Raynauds syndrome and hyper mobility.

        Katie attends many strategic meetings as a parent carer representative. She is also trying to strengthen our links with local parent support groups by setting up an Affiliate Membership scheme.

      • Robyn Webster

      • Neurodisability Training Project Manager
      • Robyn manages the Neurodisability Training Project, designed to help improve signposting among professionals, through parent carer voices.

        She has recently finished her master’s degree in Psychology where she specialised in Autism and SEN education. Robyn has also previously worked on mobility access and emergency accommodation projects and has many years’ experience working with children, young people and families.

        Robyn has a daughter who has a diagnosis of autism and is waiting on an ADHD assessment.

        In her spare time, Robyn loves to create tailored special interest education materials, read, play video or board games and attend Aerial sport classes.

      • Sharon Blagden

      • Peer Support Manager
      • Sharon leads the Peer Support Service.

        She retired from a career as a primary teacher and Headteacher where she led on parental involvement and inclusion.  Sharon worked for many years in communities where families spoke over 30 first languages.  She is a trained mindfulness teacher and has a strong interest in self compassion and well-being.

        In her free time Sharon loves to read, be out in nature and spend time with her family, especially her two young grandsons.

      • Celia Pritchard

      • Administrator
      • Celia started working with us in May 2022. She has many years of experience working within administration and is passionate about working with SPCF.

        In her spare time, Celia loves to explore the Peak District with her two young boys and enjoys crotchet.

      • Eleanor Cantor

      • Peer Support Worker
      • Eleanor is mother to a gloriously autistic boy and his loving neurotypical brother. She’s also a writer, a musician, and an English as a Second Language teacher, with ample experience advocating for inclusion and autism rights. Having lived in several countries, she’s particularly aware of the challenges facing immigrant carers and wishes to assist newly relocated families to navigate the system.

        Eleanor is a self-professed news junkie: When not glued to the radio, she enjoys drawing comics and walking in the Peak District.

      • Rebecca Lewis

      • Peer Support Worker
      • Rebecca is a Peer Support Worker. She has many years experience supporting families as a family support worker and is passionate about working with parents to achieve the best possible outcomes.
        Rebecca has a son who has a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy and learning needs. He has an EHCP and attends a resource provision within a mainstream school.
        In her spare time Rebecca loves creating sensory play activities for her son, walks in the countryside and trips to the theatre.

      • Amanda Flounders

      • Peer Support Worker
      • Amanda started working for Parent Carer Forum as a peer support worker in November 2022. Amanda is passionate about supporting families and has substantive experience of the benefits process gained from previous job roles. Amanda is a single carer to 3 children with complex needs, including autism, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and Cornelia de Lange syndrome. Amanda has experience of adoption and the experiences of adopted children in education.
        Amanda likes to spend her spare time cooking and spending time with friends and family.

      • Sharon Court

      • Project Worker, Autism in Schools
      • Sharon works on the Autism in Schools project. Her background is mainly administrative and mentoring autistic young people. Sharon has two children, the youngest has a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, an array of other medical issues and currently attends a mainstream school with SEND support.

        In her spare time Sharon is doing a part-time MA in Autism, so her hobbies are currently finding/reading research papers and stock piling highlighter pens. But she also loves walking in the Peaks and the Lake District with the family and the dog.

      • Anna Marie Emmett

      • Project Worker, Autism in Schools
      • Anna works on the Autism in Schools project. She has a background in Training and Development. Her son has a diagnosis of autism, he has an EHCP and attends a mainstream school. Her brother also has a diagnosis of autism.
        In her spare time, Anna attends Martial Arts classes and she also enjoys crafting.

      • Kathleen Green

      • Project Worker, Autism in Schools
      • Kathleen is the mother of three children with various additional needs including autism, PDA, adhd, dyspraxia, Tourette’s and learning difficulties. She is also autistic.
        One of her sons is in mainstream and two attend specialist schools. She is familiar with the process of accessing support and the challenges it can bring and passionate about empowering all children and their families to live their best life.
        Kathleen was a midwife before her responsibilities as a parent carer took precedence.
        Kathleen loves to sew and read. She finds joy with her animals, long walks in the Peak District and most of all her children.